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Jeanne Hardy is the founder and CEO of Creative Business Inc, a New York-based company designed to help empower artists and creative entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into thriving businesses. Creative Business Inc. is a business consultancy that provides financial guidance, operational know-how, and back office support to businesses with revenues ranging from $2 to $50 million that are at a complex stage of growth. In essence, the company allows creative entrepreneurs to focus on creating while Hardy’s team focuses on improving and maintaining the financial and operational aspects of the business.
As CEO, Hardy works with founders to help them articulate their company vision, develop a financial strategy, and define a long-term roadmap to achieving their goals. “It’s hugely gratifying to work with creative innovators, artists, and activists,” she says. “These folks are trying to do something hard in pursuing a creative path. But they do it anyway, knowing that ultimately they will create positive change.”
Here are Hardy’s tips on how to build a successful business as an artist:
- Start with WHY, not HOW.
In the beginning, it’s more important to know WHY your idea is worth committing to versus HOW you are going to execute it. Getting really clear on the WHY is worth the time it takes to go deeper to understand the purpose and passion fueling your vision.
- Make a plan.
Make a plan starting from here and now. If all you have is $5,000, then that is your starting place. Build your plan, step by step, based on logical assumptions. You will get further and faster with achievable and manageable short-term goals.
- Don’t be afraid to talk to people.
Talk to everybody about your idea. Don't feel that you need to keep it a secret. Tell everyone and ask people for help and advice. Every conversation has the potential to take your idea to the next level.
- Be a problem solver.
Running a successful business comes down to problem solving. When faced with obstacles, find the obvious solutions and don't try to reinvent the wheel. Do what needs to be done and do it well. Take the time and effort to find a solution that will solve that problem for good.
- Let your creativity lead.
As an artist, let your creativity lead you. Don't feel that just because it’s a business it needs to come together in a traditional way. Utilize your creative intuition to build your big picture milestones and roadmap. Trust your instincts on what feels right for your business directionally—you can figure out the details along the way.
Hardy feels that “finding your purpose is like finding your North Star. It makes it very easy to stay focused on what’s important to you and not be distracted by what others think you should be doing. Purpose brings people together and creates community. Any failures or losses can be endured and learned from. They can make you a stronger leader and a better listener.”
That having been said, Hardy says that she herself stumbled into her life purpose. After graduating, she looked to do jobs that made the most money so that she could work on her own art. This lead to administration and bookkeeping jobs at various galleries around New York City. She soon realized that many of the creative entrepreneurs she was working with lacked knowledge in how to make money in their careers. They regularly would ask Hardy questions such as, “How can I plan for multiple projects at the same time?” and “When can I start hiring people to help me?” This need for financial literacy in the art world inspired her to start Creative Business Inc. in 2005. When word got out in the artistic community about Hardy’s business capabilities, she soon had more clients than she could handle, and began hiring people to help her.
Within a few years, Hardy had accumulated an impressive list of clients across several creative industries. From there, Creative Business Inc’s services expanded beyond bookkeeping to encompass payroll, operations and compliance, technology setup, and more. Today, Hardy truly feels her work aligned with her life purpose. “Creating financial stability for an artist who is out in the world showing his or her work on a global scale, whether it be through teaching, lecturing or being an activist, is an enormous gift and extremely gratifying for me,” Hardy says.
Investors can sometimes take founders off-course and force them to lose sight of their purpose in the pursuit of profit, Hardy explains. “ Go big or go home may be a fun saying, but not every company needs to be $100 million in size to be considered successful . I know a lot of innovators who run $5 to $7 million companies and are creating a lot of sustainable wealth. These leaders have more freedom to collaborate with people they admire, and they are filled with great passion and purpose.”
To young people looking to align their career with their life purpose, Hardy offers this advice. “Be patient. It’s necessary and important to find gainful employment and take care of yourself in the world. Not everyone is able to land their dream job on the first go. Changing jobs frequently, while potentially painful for employers, is not necessarily a bad idea. But purpose won’t be granted to you. Rather, it will come from an inner voice. So, if you don’t know what your purpose is yet, stay where you are professionally until it becomes clearer to you. Volunteering is one great way to connect with that inner voice without turning your life upside down.”
