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28/1/25

The feedback I received off my peers was to delve more into the physicality of my project. Is this going to be something online or physical, and to choose a specific sector of the Creative Industry to be more specific for.

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Im using this information when referring to Secret Spaces, where I did my experience. It just helps me get a perspective over what I should be looking for whilst with them and how I should approach this when bringing it up. I want to have a realistic guide on what I can put forward to them, so having this article as support is helpful.

Utilise people outside the business. When it comes to family businesses, the owners will inevitably be closer to the everyday of their company than other entrepreneurs. This closeness can become stressful and difficult when it comes to assessing what the business needs. A first tip would be to utilise someone outside of what you are so familiar with. Get a fresh perspective a new pair of eyes/expertise. You want accurate, honest feedback.

Feedback. Feedback from your customers is so important. Some may find you business wholesome and reliable, but, in more modernised companies, clients and stakeholders could look at your business as historic or archaic. So always get some honest and updated feedback every so often so it is all up to date.

When it comes to branding strategy make sure you highlight the most valuable message of purchasing from you. Things like responsibility, innovation and tradition.

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Branding Tips for a Family Business | Create8 | Manchester

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Building a brand is always a difficult task; this can be even more challenging when your business has been in your family for generations.

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‘Essential guide to creative project management’ by Jodie Byass.

Refers to following a process that streamlines to her work, yet still remains creative.

Her first proposal in committing to something like this was to ensure you are educated on your client first. This means listening, educating and talking to them in a way you both grasp the brief without pushing boundaries and being unrealistic.

Secondly looking through the key roles of a project manager this includes things like leading clients through planning, having your team on board, training team, leading meetings, keeping all on track, progress reports and project evaluation. Monitoring progress should be identified through 5 stages: initiation, planning, execution, monitor and closing.

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Essential Guide to Creative Project Management

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When one mentions project management, the first thing that comes to mind is IT or construction. What people don’t realise is that project management is no longer the exclusive domain of these industries and that other industries are using it too.

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’An exploration of the extent to which project management can be applied across creative industries’ by the Association of Project Management.

Although this article focuses on the fashion industry, it can be applied to myself. It questions the need for business related management skills within fashion, as understanding this face paced and growing market, you need to know how it can be managed and marketed for the right people and companies. I can apply this through my knowledge of set design and theatrics, my knowledge progressing through this course is beneficial, as I have the initiative to see both perspectives and how this can alter designs, processes and decisions as well as how you manage your team.

Throughout the questionnaire interviewees felt it was difficult to plan ahead due to the ever-changing nature of the industry and lack of knowledge running a small company. They also felt they used their management skills in an intuitive and unstructured way. 3/4 said they believed the management side of the business only required an analytical mindset and not creative aswell.

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What does the paper cover?

The fashion industry tends to recruit people from an artistic background, resulting perhaps in a lack of business management skills in the sector. But fashion is a business and companies need entrepreneurial and management skills to thrive.

As part of the creative industries, fashion will have particular challenges but also opportunities to maximise benefit, as it is an industry in which projects form a core component of delivery. Collection launches, trade events, the redesign of lines, and outlets are some of those projects. Fashion managers might therefore be responsive to the value of project management tools and techniques.

Methodology

The authors interviewed eight fashion managers who lead projects in the fashion industry in the North East of Scotland, where fashion is not a predominant industry activity. Fashion design in the area tends to be small scale. Fashion retail ranges from high street to high end.

The methodology used in the study was qualitative and exploratory because the topic had not been investigated before.
The fashion managers who took part in this study represent design and manufacture, events and retail. They were asked a series of questions exploring the value of using project management tools and techniques.

Interviewees were recruited from key contacts from an existing network and 'snowball' sampling. They were all female; indicative of a predominantly female working environment, largely in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The interviews were semi-structured, allowing the interviewer to ask prompting questions. Only one interviewee had formal training in project management, so some explanatory information was included in the interviews.

Questions on tools and techniques were split into three sections: those which help plan and control a project; those concerned with the people aspect of project management; and tools and techniques which help facilitate lessons learnt and continuous improvement.

Research findings

The study uncovered five themes relating to the use of project management tools and techniques within the fashion industry and, in particular, SMEs:

The application of project management tools and techniques - interviewees felt that it was difficult to plan ahead due to the ever-changing nature of the industry and their own lack of resources in running small businesses;

The need to be flexible and reactive - the fast-paced, change-oriented nature of the industry means that fashion managers need an aptitude for embracing uncertainty. Entrepreneurs are generally thought to be more willing to take risks, which may explain why interviewees appeared very relaxed in their approach to risk management;

The intuitive application of project management techniques - interviewees felt that it was not that they lacked project management skills necessarily, but that they used such skills and techniques in an unstructured and intuitive manner;

The importance of lessons learnt - a significant number of interviewees acknowledged that it was unusual for success to be specified in advance of a project, and that this would typically be defined in retrospect, usually on an instinctive, loosely defined and ad hoc basis;

The tension between the creative and analytical mindsets - three-quarters said that they draw on both creative and analytical styles and tended to think that the management and commercial aspects of their business required the analytical mindset to predominate.

Conclusions

The challenges of adopting project management tools and techniques in this sector include a need to be flexible and reactive; the importance of reflecting on success and lessons learnt; and a tension between the creative and analytical mindsets.

Most of the interviewees were unaware of formal project management tools and techniques, but recognised the value that these might bring. They were sceptical about overly complex and repetitive processes.

Project management might adapt to the needs of the industry, for example by understanding the fashion life cycle and the role of agile project management, or by improving customer relations through delivery of successful projects.

The artistic and explorer mindsets can contribute to project management beyond problem definition and idea generation, such as in evaluation, in maintaining relations, in imaginative and innovative solutions, in openness to change, in being flexible, and in seeing the bigger picture and understanding success holistically.

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An Exploration Of Project Management Across Creative Industries | APM Research

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This paper investigates whether project management tools and techniques can be used effectively in the creative industries.

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4/2/25

Essay: Make sure not to forget to talk on the flip side of my argument too, I only did that very acutely and so there was a lack of depth.

Consider primary research

Expand on research of cultural and economic currencies.

Conclusion needs to be firmer and more definite.

Padlet: I could have gone deeper in evaluating ideas and expanding on my independent study of theories and frameworks.

Use this padlet as a reflective document.

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Thinking more ahead I wanted to really understand myself and where I wanted to take this project, as I wasn’t feeling 100% on my current idea (planner).

I came up with some key point to approach David with so I had some starters:

Tying together my learning from BAAB and DFP.

Keeping production, media, arts and film at focus of my project.

I want my piece to have/show my organisation, structure and perspective.

I want to show the perspective I have from both courses and how this is beneficial in the industry.

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Booklet

Pamphlet

Video/animation

Event

Document

Instructional/Informative

Mini book/Handbook

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11/2/25

During this visit, I unexpectedly learnt more than I anticipated from my last visit 2 years ago.

After having toured the building, we sat down with ??? And I explained my current perspective on my major project and what i’m focusing on right now. Mentioning the planning and coordinating elements of a business is what I was interested in, she strongly confirmed that this role was the foundation of a company like the MAC. It is a very unique skill many do not have or understand but I showed my interest in knowing how things are run behind the creative side of the MAC.

I also explained that after having done such a heavily creative and artistic course, through Arts Business I wanted to understand all areas of the market being designed for; campaigns, marketing, selling , customers, maintaining and building. She was very helpful in giving advice on why it is best to explore everything and be open to all areas you are not even interested in. As the more you know and can show you are willing to develop and go further into shows how diverse and organised you are within this industry. Therefore, I am very keen on doing some work placement with her and seeing how the MAC functions through its art and also through it’s business management.

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The MAC uses 2 planning and management softwares; ‘Spectrix’ and ‘Yesplan’. One plans for event schedules and when things are running, so that nothing clashes when their are crowds and multiple spaces being used, and the other involves showing all the equipment being used, when and what for so that if anything is needed or needs to be moved it’s all logged in and known to all.

This was very helpful and insightful, yet what i’m interested in is how events or experiences are being planned. But also how they are being evaluated and discussed. I want to focus on thoughts and feelings as well as the practicality, so working closer with the MAC I want to explore this further.

Next steps:

Thus throughout my other placements with BigCat and Secret Spaces, I am going to create a set of questions I can ask in regarding their planning, evaluative and organisation systems and people in place. To build on my primary research of 3 very different spaces.

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How is the MAC So Well Funded and Appealing for it’s Audience?

