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.

Lindy Fox

I think the biggest challenge for fashion design companies is the cost of marketing, and the cost of development of the goods. It takes alot of money to purchase the raw materials and pay your team to assemble the samples, all the while not knowing if it’ll eventually sell. Secondly, it costs way more money than people think to put our marketing and ads so that people will know to shop your brand. The big companies of course have lots of money to spend on advertising and us small companies do not. Read more>>

Patti Steel

As a seasoned musician but newer singer-songwriter trying to transition into a full-time career, the biggest challenge to profitability in the music industry is the unpredictable and inconsistent income. While streaming platforms provide exposure, the payouts are minimal—for example, if one of my songs had tens of thousands of streams it would barely earn enough to cover a single utility bill. Touring, often considered a reliable income source, comes with significant risks and upfront costs. As a middle-aged musician, I also have responsibilities that make it harder to take unpaid gigs or live on the road indefinitely, but the catch-22 is that to grow my audience, I often have to accept opportunities that don’t pay much. The emotional toll can be heavy—people assume music is a lucrative career because it’s so visible, but the margins are razor-thin, and it takes constant investment in recording, marketing, and performing to stay afloat. Despite the financial strain, the love of the craft and the moments of connection with listeners are what keep me going, even if profitability feels like a distant goal. Read more>>

Danielle Cowdrey

As an artist, the first challenge is that you usually fall into a niche. You have to find your audience which is not always easy. Social media is great, but can also be complex when it comes to algorithms and understanding when and how much to post on different platforms. Video has also really changed the game with reels, TikTok, and YouTube. It’s a whole new dimension to learn and it requires a level of vulnerability to put yourself or your work on video. The second biggest challenge is giving your work the monetary value it deserves. They say something is only worth what someone will pay for it, which is true but there is an investment that come with being an artist in supplies, your time, marketing, etc. When I first started my business I reached out to a lot of artists to figure out how to price my work. And the one factor that affects everyone is the economy. Sometimes people just cannot afford to spend extra money and especially on something like art. Read more>>

Mike Rothmiller

In the past 20 years, the publishing world has undergone many dramatic changes—mainly the birth of Amazon self-publishing and others. Now, readers can select from millions of printed and eBooks, with millions more added yearly. As a result, the masses can overlook an outstanding self-published book, and a traditionally published book requires a fair amount of advertising to garner attention. Traditional publishers are looking for books they believe will produce a worthwhile return on their investment. In short, a publisher will not pick up a well-written book if their assessment does not indicate it will attain a predetermined profitability. Read more>>

Arsen Dimitriou

In the digital marketing and eCommerce industries, the biggest challenge to profitability lies in balancing upfront investments with long-term returns. These industries often seem like easy money from the outside, but success requires significant expertise, constant adaptation to trends, and strategic resource allocation. One major factor is the rising cost of customer acquisition. Platforms like Facebook and Google Ads have become saturated, driving up competition and ad costs. This means that for every dollar spent on acquiring a customer, the profit margins shrink unless the lifetime value of the customer is maximized through upselling, retention strategies, and stellar customer experiences. Read more>>