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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

  
  

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

• 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?

  
  

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

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

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

• 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.

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.

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?

  
  

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.

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

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.

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.

• 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?

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.

1) Initiation

2) Planning

3) Execution

4) Monitor

5) Closing

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

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

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

• 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

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.

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.

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.

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

• 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.

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?

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!

Knowing your audience is essential throughout your creative process and business journey because they are the ones who engage with your work, support your brand, and ultimately determine its success. Understanding who you are creating for shapes your creative direction, ensuring that your work resonates and stands out in a competitive market. It guides marketing efforts, helping you communicate effectively and reach the right people on the right platforms. A deep connection with your audience fosters brand loyalty, turning customers into long-term supporters who not only return but also spread the word about your business.

Beyond that, keeping your audience at the center of your business allows you to adapt to changing trends and stay relevant in an ever-evolving industry. For a small business, this shared understanding aligns your team with a unified vision, ensuring that every decision, whether in design, marketing, or customer experience delivers real value. A successful creative business doesn’t just make what it wants, it makes what its audience needs, loves, and values.

Knowing your audience isn’t a one-time task but a continuous process that should guide every aspect of your brand. Stay true to your vision while keeping your audience in mind, and you’ll build something that truly connects with the people who matter most.

This can happen through social media, calls, in person meetings or physical documents.

• Prioritising inclusivity and accessibility ensures that your brand is welcoming to a diverse audience, whether through representation, user-friendly platforms, or flexible pricing options.

• Providing value beyone transactions, such as educational content, community spaces, and personalized experiences, keeps people engaged even when they’re not actively buying.

• Trust is another key factor, businesses that maintain ethical practices, transparency and social responsibility build long-term loyalty. A positive customer experience, from exceptional service to surprise perks and loyalty programs, makes interactions with your brand memorable.

  
  

  When people feel a genuine connection to your brand, they are more likely to return, support and advocate for your business driving sustainable growth.

To create a successful campaign, your clear understanding of your identity and audience allows you to refine your message, making it concise and impactful. A great advertising strategy reflects your brands creativity and when done right, it captures attention, communicates effectively, and leaves a lasting impact.

A strong headline is essential, it’s often the first (and only) chance to grab attention, so it should be short, powerful and emotionally engaging.

Visuals play a crucial role too; high-quality, on-brand imagery enhances messaging and ensures your campaign is visually appealing.

Consistency across branding such as logos, colors, and fonts, helps build recognition and trust.

Every ad should also have a clear call to action, guiding potential customers on what to do next. Whether that’s visiting your website, browsing products, or making an inquiry. If your ad leads to your website, ensure it is up to date, engaging and easy to navigate, acting as a virtual storefront that reinforces your brand.

Social media is a powerful tool to support campaigns, providing a free way to expand your reach through engaging content, hashtags, and direct audience interaction.

Lastly, make it easy for people to contact you by providing clear and correct details. Put a face to the brand, you and your team are at heart of it so do not hide away. Be seen!

A well ordered space creates a well ordered mind!

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.

The Project Managers is responsible for planning, executing and overseeing projects to ensure they are completed on time, within budget, and to a high standard. In a small business, this role helps keep everything organised and efficient ensuring that creativity and strategy come together smoothly. Each team member is responsible for managing their own individual projects within this framework, ensuring that all aspects stay under control and come together seamlessly.

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

• project context/problem or opportunity

• Project Objective

• Benifits

• Target Audience

• Stakeholders

• Specific Elements

• Risk Assessment

Evaluation is a powerful practice for small businesses and projects, blending strategy with mindfulness to create a balanced and effective workflow. It highlights strengths and areas for growth, ensuring resources are used wisely and goals remain aligned. By providing clear metrics, evaluation helps track progress, optimize processes, and uncover inefficiencies, leading to smarter decision-making and cost savings.

Beyond business benefits, regular reflection fosters a mindful approach to work. It cultivates clarity, control, and a sense of accomplishment, reducing stress and uncertainty. Viewing evaluation as an ongoing practice, not just for projects, but as a part of you and your team’s lifestyle encourages resilience, confidence, and a healthier work-life balance.

• Were there any inefficiencies in the process that can be improved for future projects?

• How did I/we handle unexpected challenges during the project?

• Did I/we stick to schedules?

• How well did the team collaborate?

• Did we allocate resources (time, management, manpower) effectively?

• What belief is holding me back, and is it based on fact or fear?

• What evidence do I have that challenges this belief?