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How is the MAC So Well Funded and Appealing for it’s Audience?

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During the tour, we stopped at one of two only accessible outdoor disabled facilities in the arts centre. This struck me for some reason as when speaking on terms of what keeps them so firmly funded is showing and providing evidence that they support everyone and there is space for all here to feel, support, connect and be safe. By showing others and competitors what they already provide can make them more likely to keep supporting and helping in the future. The MAC is constantly finding ways to be over inclusive to everyone and everything cradle to grave, which is why it is such a strong building and centre.

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Why Teams Need Creative Project Management Software

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Why Teams Need Creative Project Management Software

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Creative project management software is an essential tool for managing marketing projects.

Teams need creative project management because they need a central location for ideas and inspiration. Teams can thus gather in one place for idea discussion and brainstorming, and making it easier for all to access.

They need a streamlined way of accepting and managing project requests. It keeps all the receiving, assigning and executing tasks all in one place. Making sure work is done on time and prevents anyone falling behind.

There is also a reduced risk of last minute changes, making the process less productive and delayed. With all information and feedback in one place everyone knows what is expected from them and when so this is avoided.

Lastly, there is more time for creativity, by combining all the above into one platform it saves time and lets the creatives focus on what they do best. Everyone is on board and on target.

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The focus of this card pack, although bigger like A5 pamphlet pieces, is to coach skills within a team focusing on getting to know each other and finding skills. There are tasks within categories like diversity and awareness, group management, icebreakers, problem solving and team building.

The price for this one is £26, and has many differences from the other company, which shows in quality and value.

Although this game/pack has no direct links to business related senarios or issues, it builds the fundamental base for a team. Being available for most ages and very straightforward it acts as a starting activity to get the brain ready for the day together. Potentially something that would go first in my booklet.

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Ice breaker & team problem solving games | Teamwork and Teamplay Cards

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Teamwork and Teamplay Cards is one of the best value sets of teamwork activities we have seen, with areas for problem solving, team development, and ice breaker games. With this deck of cards, you can facilitate over a dozen powerful team building activities.
This teamwork game includes debriefing cards, puzzles, challenges, ice breaker games and questions, personal development activities, and instructions to help you maximise use of this highly versatile resource.
Use with young people in education, team members in new or developing teams, and with first level supervisors, managers and executives to build strong, high-performing teams - the perfect portable resource for when you need an engaging activity to help team development!
Click here for our guide to selecting the right image based activity for you! 
 

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For around £25 this website offers 32 templates/pages of self help, gratitude and organisation pages. The content on these is typical to what you usually see with pages like To do lists, Vision Boards, Goal setting and action Brainstorming. All of these very effective, however having 32 pages is a lot for when first implementing this idea.

When I first started completing these types of forms it was very overwhelming, and so I understand that when incorporating this into small businesses which are already chaotic and busy it can be much. My aim is to suggest some ideas and pages like these to do when time becomes available after projects or bad days. It’s also a really good way to connect on deeper levels with your team to really make they are okay as well and able to work effectively. I’m taking inspiration from the types of pages offered here and how I can merge a few into one that I know people in my audience will use, from asking about the systems in place.

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Dream Life Self Help Planners CANVA, a Templates & Theme by AndrewPixel

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Introducing a collection of 32 self help and self improvement related planners and worksheets aimed at self help/life coaches and anybody who is working on getting more clarifty in life! All

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Leading their team through the creative process from initial planning through to completion in the most effective way. This includes a range of organisational skills and creative insight ensuring it is all well managed and on target/time.

Some of the key responsibilities include:

Leading clients through planning - guiding them on their brief but also ensuring your brand vision isn’t forgot and your creative drive is seen.

On board team members - ensuring all members are briefed and fully invlolved.

Training - providing training and support to make sure everyone is growing and learning around each other. Knowing they have your support and guidance too is a huge confidence boost.

Leading meetings - conducting these regularly to track progress, chase jobs, address issues, new ideas and a wide opinion/reflection.

Ensuring adhering to project process - keeping everyone on the project management process and allowing for new ideas and breakthroughs.

Navigating setbacks - helping everyone overcome issues that may hinder the process but doing this as a team.

Creating progress reports - compiling and presenting progress reports, evaluations and reflections individually and together to keep everyone feeling confident and on target. These can also be showed to clients as a way of informing them of progress, changes or issues.

Project evaluation - beginning, middle and end evaluative reports/feedback to assess how well project was handled. For all to refer to and look back on.

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Must Have Features of Creative Project Management Software

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Must Have Features of Creative Project Management Software

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Allows real time and efficient planning. To be able to gather ideas to then be realised, extensive planning as a feature is essential if not the basis.

Promotes collaboration needed for success. Being accessed by many at once and staying updated with reminders and notifications.

Manages resources and workflows, to keep projects on track and finish on time, it’s important resources are allocated and managed.

Workflow customisation. Workers should be able to direct their own area of study and skill, being adaptable to each member is essential for getting the needed results.

Visual timelines. Especially for creatives, visually seeing a timeline in some way keeps all on board and on target in a clear way appealing to them.

Gives efficient and visual reports, using graphs and images as it is a software.

Manages reviews and approvals, making sure conflicting feedback is avoided and eliminates confusion.

Data is managed accurately. Showing what parts of the campaign are managed effectively and what is not. This should be accessed by all as the whole team needs to contribute to it’s resolution.

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My first initial idea into the major project was to create a uniquely made planning system or organiser that would be targeted for the creative industry I am not 100% on which though. My initial thought is to go with set design and theatre as this is where my background comes in however I am not sure how to go about this in terms of structure and planning.

Approaching small companies after with this is what I would like to do, to get myself out there and be noticed through my initiative and ideas.

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I take lot’s of care into my creative process after I have completed a project as it is important for me to evaluate my creative decisions and direction after taking a step back from it. Something I did after each project was report and mark myself sort of by documenting my thoughts and feelings afterwards. It also helped having Teams feedback calls as I was able to explain what was going on with myself before, during and after. Initial reactions are something for me I struggle with and find it hard to develop ideas suddenly. Another way I do this was writing down or illustrating my future next steps and what worked well, and even better if.

I know my weakness may also be felt by others in the creative industry or it may even be other elements, but having a process to explain, talk and evaluate this is so important for future benefit and progress. So creating something around this I think would be a unique addition to small businesses eventually.

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‘The Art of The Good Life’ - Rolf Dobelli

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‘The Art of The Good Life’ - Rolf Dobelli

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Chapter 4 - ‘Black Box Thinking’

“Alongside radical acceptance, you’ll need a black box. Build your own. Whenever you make a big decision, write down whats going through your mind - assumptions, trains of thought, conclusions. If the decision turns out to be a dud, take a look at your flight data recorder (no need to make it crash-proof; a notebook will do you just fine) and analyse precisely what it was that led to your mistake. If you can’t identify your mistake, you either understand the world or yourself. To put it another way, if you cannot spot where you put a foot wrong, you’re going to fall flat on your face again. Persistence in your analysis will pay off.

Black box thinking works not only on a personal level but also in the business world. It ought to be standard practice for every organisation.

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During one of my modules in Design For Performance, we had to come up with a zine to match the theme of Birmingham’s youth as a student city. Although this task was something I was not familiar with, particularly using InDesign software and creating/publishing a magazine.

Despite this I used my course as a way for me to express the experience one has with a magazine and therefore wanted to add this immersive feel to it. Thus as my audience appears young and playful I created the idea of stickers as well as an envelope to reveal the magazine.

This module was so exciting for me as I surprisingly thoroughly enjoyed it all from learning the new software to constructing and printing the final product.

Using this experience and effectiveness this is a route I would like to take to show my final piece. I just need to confirm the goal and idea it will embody.

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18/3/25

A project usually begins with a brief, this then has to be broken into what elements are going to be involved:

Project Context/Problem Opportunity

Project Objective

Benifits

Target Audience

Stakeholders

Specific elements

Risk Assessment

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Creating tables that are subdivided by each category of elements needed to be considered when responding to an event, with dates, times and goals. There needs to be considerations and success factors.

These graphs should be easily accessed by all using Excel.

Gant charts are used for time management and seeing the importance of jobs on a scale.

Every single element involved requires it’s own individual planning and confirmation system, all with varied workload, budgets, deadlines and people needed. List these in importance order and what needs to be done first.

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Make a list of items you will need to cover (research costs, develop a project budget and provide a monthly breakdown of project spend).

These will look like:

Peoples time

Technical fees

Resources

Materials

Equipement

Marketing costs

Insurance

Transport

A budget will always include a contingency to finance, the expected is 5-10% (10% more typically).

