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.

Lenaig Delisle

The wedding industry is largely comprised of people with a passion for expression and creativity. Florists, designers, photographers, makeup artists, etc. – we all share a baseline desire to “make”. Unlike many other jobs, there is a sense of personal fulfillment as an artist that accompanies the services we offer; the work we do is for the client but truthfully, also for ourselves. This can create tension between what we want to do as creatives and what is reasonable and profitable for our business. There are often opportunities that feel impossible to pass up, despite knowing that it comes at a cost to the business. It’s difficult to learn that loving what you do doesn’t mean you should accept to be paid less than what you deserve. Many of us feel so lucky to do what we do that we’re often tempted to say yes to things that we know are actively hurting our profitability. Read more>>

Joey Hernandez

The biggest challenge I face in my industry is ensuring profitability while maintaining the high level of service I provide. A lot of people hear “DJ” and assume it’s just about playing music, but there’s so much more to it. For some DJs, yes, that’s all they do, and that’s perfectly fine. But for me, it’s about being an essential part of your event, creating a memorable atmosphere, and contributing to its overall success. Read more>>

Brian Fales

Fusion Sign Labz, as a locally owned and operated sign shop in Fort Collins, faces profitability challenges primarily because of competition with large-scale distributors. Here’s an explanation of why this occurs:

1. Price Competition
Large distributors operate on a national or global scale and benefit from economies of scale. They can purchase materials in bulk, streamline production processes, and automate services, allowing them to offer significantly lower prices than smaller, local businesses. Fusion Sign Labz, on the other hand, likely has higher per-unit costs, making it difficult to match these low prices while maintaining profitability. But offers a higher quality product in return and makes a personal connection with our customers. Read more>>