ï»żE23 Transcript
Left Brain vs. Right Brain: Balancing Creativity and Business Tasks
Have you ever felt like your creative side is constantly battling with your business side? Do you struggle to find the time or energy to balance your art and the work it takes to run your business, like marketing, finance, or logistics?
Iâm guessing you wear a lot of hats. As a creative entrepreneur, youâre probably designing, making, selling, marketing, and managing all at once. It's a lot!
Itâs easy to feel torn between wanting to be fully immersed in creativity and needing to focus on the nuts and bolts of your business. What I see happening, more often than not, is we LOVE spending time on our art, so we do that, and simply try to avoid the necessary left-brain aspects in the hopes that they just happen naturally.
I get it! I do it too sometimes! We want to focus on what excites usâthe creative stuff! But in reality, the business side of things is crucial if we want to make a living from our passion.
In this episode, weâll talk about how to find balance between your creative side and the business side of running your fabric-focused business, no matter how big or how small. Weâll explore how you can manage both without feeling overwhelmed, and why having a bit of structure can actually help you free up more time for creativity. Weâll discuss the importance of learning enough about the business side to ask the right questions without losing sight of your artistic identity. And most importantly, how to make both sides work together for long-term success.
Iâve definitely worn all the hats, and it wasnât always pretty! While not easy, Iâve learned how to manage both the creative and the business sides. Iâll share how a recent conversation with a community member about the possibility of surviving on a limit line made me reflect on how important it is to get the balance rightâespecially in the early stages when youâre still figuring out how everything fits together.
So today, letâs explore how you can keep both your creative passion and business goals in sync, and why this balance is essential for your success as a fabric entrepreneur. Both are âmust-dosâ so letâs figure out how to make the latter a little less daunting.
A little truth bomb here: Many creatives struggle with wearing âallâ the hatsâcreativity feels freeing and joyful, but business tasks like marketing, budgeting, and organizing can feel like a chore. In fact, the very thought of having to do those âthingsâ stops many creatives from even starting to build a small business in the first place. Itâs common to think you donât have what it takes to manage those other things. And yes, some people simply donât want to manage them.
I know from personal experience, itâs easy to feel like youâre being pulled in two completely different directions.
When you first start out, itâs totally normal to have to juggle both the creative and business sides of things. But Iâm here to tell you, it doesnât have to be overwhelming. In fact, I want to encourage you to embrace them. I donât want you to lose out on the thrill of having a thriving small business out of fear! The key is to keep it simple, especially in the beginning. Building slowly helps you manage both without burning out.
Iâve seen this firsthand. I recently attended some local shows where I met some incredible fabric and fiber artists. They were creating amazing work. They were successful. They were âdoing it.â But ALL admitted to the struggle that is managing the business side. And it was unanimousâbalancing the two can feel like a constant tug-of-war. These artists were passionate about their craft, and YES, the business side still had a tendency to feel like a burden. BUT A NECESSARY one if earning money from your art is the plan.
So â a few things â
Youâre normal for feeling this! Those - I donât like it. I donât want to. Iâm not confident in those things. Youâre in good company.
Yes, you can do it, just like they did. Incredibly creative individuals doing it and succeeding, by doing the best they can in those scary areas.
If you want a business, well â itâs right there in the name. If you want a home cooked meal â youâre gonna have to do some dishes. If you want to build a business, well youâre gonna have to â do business stuff.
Balancing these two sides doesnât mean sacrificing your creativity. In fact, itâs about managing them both intentionally, so they actually support each other rather than drain you. And when you find that balance, it opens up more time for the part of your work you love the mostâthatâs your art.
So, how do we strike that balance? Well, it starts by acknowledging that, yes, in the beginning, you will need to wear all the hats. But that doesnât mean you have to go all in and become an expert, AND itâs not something you have to sustain long-term. So let me explain. You can keep things really simple in the early stages and ease into the business side as you grow. And here's something I know to be true: You don't need to become an expert in every area that doesn't fuel your creativity. You donât have to be great at marketing, finances, or logistics if those things don't excite you. But you do need to know enough to ask the right questions and make smart decisions for your business as it grows.