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Family ran independent Business

From completing my work experience with Secret Spaces I learned a lot of my knowledge on small family run business. My job role here was to help put up, take down and manage events, whilst taking photos and editing video content.

This company lacked a clear brand, a clear audience and a clear supportive team. Thus, I saw and experienced what this led to whilst in operation. It was my calling to create this guide as a knew there were others out there.

Talking to the owner I learnt that he ran every aspect of the business, even where it wasn’t his expertise, and I could tell. The team were not coordinated or aware and very separate from the two overseers. It led to a very hidden company with little attraction and absolutely no branding or identity. Meaning no clear advertising and no marketing as there was no understanding of where they were in the market. They were blind to their unique point and I insisted they show it off! Be proud!

I found all organising to be done on paper or on the owners laptop where it was just notes. There was zero organisation or motivation anywhere, and I really wanted to help inspire this as they have so much potential. So every page in my book is aimed as a basics starter to re awaken companies like this who need some extra support and guidance. It’s a clear sign of being overworked and undertrained and uneducated. But I want to fix this!

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Secret Space : Digbeth : BHX Performance & Event Venue

Welcome, we are an independent licensed multipurpose event space, 4 rooms in Digbeth, Birmingham (BHX) Past and present events: Bingo, Vintage Clothes, Music and Dance videos, that Jungle Plant pop up, Jamaican Independence festival, Comedy Night, COBO with Guz Khan / Richard Blackwood, The Sistine Chapel Exhibtion and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Opera ! Who knows what may come next. Stay tuned and sign up to our newsletter, at the bottom of this page.

Be the first to hear about our next events and for discounted drinks/tickets.

See you all soon........... for event or film hire enquiries click here

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secret space digbeth venue to hire warehouse industrial

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secret space digbeth venue to hire warehouse industrial

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Independent/small Business at the School of Art, Art market.

Can you talk me through the process of planning an event from start to finish?

What are they key factors you consider when selecting a venue for an event?

How do you coordinate the different elements of your events? (Catering, drinks, music)

What tools/software do you use for keeping track of all this?

How do you handle the timeline of an event from preparation to teardown?

How do you first get in contact with musicians to perform at your events?

How do you approach securing a venue for your events?

Have you had any challenges with this?

How did you come up with the idea for your brand, and what message do you want to communicate to your audience?

What steps did you take to build awareness for your events when you first started?

What platforms or channels are you using to promote your events and you?

How do you create a memorable experience for attendees at your events to encourage repeat attendance or word-of-mouth promotion?

What has been the biggest challenge in terms of marketing and promoting your events?

What advice would you give to other student-run businesses that are just starting in the catering, drinks or music event space.

What long-term goals do you have for your business? How do you plan to scale your operations in the future?

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Hi Opulant Designs,

I hope you’re doing well! My name is Julena Farrimond, and I’m a student at Birmingham City University studying Arts Business. I am currently working in a project where I intend to create a guide for small businesses on how to grow and understand themselves while thriving in competitive industries. My key focus is on creativity and working as a team on all areas of the business.

As someone interested in your page and work, I am eager to hear about your journey and process. I’m curious to know how your business began, what challenges you’ve faced and how you’ve managed to stay on top of everything. The creative team is something I’m interested in seeing how this functions.

I’m sure your experiences would be incredibly valuable as I explore the process of managing and building a small business. If you have any time to share your insights, I would really appreciate it!

Thank you so much, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Julena Farrimond

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Hi Carly, I hope you’re doing well! My name is Julena Farrimond, and I’m currently a student at Birmingham City University studying Arts Business. I’m currently working on my final project exploring all the ways small businesses can grown their presence, work more as a team and focus on their creative management to succeed on social media. I’ve been following your work and love what you do for small businesses. I’d really appreciate any thoughts or tips you might have on how what you do and what I propose can be used effectively for growth. I’m aiming to create something practical for local businesses, an your expertise would be invaluable! Thank you so much, and I look forward to hearing from you! Best regards, Julena Farrimond

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Evaluating Project Management for my Major Project

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Evaluating Project Management for my Major Project

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After this session, I had been informed more on what the many steps are behind any sized event, productions and Creative Projects.

As these are all areas of the Creative Industry I want to push towards, it was helpful in learning how each company or creative team will set out to do this as standardised procedure.

Something perhaps more people should know about including smaller companies especially keeping in mind the sustainability and getting the most out of these services for less.

I want to apply these learnings as I go into my work experience, trying to identify what places are using these types of work frames if within this, and if not how I can implement that into their ideology. The work with graphs and Excel is something I am familiar with and the planning behind it is key for all to stay on board and keep up. These are essential and can be applied to any creative. I want to utilise this lecture to help my pamphlet, making sure it is including all areas for this market that usually would be not focused on as much by all team members creative or not.

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Day 1:

I learnt how to write a press release, and what they are looking for as mine was marked, and then how this would develop into a media article being published using Vuelio (or other webpages). Then I learnt how to write media lists attaching my PR to this which was insightful. I got a feel for how a marketing office works and feels.

Day 2:

This day I learnt the ins and outs of social media marketing. How social media posts are researched and planned. This was done using Excel and would be planned for each month. I had to look into what was going on in the calendar month and pair that with the ideals of my brand. I think wrote 5 social media posts for linkedin and x. With a heavy research focus on competitors.

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We're a marketing agency of strategists, advertising creatives and communications experts. Together, we come up with ideas that change your business and the lives of your customers for the better.

From digital marketing strategy to advertising campaigns, it starts and ends with people.

Instinctive ideas are the ones that understand the quirks of human nature; that know why your customers think, feel and behave a certain way - even when they don't.

We create and plan marketing programmes that interrupt and influence people meaningfully.

Advertising campaigns that make them laugh, see something differently or think twice.

Then it reasons people into action. To buy. To visit. To change.

If you're in and out of meetings, only surrounded by the black and white of marketing and sales data, performance analysis and advertising efficiency metrics, how can you find the ideas that stir people's instincts?

We've got you.

For more than 20 years, we've drawn on human nature and turned it into powerful marketing communications that get people to buy, care, think, feel and do stuff for all kinds of brands.

We know what makes people tick and we can help you get them ticking.

We call this understanding Instinct in Action.

We apply it to all your marketing, advertising, digital marketing, social media marketing, creative and PR.

"Big Cat is our strategic agency partner that always go above and beyond through understanding our audiences and knowing how to deliver communications that impact our bottom line."
Francesca Fleming, Commercial Director - Royce Lingerie

Inbox in Action - October 2021 8th November 2021 * 3 min read

See how Gen Z are changing the luxury landscape, how the generation effect can work for your business and catch up with our latest big news!

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Marketing & Creative Advertising Agency | Birmingham

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We're a marketing agency of strategists, advertising creatives and communications experts. Together, we come up with ideas that change your business and the lives of your customers for the better. Instinctive ideas are the ones that understand the quirks of human nature; that know why your customers think, feel and behave a certain way - even when they don't.

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From my visits to the MAC and hearing about how the company is run, it was extremely clear that they were very organised and tightly run. Everyone was where they should and doing what they needed. But most importantly they were happy and enjoying it all, whilst returning this positivity to all their customers. This is because as a very well established centre of Birmingham, the MAC, has grasped all of the things in my booklet and mastered what it is to be a creative company in the industry. I couldn’t fault anything, they had it all under control. So I used this as what in the future some small businesses get to, if they follow guidance tips and keep at it. If they nail the notions of an effective business and work hard on themselves to see it grow, it most definitely will, just as it has here. It’s in the history and it is known the MAC grew from hard work and lot’s of marketing, audience trust building and a solid identity. All the content in my book.

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How can project management be applied in all aspects of the Creative Industry?

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How can project management be applied in all aspects of the Creative Industry?

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From this, I can interpret the guidelines/steps to project management to any aspect of the creative industry and the jobs within each of these companies.

For example taking an events company, by inheriting this system for everybody in the business including the non creatives will help everyone get on board and stay on top of all jobs needed to be done as a team.

Furthermore, applying this to a film company, using their working film as the ‘project’ the same rules and regulations can be applied.

Project management is ultimately a guideline for any event, performance, spaces or media/design companies producing any end project/product.

When applying this to the creative sector elements like people involved, budget, audience and opportunity are going to be your key sections with the most research and support from the whole team.

