BUSINESS FOR CREATIVES

Sherbanee presents a guide to business principles and operations for those who would rather be focusing on their art.

In this debut business book, the author, an entertainment technology executive, offers creatives advice on establishing a financially viable business while retaining an artistic vision and finding joy in creative work. The book opens with a comprehensive and high-level overview of economic concepts like profit, margins, business plans, and modes of financing. (The book covers everything from an explanation of supply and demand to the details of financial statements in its opening pages, so readers with some familiarity with the subject will be able to skip around as needed.) Sherbanee then discusses the importance of establishing a unique value proposition and how this can be applied to different marketing concepts and business structures before turning to the particular importance of community for creatives (“Encourage your community to celebrate each other’s successes, offer help when needed, and collaborate around shared interests”). The book’s final section provides short takes on the ways in which artificial intelligence, the gig economy, and risk management affect those working in the arts and related fields. A particularly interesting subsection reminds readers of the many opportunities for work in noncreative (and occasionally more stable) roles that support the arts and are a crucial part of the creative community. The book is thorough and addresses the most basic aspects of running a business without talking down to its readers, offering plenty of details from Sherbanee’s own career and those of other creatives to establish his credentials as a teacher and demonstrate the validity of his advice. The book is at its strongest when providing concrete and actionable recommendations for easy-to-implement techniques, as when the author addresses the importance of establishing systems for smooth and consistent business operations (noting that this is a pain point for many creatives). Sherbanee makes it clear that his thoughtful and informative guidance can be adapted to a wide range of creative fields and economic conditions, giving the book a broad potential audience.

An upbeat primer for running a creative business for artists at all levels of financial awareness.