In the end, finding balance is about simplifying where you can, so that the business side isnât overwhelming. Only do the bare minimum (I know some of you in the audience are cringing right now â because you define yourself as a perfectionist, and only the best, perfect, most beautiful will do!) But I implore you â funnel that level of upscale to your art, DO NOT waste it on the rest unless it truly brings value to what you are doing! (And it keeps you legal, moral and ethical. Whole â nother podcast!) Cuz, as time goes on, you can bring in help for the areas that drain you, leaving you free to focus on what truly excites youâcreating.
Okay, letâs talk about something I know weâre all familiar with: the left brain vs. the right brain. We all know the left brain is all about logic, planning, organizationâthe nitty-gritty of running a business: marketing, finances, spreadsheets, and all that jazz. The right brain, on the other hand, is where creative magic happens: ideas, designs, and, for us fabric creatives, the making and creating.
Now, I want to be clear: we all have both sides of the brain, and we all can use both! Itâs not that one side is "better" or "worse"âit's just that we tend to lean into one side more than the other. And thatâs totally normal. Most of us have a stronger sideâsome of us are natural artists and others, more structured and organized thinkers. There are also those who kinda ride in the middle. Thatâs just how weâre wired.
But here's the thing: to make your business thrive, to grow and really step into your full creative potential, you have to know that both sides work together. They talk, like good neighbors.
In the fabric and fiber world, weâre driven by creativity. Our art, our designs, our craft are at the heart of everything we do. But, without the business side, without planning and organization, our beautiful creations can easily go unnoticed, unsold, or underappreciated. Thatâs where the balancing act comes in.
But know this: You don't have to sacrifice your creative soul to make your business work.
You may feel like the left-brain stuffâmarketing, logistics, financeâis a burden, but the truth is, if you embrace it, you can find creative ways to use those skills. Your right brain can, and will, send a message across the middle to the left and say â hey, how do we do this. And it will get an answer! You don't have to be a pro at everything, but you do need to understand how they work and how they can support your art. So, yes, itâs important to balance both sides of your brain, but itâs not about making them equal. Itâs about using them in a way that fits who you are.
For example, I had a conversation with one of my community members recently. She asked me if it was possible to make a living by focusing on just three to five basic clothing silhouettes and then adding variations with fabrics, trims, and details. She was a little nervous about the idea, but after talking it through, we realized how blending creativity with a simple, yet strategic business plan could work wonders. It was all about bringing together the right brain strategist (for the designs) and the left-brain strategist (for the logistics and financial planning) in a way that aligned with her passion and strengths. And now? She feels much more confident about moving forward.
I want to make it clear: You donât need to become an expert in marketing or finance if it doesnât light you upâbut you do need to be able to speak the language enough, just enough, to work with those who are experts in those areas when the time comes.
Itâs all about confidence in your own path and embracing the combination of both creativity and âcreativeâ business skills that will propel you forward. You will not, not now or ever for that matter, LOVE every single aspect of your business, but you can learn enough to make it work for you, without sacrificing what makes you creative.
Now that weâve talked about how important it is to balance your creative and business sides, letâs get into the practical stuffâhow do we actually make it work?
Intentional planning is key. You canât just throw a bunch of things together and hope for the best. In order to make both sides work for you, you need to set aside dedicated time for creative work and business tasks. I knowâeasier said than done. But hereâs the thing: without structure, you end up feeling pulled in two directions, and usually donât do well in either one. The last thing you want is for your creative passion to get swallowed up by hours and hours of fumbling around with the business side of things. By the same token, I know which side youâd rather be on, and you donât want to act like the proverbial ostrich, with your head in the sand, when it comes to your business strategies.