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Out of the range of books I’ve explored, this was the most heavy and hard to read. It appeared as a normal book would and not a guide. It’s content and headings were useful however, they were worded very confusingly and I just found the information was not straight to the point, and instead dragged on with a wide use of confusing words to explain difficult notions. Altogether, it’s overall information given was okay, just very technical dealing with finances around the notions of a start up, just the style and layout was not what I had in mind. The audience to this would definitely be established and somewhat successful entrepreneurs or business managers. It seemed very complex for what I am doing, but again this was a good step into what other are doing for a different audience and market, and how this changed the style of the entire book completely.

The appearance of this book seemed concise and intriguing from the front, but inside was dull with dark beige pages like a traditional book and the text was bold and hard on the eyes. The opposite style I am looking for, but again that all depends on the audience type and what appeals to that market group.

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Art Market at the School of Art, Night School.

What advise would you give someone just starting out in the creative industry?

How did you get your first customers/people interested?

What were your first steps after having this idea? Steps of action?

What were some of the challenges in the early stages?

What tools or resources have helped your business grow in terms of creativity, efficiency and organisation?

How do you collaborate with other creatives to expand your reach?

What role does community involvement or support play in the success of your business?

Have you faced any challenges in balancing business and creative work? How do you manage both?

How do you stay inspired and continue evolving creatively in your business?

What do you think is the future of small businesses in todays economy?

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The Essential Guide to Business for Artists and Designers - Alison Branagan

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The Essential Guide to Business for Artists and Designers - Alison Branagan

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Although the audience is a different category, this guide was the most inspiring in my research process. Most of this guide matched ideas I want to display, and also opened new ideas at the same time. It was a very easy and exciting read as all the content was straight to the point and needed. It gave next steps and progress checkers, but also what to expect back from the industry and how you should respond to this. Again appealing to my evaluative and journal feel I’m aiming towards. It also gave lot’s of examples and related very well to creative teams and people. I found this book very enjoyable and something I would keep myself as it was that helpful. Each page was finished extremely clearly with images and data graphs which I grasped on immediately. It felt modern through colours, typography and flow. I will keep referring back to this book for the rest of my design and curating process on my guide as it really is very helpful. The table of contents is something I will look at closely from this text as it’s content was very similar to what I am including.

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1. I would say be confident in your skills and abilities and be resilient.

2. Using word of mouth and physical advertisements like posters.

3. To create branding and a clear brand story.

4. The challenges were to when having to collaborate with other people when they had other priorities.

5. I think the opportunity to have more and more people involved allow me to be more creative and with more experience i become more efficient and organised.

6. I collaborate with others by allowing them to be the bridge in conversation with other creatives.

7. Community involvement is a huge part of it. without it i would have no business.

8. I use my work to be creative as well as using other skills.

9. I stay inspired by constantly striving to be bigger and better with my brand.

10. I think small businesses will continue to thrive in our economy.

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Across my 2 years on Design for Performance, I accumulated skills in designing for briefs/clients, researching, building idea, forming idea, physically creating the idea and then presenting to clients. Across this, one key thing I have taken away from it was the importance of audience/customer experience and also the audience themselves.

Experience first, as an immersive or sensory element is so important in terms of creative thinking. Turning something so small into a huge personal experience which can be enjoyed and become more memorable was a highly valued element of the course. Thus, making sure the audience was at the centre of everything you did and every decision you made. They are the foundation of any design, concept or business.

Therefore, when thinking of DFP in terms of my major project on BAAB, I want to bring these two elements to my idea putting them at the centre of my project. Audience research is something I need to narrow down and really grasp so then all my design choices and decisions will follow. Then using the idea of immersive experience I want to bring a playful and memorable side to my project as I have researched and done before.

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From the same company, Pipdecks, they also offer workshop tactics to reduce pointless meetings, build confidence and influence your team.

They also offer productivity tactics and strategy tactics packs all of the same price.

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A card deck of workshop recipes that help you lead your product team to design better products, together.

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Can you tell me a bit about your journey through DFP and how it has shaped your approach to creativity and design?

What do you think sets DFP apart from other design disciplines in terms of creative process outcomes?

In your opinion, how could the principles of DFP be better integrated with business strategies, especially for small creative businesses?

Based on your experiences, what do you think small businesses in the creative industry, like prop makers or stage designers, struggle with the most when trying to grow?

Are there any overlooked aspects of creative business growth that DFP could address more effectively?

How can creative businesses use storytelling, design or performance elements to connect better with their customers or audiences?

What advice would you give to a student like me, now studying arts business, who is looking to help small businesses thrive in the creative industry?

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25/2/25

Mind Map for audience

Add images from major project example.

Focus group/interview for the guide, previous dfp.

Look into library or book shops on competitors and what already exists. Critical book review on each one, what is going to make mine different (USP).

Put idea through project management process

Set up a meeting with Beth Derbyshire, project management. Set up a series of questions for this meeting in regards to my project and her expertise.

Research creative thinking toolkits, how will this be playful, immersive, online toolkits/card games, tactics.

The importance of project management and team based elements.

Book in with InDesign and look into youloveprint.

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Preparation questions:

So a brief overview of my major project idea is to create a creative guide to project and creative management for small business owners and companies around Birmingham and Digbeth area. This is a fun/playful guide to briefly and to the point explain and give tips of management, direction, process and design for all members of the team, as a fundamental skill to know even if this is not their area of expertise. Making sure the business can grow even with people missing or absent. Thus, a way of all evaluating and coordinating tasks. I will include learnings from DFP and BAAB, as well as my insight within LeopardCo and Secret Spaces my work experiences.

Questions to propose:

Could you briefly explain your course?

What key principles do you focus on when teaching the course?

Where do students go with this after?

Why is project management important?

Why is it a role all should be able to work on? Is it just creative?

What are your initial thoughts on my idea/proposal?

What are your top 5 tips for project management beginners and new small companies?

Do you think within project management, especially those examples going through the power point, it is beneficial to have sections of reflection, evaluation and reporting? I propose to add sections on this.

Im appealing to new beginners and those who haven't established a creative team, and so why is telling them to implement this so essential?

How do you think is the best way for me to display this information?

Is it something your students would be interested in?

What teaching strategies do you find most effective for those with little knowledge on project management and getting started with it?

What are the challenges often faced with project management? Can you tell me an example of where you have seen this?

How do you balance creativity and structure in project management, especially for heavily creative companies/projects?

What are some of the platforms or tools you recommend for those just starting with planning and management?

How do you think project management is going to evolve in the next 5 years?

Is there anything the course has taught you that you implement into your daily life, this can be unrelated to project management?

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Playful - different from usual booklets that are very structured and content heavy.

Exploring an approach that is accessible and engaging

Informative - to the point and concise through steps. Analytical and iterative processes. Educational in terms of what I have learnt and from others (critical appreciation of this). Empowering.

Reflective and Evaluative - As these two things are my main focus to start getting companies into. Having a reflective tools to evaluate projects and progress is very important. But how will I organise this?

Inclusive for all roles - for every person within the company, creatives, and positions. It will be something that applies to everyone and will be an essential toolkit to know even if this is not their specification.

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Once finalised in design and content using my research and InDesign, during my tutorial, David advised I use youloveprint to create this. There are lot’s of options to adapt and chose your binding, page material, cover page and colours all altering the price.

I am to have an experiment around with this seeing the different pricing points and qualities, again depending on my audience and budget. I believe this will help me create a professional and clean looking guide.

Although, like I have done before, I could go down the handmade and crafty approach, this time I want my piece to have a professional and sophisticated feel which can be kept and referred back to for a while. This website produces highly finished books and guides like mine, and so I want to push myself to something I have never done before so I can use this to present to companies once it’s finalised and perfected. Also, due to the nature of my audience, having a hand crafted booklet wouldn’t fit into their market, if I am approaching to support guidance, techniques and skills I too need to show I can do this by making the finish and appearance of my guide the very best it can be.

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We print booklets for a wide variety of purposes, covering corporate or professional literature as well as personal projects. This means that no matter your sector - Entertainment, finance, healthcare, education, media and more – we can print a professional booklet of any size that will impress your audience.
Whether you’re after short booklets, corporate brochures or product catalogues, you can benefit from booklets that offer a versatile, organised way to get your message out. Choose from a huge range of booklet printing options, including binding, paper types, paper weights and finishes.
Helpful Links: How To Print Your Booklet Booklet Printing FAQs

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After looking into creative, fun ways to explore team and creative management, all I could find was card games. Although I really do like this idea and think what I have found has helped me develop my project content, I am unsure if this is going to be right for my target audience?

