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.

Brooke Embry

The biggest challenge to profitability in our industry is hobbyist photographers who operate illegally. We all have to start somewhere! But being that this industry isn’t regulated, any person at any time can purchase a camera, charge $50 and start taking photographs. Oftentimes, these hobbyists are not licensed, insured, paying taxes and are operating illegally. The Portrait industry is becoming watered down by this which affects the true professionals who have spent decades, or more, training and investing into their legal businesses. Read more>>

Eric Middleton

Todays biggest challenge to profitability in the music industry is streaming. It’s very thought to keep peoples attention song to song when there is an unlimited buffet of music available at their fingertips. It takes one million streams for the songwriter to make $3,000, so we have to constantly tour instead of relying on sales. Read more>>

Abner Isaiah Reyes

The biggest challenge to profitability in my industry has been vicious competition and dealing with other vendor. This is something that most people do not speak on. I do admit there will always be competition within the photography industry and that is okay. This helps in always improving and becoming a better photographer. In my personal experience I have had to deal with vendors that are not professional; that they have undermined my hard-work and have even gone as far to say to potential clients that my work is not good. Read more>>

Caleb Wallace

Selling artwork is not an easy task. It is a very weird, tricky market. A lot of it has to do with people you know, but also having a product worth selling. Depending on the direction you are goin in can also be factor for example if you were working towards being a commercial artist vs being a fine artist. Also knowing the differences and similarities as well as possibly fitting the role of both. Making artwork can be an expensive task, Read more>>

Veronica Powell

Inflation has been a huge challenge affecting profitability in the baking industry. Consumers will only pay so much for let’s say a cookie however the price of butter has tripled. So one of many challenges has been trying to see where else you can cut costs when your ingredient prices have increased. Here lately I have had to shop 4-5 different stores weekly for price savings. Little things like this is important to cut costs where you can to try to remain profitable. Read more>>

Martin Rinab

When drones first hit the commercial market back around 2010 the technology was in its beginnings. DJI’s first Phantom 1 drone had a GoPro as a camera so the Pilot did not even see what he was filming. It was a lot more difficult to fly a drone and produce good content. The market was wide open for a skilled person and therefor a pilot could charge a lot more than today. Read more>>

Aneta Pospichalova

I feel like the biggest challenge without having money saved up, inheriting or receiving from your parents or spouse, and trying to navigate your way on your own is that everything costs a lot of money, plus the market is saturated with designers these days. All the pop up and trunk shows, media marketing, traveling to places and the initial investment into your pieces, renting a studio, buying tools etc. is a lot for someone to be able to navigate financially. Almost every help you can get requires you to dive into your bank account. But I’m optimistic and determined more than ever to share my passion with my fellow Earthlings :) Read more>>