When I first started balancing these two sides, I made a lot of mistakes. Iâd get overwhelmed, trying to do everything at once and not knowing where to start. But over time, I realized that intentional planning is what saved me. Instead of allowing myself to get lost in all the to-dos, I began breaking things down into smaller, manageable pieces. So, if youâre feeling the weight of all this, know that youâre not alone. This is a journey, and it's okay if you donât get it perfect right away. But, itâs important to start somewhere.
Hereâs how I do it. I dedicate specific hours of my week to focus solely on business tasksâthings like marketing, emails, sales & invoicing, bookkeeping and all those other essential things that come with running a business. Itâs like scheduling time for anything else in your lifeâso youâre not trying to juggle those things in the middle of making your art. And when Iâm designing, I make sure Iâm in my creative zone, without worrying about my to-do list for the business side.
Once I got clear on what tasks I needed to handle on BOTH sides and how to structure my time, it made a world of difference. And hereâs another tip that works for me â for those things you donât like doing, make sure you pair it with something enjoyable. A specific up-tempo playlist, a favorite candle, a favorite tea or scone â whatever it takes â I make doing that least favorite activity as pleasant as I possibly can. (and bonus- it helps if you only get those special treats when youâre doing the unpleasant things â trust me on this!) Iâm lookin at you chocolate. No judgement here.
I encourage you to do the sameâset aside specific times for both. This might be different for everyone, but for me, itâs key to divide my week into creative and business time blocks. When Iâm making, I make sure to have nothing on my mind except the project at hand. When Iâm handling business, I do just thatâno distractions from the creative side. It doesnât have to be rigid, but creating that structure will help you focus, reduce stress, and make sure neither side is neglected.
Now, letâs talk about tools that can help you manage both. There are simple tools out there that can keep you organized and focused. Iâve used apps for scheduling, simple spreadsheets to track income and expenses, and a whiteboard to help me organize my week. Iâm a huge fan of the Full Focus Planner by Michael Hyatt. Iâm not an affiliate, I just love the tool! But It doesnât have to be that fancyâjust something that works for you. Whatâs important is that you set aside time for both your creative work and your business tasks.
Of course, flexibility is key. Things wonât always be perfectly balanced. Some days youâll have to focus more on the business side, and other days, youâll be deep in your creative zone. Thatâs okay. The goal is to move forward without feeling like youâre neglecting either side. Itâs a journey, and weâre all figuring it out as we go.
At first, youâre doing everything yourselfâdesigning, making, marketing, bookkeeping. Thatâs just part of getting started. You canât afford help right away, and honestly, you probably wouldnât even know where to start or who to ask. In fact, If I remember correctly, the beginning can feel more like âthe squeaky wheel gets the greaseâ kinda thing. Whatever task is screaming the loudest gets taken care of until the next crisis. This is normal!
But hereâs the key: keep it simple. Focus on your core tasks and do the best you can with what youâve got. Done is better than perfect.
When you can, get help with the things that drain your energy or are just way too big!
As your business starts picking up, one of the best things you can do is get help with the things that drain you. Things like the biggest tech related hurdles, or keeping the business income records, perhaps some admin tasks can be outsourced so you can focus more on what you loveâcreating. For me, I wasnât about to build my website from scratch. I can update pages now, but the initial set up wasnât in my wheelhouse. I currently let a CPA advise me on what to do next and I requested a checklist. Once I have enough bandwidth, Iâll start outsourcing things like social media management, and even some admin work. The cool thing is this â since I have had to do them myself for a while, I now know what I want in those areas and what to request & look for. I know how to critique and will be able to instruct them on exactly what I want. And trust me, when you can intelligently hand over tasks that arenât your strength, it gives you more time to focus on your craft.