It’s something I need to build on and develop further, but it was extremely helpful to know what is out there at what cost and what quality. They have definitely sparked a few ideas, helping me bring in my creative experience learnt during DFP to give my audience an active way of learning and working together.

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The circle of competence and why it is important to know your limits.

Inside of your circle are the skills you have mastered. Beyond it are things you partially know or not at all. The size is irrelevant, but you must know it’s boundaries.

It’s what allows you to succeed and be fulfilling in, however, if you try to succeed in what your worst at, you’ll fail and have a lousy career.

You’ll gain an invaluable feeling of mastery and you’ll also be more efficient, because you won’t have to decide every time whether to accept or refuse a task.

In simple terms, don’t do things you’re not good at, or know will make you frustrated, stressed and overwhelmed. Stick within your limits of what you’re good at, and put hours into that skill perfecting and building it to your advantage. I want to implement this idea of thinking, as I know many people and have seen them get overwhelmed by doing the opposite. Just because there is a reward, or short term feeling of ‘winning’ people will go out of their way and out of their expertise to do things for other people. Put more time into your strengths and good, lasting things will come. So keep your circle tight.

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Project Management works on a principle that their is a defined roadmap for a project. This helps managers to gather requirements and monitor progress. This is identified in five stages:

1) Initiation

2) Planning

3) Execution

4) Monitor

5) Closing

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Why do team need Creative Project Management Software?

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Why do team need Creative Project Management Software?

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To create campaigns that deliver the best results for clients, teams need to manage their processes, overcome challenged and adhere to the best practices for you. On top of this companies will work with tools and things they are certain they know is best for them. This is complicated if not already established. A series of trail and error along with building block activities will pinpoint this. Choosing a type of software is an essential tool for managing and creating projects, and it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Here are some reasons for it:

It would become a central location for ideas and inspiration. Allowing teams to collectively gather ideas from brainstorming, beginning process, into one place so that from this managing next steps and curating ideas flows naturally.

A streamlined way of accepting and managing project requests. This means there is an automated process of receiving, assigning and executing tasks. Making sure work is done on time and prevents falling behind.

Feedback in one place. Creative processes thrives on feedback, from the team and client. So keeping this regular and in one location accessible for all. By managing this it is visible, clear and actionable so problems can be resolved when small and at the start. It’s good to see how other progress to see where extra help is needed aswell.

There is a reduce in last minute changes. This means less delays and less unproductively as timeframes and targets are made very known to all and constantly being reiterated.

More time for creativity and what matters most. In combining all the above practices into one platform ensures all the fundamental work is set and secured, meaning more time for creative focused jobs and skills for the growth of your company.

With these all in mind I want to format them into an informative instruction type of list which I will feed throughout the guide, incorporating other practices and findings.

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Jorge Bassante suggests 5 key management strategies for small business owners:

1) Cut down on overheads - steer clear of things you don’t need.

2) Reinvest everything back into the business - when profit starts coming in resit the temptation to spend on indulgences. Instead invest the funds into the business and for opportunities of growth for sustainability and long term success.

3) Provide performance related incentives - by offering commissions and bonuses to employees based on contribution and success to business, you’ll be aligning team members interests to yours in focusing on business growth and fostering results-driven culture.

4) Put time into customer relationships - make sure customer satisfaction is a top priority by actively seeking feedback and engage with them online on websites or reviews. Show your customers you value them and are committed to their satisfaction.

5) Put marketing before branding - connecting with customers in the early stages through direct marketing strategies can help yield better return on investment in the earlier stages than glossy branding and advertising.

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Small businesses can be exciting, hands-on places in which to work with a great deal of passion invested in them – but their modest size can make them more vulnerable to market shocks.

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Jorge Bassante

Develop a solid Business plan:

The idea of a business plan is to outline what your business does, what it won’t do, and what you are trying to achieve. It explains what is open in the market for opportunity, how you are unique, who your competitors are and how you will make it succeed. It needs to include financial forecasts, projections and funding requirements.

Check your idea makes sense

Identify potential problems and how to overcome

Plan sales, marketing and business operations

Set out your objectives and the financial return you expect

Work out finance needed

Convince other to back you

Develop your brand and marketing:

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A card deck of 54 team management and leadership tactics to help grow and nurture effective teams.

Pricing for online app or physical copy is £125. This is very expensive and something I don’t want to match in my project. I do see the unique quality this product holds and it’s effectiveness, yet I would like my project to be something available for all at a low cost as it is just a helpful guide and insight on my behalf.

In terms of content, I think these offer a really helpful and organised system of keeping teams on track and working with each other. It’s main qualities and values focused on environment, direction, support, health, collaboration and communication. Some I see overlapping with my qualities. Thus it offers team roles and jobs and then it shows how they all need to work together towards one purpose, it sections out and prompts at methods and solutions for EVERYTHING!

I especially love the real world examples it uses along with images and graphs. The branding throughout with the use of characters and colours gives a fun, quirky feel which I am inspired by as I too wanted to bring in this immersive, game-like experience, something I used a lot in DFP.

The only downside was that it is very heavy, business content whereas I want to focus on the creative aspect of the industry looking into the marketing, advertising and project handling roles.

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Ditch chaotic mess. Design great teams. A card deck of 54 team management and leadership tactics that help you design, grow and nurture effective teams.

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One of the key takeaways I got from this session was the notion of Gantt charts, which I have never used before. It’s a big timeline process where anyone can write a list of jobs they need to complete with a project, and then over time see which are more important and need to be done first, while others can wait. This really helped release the tension and workload within this project, and I think it would be something good to reflect upon others, as it’s such a simple task but so efficient and helpful in getting jobs done by priority order. Also, it’s visual aswell so I found it very clear to the eye.

Here is my completed one for the project. Of course it will change but that is the key thing, you can keep going back and adding or removing bits. It is clear for all to see, as shared with my class.

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Entrepreneurship and Small Business - Paul Burns

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Entrepreneurship and Small Business - Paul Burns

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First of all this guide was enormous, so straight away I can identify this is not what I would like to take on board. However, the content inside was very relevant in terms of what I am trying to create and be inspired by. Out of all the books I evaluated, this one gave the most examples within the industry as well as in depth support. There was so much helpful categories handling absolutely everything I could think of within a startup business. Although, it was very finance heavy dealing with all the numbers involved and needed to be thought about, whereas I’m swaying more towards brand values and marketing. Essentially what I took from this was the references and examples being used, as well as the application to experiences everyone has had to deal with, making the book less heavy to read and very free flowing which I really enjoyed.

The overall appearance was very clean and well thought out, with a place and need for everything. I especially loved the glossy bright finish which is what I am going to take extra time making sure I get the same finished result which I can confidently give out.

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DFP Interview Response - Olivia Nicholsan

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DFP Interview Response - Olivia Nicholsan

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1) My journey through DFP at BCU has been both challenging and eye-opening. The course has given me a solid grounding in theatre design, set construction, and the collaborative nature of performance-based projects. Initially, I was drawn to the artistic side of things—conceptualizing bold visuals and immersive environments. But over time, I’ve developed a more problem solving approach to design, thinking not just about aesthetics but also about storytelling, function, and audience experience. The hands on experience in workshops and real productions has been invaluable, pushing me to become more adaptable and to work efficiently under tight deadlines.

One of the biggest shifts in my mindset has been learning beyond the stage, understanding how performance design can be applied in events, exhibitions, and even brand experiences.

2) It focuses on immersive storytelling and live experiences. How to consider emotion, timing and movement. Also collaborating all the time, as designs must evolve from feedback.

3) The storytelling and audience engagement aspect of DFP could be really valuable in business. If small businesses applied DFP principles like creating a strong visual identity, immersive experiences and narrative techniques they could stand out in competitive markets. DFP teaches a lot about problem solving, just as small businesses need to be adaptable, resourceful and quick thinking when things don’t go to plan, like when a set piece breaks!

4) Marketing and branding. Often they are great at designing but not selling themselves. Time management and scaling up, they work project to project with no long term strategy for growth. Lastly balancing creativity and business needs. This doesn't mean to forget about being artsy, but to always remember the basics of business running and success.

5) Entrepreneurial mindset, so learning how to apply skills to other industries. Business models for creatives, it would be good to have workshops on freelancing, funding and scaling for creatives business. Lastly networking opportunities which are necessary for growth.

6) Getting clients hands on and behind the scenes on what goes on. Engage customers through building experiences and interacting with them through work.

7) Emphasise the power of storytelling, to help build a network connecting and reaching out to people and audience. They are at the heart of everything.

