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.

Nate House

Fashion is often one of those things that constantly changes with the time. Your idea could be popular one day and a thing of the past tomorrow. That’s why we strive to stay true to self when it comes to NNW: The Brand. There’s no room to fit in. We’re all about standing out. There’s a lot of competition out here, especially locally. In order to catch the eye of the consumer, we must present them with something so clever and unique that they can’ pass it up. Read more>>

Tyree McCall

For me I believe being a creative forces you to always think outside the box and be different. While It is I love design, 90% of it comes from strategy and educating the values to my clients the important of branding. That in my opinion is the biggest challenge because building a brand takes time and it is not cheap at all. People see what others have got done, and want it. The challenge is from the outside looking in they have no clue what it took to get those results. Read more>>

Payal Tello

A lot of times it is hard to convince people that they need the services I offer- let alone invest in them. I also noticed that a lot of people who want the type of support I am able to provide have a hard time accessing it. Raising a baby is a HUGE responsibility. ALL of us do the best we can, but there are so many things that our society has promoted that is not evidence-based. Read more>>

Ksu Koystinen

With the widespread availability of digital images and the prevalence of social media and online platforms, it’s difficult for people to understand the true value and prices of professional photographers and their work. Many people may believe that they can get a high-quality images for free or at very low cost, which makes difficult for professional photographers to charge prices that adequately reflect their time, expertise, and creative vision. Read more>>

Mary Sheriff

There are two ways to make a living from writing fiction: churn out several commercial novels a year or catch lightning in a bottle. Profit on each book sold varies widely. I’ve made as much as $10 on a book and as little as 30 cents. The average book published today sells about 500 copies. Given the low profitability of writing books, paying for marketing can feel like throwing money away. Read more>>

David Sustaita

Visibility mixed with over saturation. In todays age where anyone can pick up an audio interface, mic and laptop and start creating music… or pick up a camera and some editing software; there becomes an incredible surplus of people creating. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when people who are still learning the ropes are at the beginning of the “Dunning-Kruger effect” and start charging for their services at astronomically low rates, Read more>>

Kieara Johnson

As a virtual assistant agency, one of the biggest challenges to profitability is finding and retaining high-quality clients. The competition in the industry can be fierce, and it can be difficult to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Additionally, pricing can be a challenge. While it is important to price services competitively, it is also crucial to ensure that prices are high enough to cover expenses and generate a profit. This can be a delicate balance, especially when clients may be price-sensitive and looking for the lowest cost option. Read more>>

Logan Williams-Gary

I would say the biggest challenge in my industry is keeping a steady and consistent clientele. Knowing I do hair and that I’m not the only braider in Houston just makes me get a drive to make my work look better and more appealing to a certain audience. It’s like iknow one month won’t be like the last so I have to pretty much cater to or try to get the attention of a certain crowd . I have to promote myself on a certain level as well to keep my clients and also encourage them to refer me by doing that I make sure their appointment goes nice and smooth . Read more>>