Hereâs where structure comes in. The more systems you have in place, the more freedom you get as a creative. When your business is running smoothly behind the scenes, you donât have to waste precious creative energy figuring out how to get things done. You can just show up and do the fun partâdesigning and creating. So, before you get too overwhelmed, start by putting in place small systems to handle the essentials. They donât have to be complexâjust simple tools to get the job done. (Pro tip â your time management is the most important!)
If youâre feeling drained, pick one area of your business thatâs really zapping your energy. Maybe itâs marketing, invoicing, or managing your inventory. Create a system for that one thingâit can be as simple as setting aside a couple hours a week to focus on it or using an app to track your expenditures. Just make sure it doesnât consume all your time and energy, so you can keep the creative juices flowing.
When you balance creativity with solid business systems, you're setting yourself up for long-term success. It's not about simply getting by; it's about building something sustainable that grows with you over time. The truth is, your creative vision and business strategy, that is to say, your right brain and left brain arenât enemies. They can, and should, work together. When aligned, they open up more space for you to experiment, take risks, and build a lasting, thriving business.
Letâs think about it this way: The more you align your business tasks with your creative goals, the more freedom youâll have to grow. The goal isnât to just juggle the two sides of your business and hope it works; itâs about integrating them so that each side supports the other. Hereâs a metaphor â think of your left, business centered strategy brain as the machine. Itâs the robot sewing machine that makes it possible to create stuff. Your right, fabric centered idea brain is the stuff your ideas are made of. Together â they make something beautiful. One supports the other.
Balancing both gives you the foundation to expand, take creative risks, and make smarter decisions. And it all starts with creating a plan that balances your artistic vision with the practical needs of running your business.
Take my recent conversation with a community member as an example. She came to me asking about making a living off of a simple clothing lineâthree to five basic silhouettes, with variations in fabric, trims, and designs. She was unsure if this could work and, like many of us, was hesitant about the business side of things. After talking it through, we realized that it wasnât just about the clothingâit was about figuring out the logistics and building a business strategy around it.
We discussed the importance of balancing creativity with a solid plan. It wasnât just about making beautiful clothesâit was about making those designs into a sustainable business. The biggest question isnât actually about what to make or if 3 to 5 silhouettes would work. Regardless of what it is, you must price it right, market it to the correct audience, make sure it gets in front of the right eyes, and send it off into the world. And thatâs the key: a vision, paired with strategy, has the potential to grow into something meaningful and long-lasting.
I want you to think about this for yourself. What would it look like for you to blend your creative vision with your business goals? What could you accomplish if you gave both sides the attention they deserve, while keeping that balance in check?
There is no one-size-fits-all planâitâs about creating your own personalized balance. Some things might take more time to sort out, and thatâs okay. The real key is setting yourself up for success by acknowledging that creativity and business go hand-in-hand, and when managed thoughtfully, they will propel you toward long-term growth.
Okay, so weâve talked about the real challenge of balancing creativity and business. Itâs not about choosing one over the other or trying to get everything perfect from the start. The truth is, both sides are essential for long-term success, but they donât have to drain you. In fact, when you start giving each side the attention it needs, they start to support each other.
Hereâs the thing: if you want to keep creating the things that light you up, the business side of things needs to work too. You need that structure to make space for the fun parts. When you stop resisting it and start managing both with intention, thatâs when the magic happens.
Now that you see the importance of embracing the left brain from a creative perspective, let me ask you: Whatâs one thing you can do today to start making the balance between creativity and business work better for you? Maybe it's time to simplify or set aside specific time to handle the "business stuff" without feeling like it's eating into your creative flow. The goal here is to achieve a better balance so you can grow to the point that you can âdiscardâ some of those hats youâre wearing!
And if youâre thinking, âI need some help making this balance work long-term,â well, stay tuned. Iâll be announcing something new this week that is designed to help you do exactly that. Iâm super excited to share more with you soon, so keep an eye out for more details coming your way.
Remember, it's all about finding that rhythm between both sides, and when you do, youâll free up more space for what you loveâcreating.