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Leading Creative Teams - Eleazar Hernández

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Leading Creative Teams - Eleazar Hernández

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“To be a successful creative director, you must be a student of the industry, a student of life.”

“There are how to manuals for designing websites, collateral material, posters or ads. There are lots of books with multiple subjects regarding the creative process, or retrospectives of work produced by creative directors and their teams, but there isn’t anything out there that actually helps creatives prepare to move into leadership.”

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Subject: Business & Economics / Advertising & Promotion, Business & Economics / Careers / General, Business & Economics / Human Resources & Personnel Management, Business & Economics / Marketing / General, Business & Economics / Project Management, Business & Economics / Sales & Selling / General, Career development, Education / Counseling / Career Development, Marketing, Project management, Business & Economics / Economics / General, Business & Economics / Management, Management science, Business, Business and Management, Careers, Careers in Business and Mangagement, Electronic books, Success in business, Teams in the workplaceSee more

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Creative Arts Marketing - Liz Hill & Others

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Creative Arts Marketing - Liz Hill & Others

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To summarise this guide was on the exploration of the increasingly complex relationship between private and public funding for the arts. Ethics and sustainability issues for arts marketers whilst thinking in regards to displaying the ideas of businesses and what they represent. This book was useful towards my content within the subject and will definitely help structure what it looks like. It did just keep referring back to funding and finance which I know is key to think about, and I will mention this in my guide, however I don’t want it to be the focal point. My focal point is the creative team and direction thus the importance of this.

The overall look was basic and easy to read which I liked, and this was the only one that had an image title page which was interesting. As a creative, visual I want mine to portray this style in some way as it is still key to display art even though I’m focusing on a more business driven side of it.

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4/3/25 - Steve Budcock

This session on financing and growing your own business from scratch financially, really opened my eye to what it actually means to begin a business from nothing legally. There was so many elements that I did not realise you had to think about in terms of financially growing yourself. We went through the basics of taxes, profits, accounts and cash flow along with everything that made these up and what is detrimental within these that leads to the most common downfalls. We then looked at brand names and marketing which was interesting to go through the regulations of this, and it’s something others would find surprising, along with how they tie to sole trader, partnership and limited companies.

At the end of the session we were given a handout with all this information on along with the data from government websites on and costs for businesses. This booklet was very content heavy and confusing, as it was a lot of critical information one after the other. I would like to use some of this data for my booklet as I found it so eye opening and it acted as a small reminder that these things I need to take into account and make sure I am familiar with. Just as this may not be my direct role or responsibility it is very important to understand it. So within my booklet I want to display and implement these facts into it in a way that can be understood and remembered easily.

Yet, saying this, it has made me wonder more on my audience as I have just said this would help me and others, meaning students/young people?, to grasp this notion. Although it may not directly apply to us, knowing this is gonna separate me from others in the field as i have this extra knowledge and understanding. It will help take things into account when working around creative industries budgeting and profit making. But I will explore this more.

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At first I was set on my audience being targeted to new independent businesses in the area of Digbeth and Birmingham. This was from my work experience and also approaching smaller companies and seeing what they lacked.

But as I began researching and going through my project more, I also noticed this product would benefit others like me on the course but also within the creative and business industry as a whole. It would become a significantly useful tool and something to refer to during and after universities.

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Have a clear message:

What are you selling?

What are you trying to communicate?

Who are you?

What makes you unique?

Summarise the services/products you offer and this will help define your target market and what you want to achieve. Once this is achieved, you’ll be able to chose your words carefully to craft a clear message about your business and what you are promoting. Less is more!

Make an impact with your headline:

This is going to be the first thing anyone reads or sees, and it may be their only interaction with you, and so it is the first chance of getting them on board with you. Use powerful, active words that appeal to their emotions. Invite them with a question maybe and keep it short, clear and very specific to your promotion.

What makes you stand out?

What are you offering?

Why should someone buy from you?

Use eye-catching imagery:

Use striking imagery to make an impact, whether you chose photography or illustrations it needs to be on brand and support you. Make sure images are high quality and avoid busy compositions. There are plenty of websites to help with this but always read policies before using them - Pexels and Unsplash.

Keep it on brand:

Establishing your brand identity helps you to position your business and be remembered more. A distinct logo, catchy slogans and a solid marketing message are important. Make sure all brand colours, fonts and styles are consistent.

Include a call to action:

Make it very clear what you want people to do once they see your ad.

Visit a web?

Browse products?

Call/enquire?

Be direct with phrasing and only include one action as it will get confusing.

Check your website:

If you’re linking your web to be the next step on your ad, this must be up to date! Engage with them through your page and have more information. Think of it as your virtual shop front, keep it alive by adding regular fresh content, exciting photos and showcase what you do best.

Support your campaign on social media:

Social media is the perfect, free tool for marketing. It can help gain more attention and introduce you to more people. Update cover photos, post stories, use a campaign or create a hashtag. Just keep it running and alive by showing your faces, giving updates and getting out there!

Include contact details:

Don’t forgot to include details of how people to contact you, making sure these are correct and up to date so you don’t miss out. Include what you know will be used most and don’t waste text on so much information make it quick and clear.

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10 tips for advertising your small business successfully

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Successful advertising is essential for attracting business, but how can this be achieved without a limitless budget? From creative copy to inspiring imagery, learn how to craft an amazing advert for your business.

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Whilst on experience with LeopardCo, I learnt so much on what larger established companies do to stay on top of bringing a brand up. The most important things were:

Social media posts - this was all done on excel and was planned by each month. So for April all posts would be determined written down with hashtags, emojis and everything it needed even the image description. It did this across all platforms. So when it came to that month the posts were ready to go at a consistent rate. I had a go at completing this, it took way longer than I thought!

Always be simplistic - I learnt that the more simple something is the better. Not many have a long attention span especially the media and so be limited depending what platform you’re on.

Competitor Research - I think I spent more time researching on competitors than the actual company I was marketing. Knowing what exists and what they are doing is so important for the decisions you make and have to make.

Being prepared and organised to have lot’s going on at once - the office was constantly shifting conversations and meetings, learning to adapt and work quickly to deadlines. Also being prepared to expect anything.

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Overall, comparing the Creative industries planning and structure compared to others in the economy, it is clear that the creatives are constantly changing and need a flexible structure. This should be adaptable and apply to any situation. There is no need for a tight planning structure as such, just because they are so flexible and ever changing.

However, a guide to direct them smoothly will help them to find their structure through individual tasks. Each factors need different forms of planning and guidance, that is why for each of my sections there is different tasks and ideas presented to show that every aspect is different.

The whole creative economy is planned through individual tasks and needs, which always changes. Hence the need for a guidance system, but also a mindful one which can help reset each individual and help them stay focused and on top. In order to complete this type of work, one or the team must focus and be open to themselves and changes. Confidence in yourself and growth is essential. That is why I have used questions to challenge and relax these thoughts.

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During this session, we were shown how to use the libraries researching resources that are available for us through the university. So these should be made full use of as we know business and market competitors are using the same things for a cost. She went through a series of websites which you can search anything on our project and market, and they will find relevant data and resources based off of it. These can be filtered to suit us and our needs on these.

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Used for Marketing and brand strategies.

I will use this for guidance on what small businesses, family business and student businesses are doing.

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View all of Lindsey Slaby’s Opinion posts

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Future of Strategy 2024: Getting clear on your client’s version of strategy | WARC

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This opinion piece is part of the Future of Strategy 2024 series, WARC subscribers can read the full report here.

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Number of creative, arts and entertainment activities enterprises in the UK from 2008 to 2022

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Number of creative, arts and entertainment activities enterprises in the UK from 2008 to 2022

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This is used for market research which I will use to look more in depth of my target audience and what the specifics are to their needs.

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Sustainability update: Consumer trends and business developments brands need to know about | Mintel

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Do you want strategic insight into your global sustainability messaging?

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Through this website I am going to gain the data needed to support the reasons behind this project and to back up the decisions I make, as it gives lots of options and refining abilities to get the specific data needed.

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In 2024, there were approximately 870,040 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the construction sector in the United Kingdom, the most of any sector in that year.

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From thus far in the course and from my own research I came up with a list of themes I want to cover in my guide (not in order):

CI what they are, why they matter

How are CI organised? Supply & Demand

Organisation

Project Management

Top Tips

Audience

Appealing to outsiders/investors

Planning Software

Advertising

Creativity

Team Tactics

Who are you? Your team?

Evaluation process

Marketing Strategy/Analysis

My reason for this/Intro

Table of content - pages

I’d also like to somewhere on the page add some quotes of inspiration on each of the topics to boost confidence and install/build hope throughout. Adding to the journal wellbeing feel.

