Business advice: If I was starting my creative business again I would…

I started my business 16 years ago. Since then, I've worked with major brands, helped new businesses build their visual language and watched hundreds of creatives get their businesses off the ground. I've learned a thing or two - but I've also made a lot of mistakes.

Looking back, there are things I'd prioritise before systems, before social media, and before suddenly finding myself without clarity, stuck in scarcity and burned out.

1. Get clear on exactly who you're serving - plus the why and how.

This, I think, is absolutely crucial. You need to know exactly who you're providing a service or product to - how you're helping them, and what their pain points actually are. It’s not possible to market to people if you don’t have a clear picture of who they are, what they do and why they need you.

I'd also look at my own life and experience and figure out what I uniquely have to offer, rather than looking at someone else's website or feed and thinking, "I want to do the work they're doing." There's nothing wrong with being inspired by someone, but trying to build your business on someone else's identity or portfolio is a recipe for disaster. Your business needs to be built on what's true for you.

2. Understand your real costs before setting your rates.

Presenting a number to your first clients can bring up a lot of imposter syndrome - that nagging feeling that you're not good enough or charging too much. But once you sit down and work out all the likely costs in your business, you realise there's so much more to a rate than just a figure.

Insurance, equipment, subscriptions, education, travel, accountants, tax, software - the list goes on.

And that's before you even factor in time. You only have so many hours in a week, and the time you spend on marketing, admin, bookkeeping, education and meetings or emails all need to be built into your rates. On top of that - buffer time, holidays (self-employed people need those too) and networking all need a place in your calculations.

3. Join a marketing club.

I'd join a marketing club so I didn't feel like I had to do it all by myself, and so I could learn from someone who actually knows what they're doing. These clubs tend to be accessible in cost and double as a brilliant accountability tool - something every solo business owner needs more of.

4. Hire a designer (as soon as I could).

I feel a little like a fraud writing this one, because I've only hired a designer once in my entire career and that's because I wasn't charging enough, which speak to my earlier point. I've recently restructured my business, and a designer is now my first priority the moment funds allow it. For now, I do what I can myself in Canva with templates I’ve purchased from designers - I know it isn’t ideal but at least someone’s expert hand has been involved in some respect.

5. Hire a copywriter.

I'd also hire a copywriter to help me find and speak to the right people. The way you talk about your work matters just as much as the work itself, and getting that message right is its own skill. Copywriters are overlooking services that help you find the right words to land with your ideal client - the words that convert from a lead to a deposit.

6. Invest in a brand shoot.

I know I’m biased but proper, professional photography makes a statement from the beginning - it shows you care about this thing you’re launching and that you are a serious contender in your field. It builds instant trust and commands a higher rate because before even reading any words - the person who lands on you can see that you are professional.

If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing, it would be this: clarity first, costs second, support always. Everything else - the systems, the social media, the strategy - is so much easier to build once those foundations are in place.