Profits differ from net income, and no where is there clearer than for small business owner-operators, artists, and creatives. Just because you have a certain amount of money left over after covering expenses doesn’t mean you’ve made profits. Why? Because you have to factor in the cost of your labor and the risk you took and so after factoring that in, millions of small businesses and artists and creatives are operating with little to no profit. However, it doesn’t have to be this way and so we wanted to create a space where sharp entrepreneurs and creatives could come together and discuss the challenges to profitability and potential solutions. If you have something valuable to add to this conversation that can help others achieve profitability, please reach out to us as we want to get your ideas in front of our readers.

Madeline Hopkins

I believe that art is a very important part of society. Being creative is in our very beings whether that be painting or wearing a fun outfit or even just coming up with stories. Art is everywhere in every form. Unfortunately because of our societal goals to climb the ladder and make money, art can be lost and isn’t valued. So when the economy crashes the arts are the first to be hit. I understand that when trying to survive other things are more important like housing and food but I do think that art is apart of human instinct and in some ways a necessity to survive. Read more>>

Carlos Cavalcanti

I don’t believe this is unique to our industry, but the lack—or complete absence—of support for small businesses when negotiating with large conglomerates is undeniably one of the primary challenges to profitability in our sector, condemning small companies to remain small while large ones grow exponentially. Read more>>

Jaime Steiner

The organizing industry is still relatively new and steadily growing, but profitability comes with unique challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is educating potential clients about the value of professional organizing. Many assume it’s the same as cleaning or tidying up, but organizing goes much deeper. While cleaning services focus on maintaining a clean space, organizing addresses the root causes of clutter to create lasting solutions. It’s a specialized service that combines strategy, design, and problem-solving to transform spaces into ones that are functional, efficient, and easy to maintain. This expertise requires significant time and skill, and because organizing is a newer industry, clients don’t always understand the investment required. Read more>>

Laura Green

I think as creative leaders and entrepreneurs, we’re prone to undervaluing our work. On the surface that sounds like we need to charge more. And sometimes that’s true. But beyond that, where I’m interested in supporting entrepreneurs, is thinking more comprehensively about all the ways we add value. Our creative energy and mental effort are critical components of what we bring to the table – in fact that’s what sets us apart. But in our businesses we don’t often value those the same way we value directly billable work. When we fail to consider those as an integral part of our business, we end up designing models that aren’t sustainable. We sign ourselves up for a “dream” business outcome that doesn’t at all match our dream lifestyle. Read more>>

Antheria Watson

The biggest challenge for me as far as massage therapy would be that people see it as a luxury instead of seeing it as a health and wellness necessity for managing stress and physical health. They believe that massage only relaxes you. Don’t get me wrong it does that but massage increases blood flow in your body, loosens tight muscles and removes toxins from your body. Read more>>

Millie Diaz

I work in the newspaper industry as a reporter, photographer and graphic layout in a small town. I don’t work in the sales department, but it’s easy see how difficult it is to find profit in advertising compared to a little over a decade ago when I first began. This is due to social media, which makes it a piece of cake for businesses to advertise themselves without having to spend a dollar. We’re currently finishing up a magazine we publish at the beginning of the year, and our sales used to be five times as much. As a result, we must cut pages, meaning less content, which means it’s harder to find advertisers because we’re unable to print more articles. Read more>>

Shanetra Harrison

The biggest challenge to profitability in my industry is classism. A large group of people believe that people who work in service industries do not deserve a livable wage. I live in Washington, DC, and when the minimum wage hit $17 the cries from the people who, “did it right” were loud and clear. Why should someone who works at McDonalds make as much as a tier 1 help desk employee? Read more>>

Ali Valiahdi

Noise is the biggest problem. Too many people spend their time listening to everything out there—going to every social gathering, attending countless conferences, and constantly chasing the next big trend. They get distracted instead of locking in, putting their heads down, and truly mastering their art, their market, or their product type. Read more>>