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Number of small and medium sized enterprises in the UK in 2024, by sector

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Number of small and medium sized enterprises in the UK in 2024, by sector

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This tutorial with Tony, gave an introduction to Indesign as he created a basic research booklet as an example of what we were to create for our research of Major Project. It gave a more professional feel and appearance, as well as giving me key skills to build my guide.

I will also be using Indesign to build my guide on, this is because when needed to be sent to be printed off by the printing company of my choice, I will have to send it through this format. As would be needed with any other company and organisation. It will definitely improve my knowledge on software I am not skilled in, broadening my skills and knowledge for the industry and showing I can produce to a high level on my project.

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What I got most from this book was the extensive use of data being shown almost on every single page. This is something I am focusing on including, especially as a lacked this on my last project. So, through using the software STATISTA shown in our library resource lecture by Emma, I’m going to find and replicate as much data and graphs as possible to distribute throughout the guide. This acts as proof to go off of when making decisions and supporting design choices. Other than this element, the book was again like a normal book and focused heavily on school in education as its audience. This meant the creative aspects like marketing and being clear on who you are through design advertising, were not detailed, but instead wanting to reform education today.

The texture of the pages were glossy and the book seemed long lasting and modern which I want to recreate through my guide.

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This is an example of a gratitude, 5 minute diary. 5 minutes being the key element here, only requiring a few minutes of the day to complete a series of reflective question asking about your day, and what you are thankful for tomorrow. This type of diary is key for those long, hard days where you feel overwhelmed and overworked, anxious if tomorrow will be the same. Whenever you complete this you'll feel a sense of relief and calmness as things are taken off your chest. The mix between sentencing and bullet point answers keeps it minimal and requires you to take time to reflect back on what today was like, therefore it CANNOT repeat. So therefore straight away is a benefit. You are in charge of looking back on worries and mistakes differently so they wont arise again and you'll know how to react/act differently. Having the ability to consistently complete one of these based off of a busy lifestyle running a business and being a part of a growing economy, means the need to take a step back and reflect on yourself. If you can do this and build your inner peace you will be able to work 100 times effectively, by knowing your skills and areas of improvement. If the whole team does this they can know how to work and support around each other. I want to add pages similar to this at the end of my guide to reflect on everything I’ve said and interpret what a reflection means to them and how they’ll use it.

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All of these gave me real data from the industry now, from small local businesses to me. I will take their comments on board which will help fuel my content in my guide.

From Elizabeth Dean on Cross Campus Gems I will use her ideas of community and using her network system to be the bridge to more and more people which is forever expanding. These will add more depth to my pages on audience, community and your own brand.

From Olivia Nicholsan I gathered that audience and narrative plays a big role in her course, and so to build on my story and small businesses I need to help them think like this, building customer experiences to enhance this.

From Carly, I gathered that a lot of social media marketing requires consistency and collaboration. So keeping these things in mind I can enhance my planning pages for social media posts.

From Opulant Designs I learnt that what they struggled with as a small business what their USP, and how to sell this. For many small companies it is themselves that makes them different, hence the importance of narrative and showing the team off.

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This inspiration reference excited me most from the colours used and artistic styles it used. It’s clear to see the audience for this is young and free due to it’s creativity and flow, yet I just loved the playful feel of the merge in text, image and bold titles. This fun element I really want to incorporate as it makes me stand out from other pieces in the market.

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This guide had a good balance of a fun but also corporate feel. Through colours and shapes a playful, enjoyable side is felt, and through the dark bold headings and text an educational side brings it all back to it’s main purpose which is to teach and inform. This is the balance I am looking for. I like the text being split up and not always in the traditional paragraph styles.

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This is a very formal example of a guide layout. The colours are dull and do not distract from what the viewer needs to gain from this and the image and text structure are very neat and precise. This reads and gives off the feel of a mature and very important piece of work. For a high client or audience which requires attention to detail and is straight to the point. I liked this element, however I just feel it is too exact for what I am trying to present. I want to embody new forms and taking risks through a different layout on each page, and I want to use bold titles and text to show the most simplistic information in a fun way to help stick. As my audience is creative and if not I want to push forward creativity, and so I need to show I can be this myself.

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This guide layout I believe has a good balance of both too. I feel it’s artistic nature through colours and photo edits yet it does still feel very structured and tidy. Everything is in it’s place, and I just want to show a more ‘rough around the edges’ version. But this is what my starting point will look like before all this. So as a first draft my piece will look something like this, then I can go back and replace and add my creative skills onto. I will use this as reference to page organisation and layout as I like the style, just not the finish.

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I liked the playful feel of this layout as it does show some breakaway from precise lines and angles. I like the way image sizes vary as this brings depth, and I liked the changing sizes of the proposed titles on each page it is always different, expressing how everyday in the creative industry is different and always changing for the good for you and your company. I also like how some pages are just photos or just text which is something I’ll be incorporating. It is a good break from each other when content is heavy.

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I’ve stared the ones i’m leaning towards:

Boost your Business: A fun guide to create growth

Creative Fuel for Small Business*

The Art of Business

Creative Startup Essentials

The Art of Small Businesses Boost 101

Creative Business Made Easy

Creative Business Growth: Starting with You

Build Yourself, Build Your Business* (A guide to building a creative business starting with you)

Starting with You: The Creative Path to Business Growth

Rooted and Rising: A Creative Business Guide*

Build Yourself, Fuel your Business

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I don’t want this to overtake my focus, as I know I can play around with colour schemes and design for a while, but as a general thought I just wanted to keep my colour schemes neutral but with colour too keeping them organic and linking to growth. Blues, greens and yellow beige colours with hints of pinks/peach. It’s something I will experiment with as I go on and play around with InDesign. But as a reference these are my colour choices.

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I was thinking as a cover image, instead of just having the text, I wanted to have a small sketch/illustration just to link back to my artistic background and connect to the creative element I am still bringing out through my guide. I also think it’s a good idea to have a small representation of my guide and what it means on the front, so it’s clear and visual like some people favour.

This inspiration is of a hand writing, drawn in a constant line with no stops. It represents a constant challenge in the creative business industry. But also the book and writer represents the control you have over your business and company.

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This illustration is the one I think I will be using as it represents strength as an individual, which can lead to management and bringing the strength in others, your team. It also represents project management and management in general. I like the idea of power and persistence linking to my guides idea of the changing nature of business and working together as a creative collective. Where I will show methods to work around this through organisation, evaluation and understanding what you need and what the market is looking for, and what it is.

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In the space of 10 minutes I had rethought out my first layout and decided I would need a lot more pages dedicated to the heavy content, just so I could get clear references and examples to display. Also my evaluative part at the end would require more pages just so the full effect of this exercise is felt and used often. Like mentioned previously, I liked the idea of having pages just solely for images just to break up to heavy content for the eyes and brain. It also puts a visual to the eye which for some is easier.

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Mindfulness for Busy People - Micheal Sinclair & Others

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Mindfulness for Busy People - Micheal Sinclair & Others

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As a final year student, who also works full times and loves to spend my spare time at the gym and being active, sitting still and resting is not something I can do. This book helped me so much to find my peace in a few simple steps. Implementing and spreading word on these practices through my guide will help give peace to other busy people within the creative industry, who are too always active. Even when we are not, our brain is constantly on, which I struggle with too.

Before we can improve and build on our small businesses we must work and build ourselves too.

A few facts and bit of research inspiring me to add small snippets of mindfulness to my book:

In 11 hours of mindfulness practice, structural changes were observed in the participants brains.

On a mindfulness based course for 273 people, a month later there was a 58% reduction in anxiety and 40% reduction in stress.

People who practice mindfulness over a long period of time, by their fifties, their brain appear 7.5 years younger.

In 2015, The Mindful Nation Uk Report was launched in Parliament which was the first evidence based policy seeing to address mental health concerns in education, healthcare, work and prisons.

January 2017 250 members of parliamentary staff went on an 8 week mindfulness course in London.

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1 - Intro

2 - What is the Creative Industry

3 - Elements in the Creative Industry

4 - Who are you?

5 - Audience

6 - Unique Selling Point

7 - Creativity and Advertising

8 - Social Media tips

9 - Organisation

10 - Project Management

11 - Project Management organising methods

12 - Project Management organising methods

13 - Why evaluate?