• How is this belief affecting my actions, choices and outcomes?

• What positive shift in mindset can I adopt to move past this belief?

• What were the most successful outcomes of this project?

• What lessons did I/we learn that can help improve future projects?

• How can I/we apply what i’ve learned from this project to our business strategy moving forward?

• Did the project contribute to the growth of our brand, reputation and client base?

• How am I feeling today? (Take a moment to check in with yourself emotionally and physically. What emotions do you feel?)

• Did I take breaks today? (Did I take time to step away, breathe and reset? If not how can I prioritise this tomorrow?)

• Did I exhaust myself today? (Reflect on whether you took on too much. How did it impact your energy or mental state? What boundaries can I set moving on?)

• What drained my energy today?

• 3 things I accomplished today that I am proud of:

• I loved that this happened to me today:

• Overall reflection:

  
  

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.

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.

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.

Implementing the a motivated mindset across the guide.

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.

• 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.

The act of writing accesses your left brain, which is analytical and factual. While your left brain is occupied your right, is free to be creative. This removes mental blocks and allows you to use all of your brainpower to better understand yourself, others and the world around you.

• It clarifies your thoughts and feelings - ever get the feeling of too much going on and overwhelmed with just simple things, taking a few minutes to write these down quickly gets you in touch with your internal world.

• Feel more positive - you don’t always write about the negatives, there is room for positives all the time.

• Reduces stress - writing about all the tense feelings of anger and stress can release the intensity of them. You'll feel calmer and be able to stay in the present.

• Solve problems more effectively - typically we problem solve from a left-brained, analytical perspective, but sometimes the answer is in the creative right side. Writing unlocks these capabilities. Write down what the inner critic you have inside is telling you, and then make a judgement based on what you are really thinking.

• Resolve disagreements with others - writing instead of arguing about each others misunderstandings gives you a chance to take a step back. It may even give you a sensible resolution.

• 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.

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.

• 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.

It was such a handy technique and the fact they had their own version printed was so accessible and resourceful, I definitely want to add this trick to my guide.

I went through their system of using power point to target the Campaign title, brief, audience research, my approach, cascading the comms and measuring success.

I came up with an influencer event and talk, with Q&A with speakers from different industries and backgrounds. I called this the ‘power hour club’.

I had to put everything together that i’d learnt from the days before to form this. It’s something the team does regularly for each client but to a larger scale and in much more detail. My ideas were brief, but it taught me the notions of getting a brief, to developing it to then seeing the final result pay off.

This links to the project management tools from Beth, and I hope to follow this process when completing my guide.

I also got to speak with one of the graphic designers for the company, who went through some InDesign tips and tricks for my major project. I explained to them what I was doing and he showed me examples of booklets he’d made for clients of similar style. This was so helpful and I learnt so many useful tricks on how to make the guide professional and useful.

It has been such a brilliant experience having the chance to see what this kind of organisation does, and i’ve gathered some really useful advice and tricks I want to help others with in my guide.

Then I wrote up my draft which was marked, and then I added the relevant changes. This was really helpful and I enjoyed working on this. The next stage that would happen would this would be sent to media companies linking to the area and brand, so I used their website Vuelio to find appropriate links to media companies, which I would send my document too and they would publish it. Which I never knew.

I learnt to be brief and too the point in this.

This did take a long time, but I can see why it was so helpful for being prepared to keep on top of events and whats going on. Keeping consistent is the main struggle for companies.

I then planned 5 posts for the month of April for LinkedIn and X. It was good to plan for platforms i’d never really thought about, but it’s so important to stay consistent across all platforms in this industry. This was all checked off and I was given pointers on what others do for this.

It’s really going to help when doing my social media tips in my guide, and for my other work experience in Digbeth as they need a lot of support on this.

• The Eisenhower Matrix - categorise tasks into four quadrants: urgent and important do now, important but not urgent (schedule), urgent but not important (Delegate) and neither urgent nor important (eliminate).

• Time blocking - allocate specific chunks of time for different types of tasks.

• The pomodoro technique - work in focused sprints then take a short break to maintain productivity.

• The 1-3-5 rule - focus on 1 big task, 3 medium and 5 smaller per day.

• Sunday & Monday planning - spend a few minutes at the start of the week to outline goals, deadlines and priorities.

• Use task management apps - notions, trello, asana, todoist.

• Email and file organisation - using labels and folders to keep emails and documents tidy. Keep things separate from any personal accounts!