14 - Evaluation Process

15 - Evaluation Process

16 - Evaluation Process

17 -Evaluation Process

18 - Thank you Message

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After 30 years of clinical research it’s proven mindfulness is a:

Stress and anxiety reliever - writing focuses our attention, because we can only write one thing at a time and so it allows us to process our thoughts slowing them down, regulating our breathing, our thoughts become clear and we experience the release of giving voice to what we’ve been holding in. Often naming the experience or emotion has the effecting of making us more calm.

It helps us get clarity and find meaning - we can start to notice over time the same patterns in our thinking and behaviour. You begin to be curious about yourself instead of judgemental, wanting to listen in and connect deeper within yourself. We feel coherent with our inner selves and accept what has happened and identify how to be wiser and more resilient.

Improves markers of physical wellbeing - the act of writing activates different areas of the brain. This intentional and active communication across emotional and cognitive functions results in an increase in activity in the prefrontal cortex and a reduced activity in the amygdala which helps us calm reactivity and gain a healthy kind of distance from emotionally-charged events. When we calm reactivity we reduce stress. Blood pressure goes down, breathing regulates, sleep is better and immune function improves.

Improves working memory - we’re creating records to look back on, and creating memory while we write them. By unloading a stressful load of un dealt with emotions, we’re freeing up mental space.

Gratitude - the keener our attention becomes the more we start to pick up on all the enjoyed moments in our days that we often passover. Writing creates moments of gratitude as we get to experience and uncover the good feelings and emotions that were hidden. Find something good in everything.

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How Mindful Journaling Can Help Your Daily Practice

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There’s a robust body of research that shows mindful journaling can be a powerful tool for insight, clarity, healing, and well-being. Here’s why you should try it (even if you don’t consider yourself a “writer”).

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The creative industries thrive on innovation, passion, and collaboration. As a third-year Arts Business student, I have spent my academic journey exploring the intersection between creativity and entrepreneurship. Through this guide, I aim to provide independent businesses with essential insights on how to build a strong foundation, grow within the creative sector, and develop as a cohesive team.

At the heart of this guide is my belief in empowerment, both as individuals and as businesses. Success isn’t just about strategy; it’s about growth, self-awareness, and evaluation. That’s why I have included unique features that encourage reflection and balance, something often overlooked in business guides. I want to help creative entrepreneurs not only expand their businesses but also build themselves up with confidence and resilience, something I lacked during my education.

This guide is designed for those who are passionate about their craft but may be unsure how to expand their reach and strengthen their team. Whether you are an emerging entrepreneur or part of an existing independent business, I hope this resource will provide clarity, inspiration, and actionable steps to help you succeed, both professionally and personally.

Let’s build something great—together.

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To compete and thrive in this industry, you must first master what it is and what it demands. Understanding its structure, trends, and expectations will help you position your business for long-term success.

This industry presents exciting opportunities but also intense competition. To thrive, small creative businesses must balance innovation, business strategy and personal development, which is exactly what this guide will help you achieve.

The Creative Industries are a diverse and rapidly growing sector where businesses generate value through creativity, culture, and innovation. These industries span various fields, including design, media, fashion, advertising, entertainment, publishing, digital technology, and the arts. Unlike traditional sectors that rely on manufacturing or fixed services, the creative industries revolve around intellectual property, artistic expression, and audience engagement.

For small creative businesses, this means competing in a highly dynamic and interconnected market. The industry is driven by constant innovation, changing consumer trends, and the increasing demand for unique, engaging content and products. With the rise of digital platforms and global connectivity, independent businesses no longer compete just within their local markets but on a worldwide scale.

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Quick Reminder

Supply and Demand - Before launching, check if there’s demand for what you’re offering. Too much supply and not enough demand? You’ll struggle to sell. High demand but low supply? You have a golden opportunity! Stay aware of market trends and adjust accordingly.

Forms of Capital - To grow, you need financial capital (money), human capital (skills & team), social capital (connections), intellectual capital (ideas & branding), and physical capital (tools & resources). Balance them wisely!

Business Structure - Whether you're a solo entrepreneur or growing a team, structure matters:

Centralised Structure - One person, or a small group makes all key decisions. This keeps things consistent but can slow down innovation.

Decentralised Structure - Decision-making is shared across the team. This boosts creativity and collaboration but requires trust and strong communication.

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The basics on book keeping and accounts:

Know your numbers - track income and expenses regularly.

Use accounting software and simple spreadsheets.

Set clear budgets for projects and business operations.

Open a separate business bank account.

Keep records of invoices, receipts and expenses.

Set aside a percentage of income for tax payments.

Monitor cash flow to ensure stability.

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As a sole trader in the UK, you are self employed and personally responsible for your business profits and liabilities.

Remember the rates for tax: Basic, higher and additional.

National insurance contributions: Class 2 and Class 4 NICs.

File your Self-Assessment tax by the deadline with HM Revenue and Customs every year.

Allowable Business Expenses: Sole traders can deduct allowable expenses from their business profits, reducing the taxable amount.

Register for VAT.

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Creative Industry ‘Mapping’ task:

Start in your area, and progress to a wider landscape, and identify all the creative companies and experiences there is to offer. Get to know them and get familiar. Where do you sit within these? How can you stand out?

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(Brand identity)

For a small creative business, establishing who your are and what you are doing is crucial because it provides direction, clarity and purpose. Without this foundation, a business can easily become lost in a competitive market. Unlike large corporations with vast resources, small businesses must rely on a strong, well-defined identity to stand out, attract the right audience, and make the best decisions for the company.

Knowing collectively who you are as a business means understanding your core vision, values and mission. Without this clarity and a shared understanding within the team, how can it be possible to produce and provide the right services or products? Know yourself, understand your purpose, and the rest will flow into place. You cannot successfully build your business or team if you, as a leader, are not aligned with what you’re doing and why. Small businesses without this fundamental identity risk being inconsistent and untrue to themselves, which can confuse potential customers and weaken trust.

Equally important is defining what you are doing, your products, services, and overall goals. If you can’t clearly communicate your purpose, it becomes harder to attract customers, secure funding, or even motivate your team. Everyone involved must grasp the core values of your work and prioritize the brand’s originality and message in every decision they make. This ensures that growth is intentional and sustainable. Through identity comes strategy and creativity, which together build a lasting brand.

Your brand is the driving force of your business, so make it the most talked about and reinforced aspect across the workspace. Identity is the heart of everything - It makes you, you. So own it, sell it, and celebrate it! It’s one of a kind!

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“Do things today that your future self will be grateful for”

One of the most influential books within my passion for organisation and self care. This quote changed the way I approach jobs and to do lists. By doing tasks that are small to do right now and will save you in the future will make it one step less easier for a time when you may be in a rush, stressed and feeling like you’d wish it was already done.

E.g: throwing clothes on the floor. Do it now to avoid stress and buildup tomorrow. Or leaving something inside out, when tomorrow getting ready for work, this small task may make you late so just do it when you put it away.

This ideal can be interpreted to anything and is why I am so keen to stay organised and make it easier for myself wherever possible, as I know I will over stress about it in the moment.

I want to include helpful words like this, to help inspire and really put into perspective what small impacts can have on such larger things as a whole. The minute I heard this I wanted to change the way I look at jobs, and so hopefully I can inspire this for someone else who needs it.

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Differentiate Yourself - The market is saturated with artists, designers and creators. A clear brand identity ensures your work is recognisable and memorable.

Maintain Consistency - Creativity flourished within structure. A strong sense of purpose and values keeps branding, messaging, and creative direction cohesive.

Inspire and Align Teams - In collaborative creative environments, a shared vision helps teams work together seamlessly and stay motivated. Without alignment, projects can lose focus, and teams may struggle with decision-making.

Build Authentic Connections - Creative brands rely on storytelling and emotional engagement, make sure customer satisfaction is a top priority by actively seeking feedback and engage with them. Be committed to them and they will support you in return.

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This book focuses on learning where/what your comfort zone is amongst the chaos of other activities. Having work life and personal life separate is a huge distinguishment many, like me, struggle with. This book is so effective at fixing this. It also gives body to learning to step out of your comfort zone to do this which again is difficult. Amongst everything you are running, overseeing ing and organising it is hard to switch off sometimes, which is a reoccurring ring thing for self employed people within the creative industry. This book was a brilliant read for me to learn the techniques and tools for having a separate work and personal life. I want to help others with this, as it leads to better productivity and better business.

That is why within all the factual content on business management and the industry, i want to break up the tension and text with words of advice and methods of self help/improvement. To really reiterate if you are the best version of yourself, your business too will be the best it can be. This goes for everyone. You and your team make the business and so you need to look after both.