• Morning review/brief - 10-15 min check in to clear confusion and motivate for the day.

• Progress and status updates - meetings with team to review work and progress together.

• End of day review - what did you accomplish and need to adjust for next day/week.

• Energy tracking - what times are you most productive and plan aligned to them.

• The minute rule - if a task takes less than two minutes do it immediately.

• Realistic workload management - be honest about what you can achieve in a day and say no when necessary.

• Project boards - big clear whiteboards/post-it note visual planning of tasks/daily scedule.

• Weekly/monthly 1:1s - individual check in to discuss progress, challenges and personal growth.

• Workplace - create a workspace that feels like a breath of fresh air. Organised, uplifting and stress-free!

Creativity is constant! it doesn’t need to be scheduled.

53% report improved memory and concentration.

There has been a 60% reduction anxiety over six to nine months of practised mindfulness.

50% reduction in insomnia.

• Dealing with accounts and finance, always keep business account separate.

• The accounting equation - Assets=Liabilities+Equity

• The assets are what the company owns (cash, property)

• Liabilities is what the company owes to others (loans…)

• Equity is the owners stake in the business.

• Through this session we did a worksheet learning the foundation of book keeping, which I learnt not many small businesses will know the notions of, and thats why they fail to produce clear accounts to their accountants.

As I needed to make up for 2 more pages on my guide, I decided I would dedicate this to accounts and finance, just because I do think it’s an essential piece of knowledge for the team to know within a small business. As I have my back to basics page, I can add this following on from it so it aligns nicely.

• 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.

  
  

• 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.

• 2 pages short (could add finance/accounts)

• Background?

• More images?

• Run on lines fix

• Image quality

• Final page

This tutorial focused on the layout of my guide and what I needed to add:

• Colour - spend more time designing

• Separate pages for the quotes let them have more meaning. With these add a bit on who the speaker is.

• Re arrange the layout.

• Add more pages 28 to 36.

• Include more sketches like on the front cover.

• For the mapping activity add a task for the reader to do all before the guide content starts. I can then connect this to networking for a page.

• Need to make all images/graphs mine.

• Create a toolkit for the ending just so there is some more resources.

Then another differentiation is that my guide includes uplifting and positive messages all throughout understanding the struggle of small organisations like this. I want to create a safe, calm feeling as you read through, adding elements of self care to each page mirroring how I am supporting you through content and care. I am then creating my guide to appear almost journal like so it gives the effect of support and guidance through it’s simplicity.

• The creative industries require a balance between structured planning and allowing room for spontaneity and inspiration.

• Others typically follow rigid structures, with well-defined processes, deadlines and workflows that prioritise efficiency and predictability over flexibility.

Project based workflow:

• Creative industries often work on a project to project basis, with freelance teams, shifting deadlines and evolving direction. Planning must accommodate changing client needs and developments.

• Other businesses tend to have ongoing operations with fixed roles and repetitive processes that follow long term strategies rather than short term creative iterations.

Managing uncertainty:

• Success in the creative industries is often subjective and dependent on trends, the audience and interpretations. Plans must account for revisions and changes in vision.

• For the rest, decisions are often driven by data making planning straightforward and predictable.

Time and Productivity Management:

• Productivity in the creative industries is always ongoing, with creative blocks, experimentation and the generation of ideas all happening at once. With room to step back and analyse.

• For others, productivity is often measured by direct output and sales. Work type is repetitive and there is no room for trial and error.

Collaboration and team structure:

• For creatives, the industry involves diverse, cross disciplinary teams of people who thrive together and individually constantly learning and building skills off another. The whole organisation is a close team.

• Traditional businesses have stable teams with clear hierarchies and defined roles.

Innovation and Risk taking:

• The creative industries thrive on experimentation by pushing boundaries and taking risks. Trail and error is always being utilised for the best and differentiated outcomes. They adapt to trends and new ideas instantly. Growth and change is constant.

• Others tend to minimise risks and need to be able to have control over every decision and sale. They focus and rely on proven and provided strategies to ensure stability.

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.

Iqrah Ahmed

Aarron Pearson

Lisa Coles

All said they would use this as it was useful and something they would’ve liked to have known earlier.

The act of evaluating was very strong across Design For Performance, and it flows perfectly into how all projects or tasks should be completed. So, across my education now I still use this tool and push for others to. That is why my guide is a complete embodiment of everything I learn’t and found essential during my time in university. I know other will find it just as useful and eye opening as it has been condensed and merged together forming a leisurely read and calming tool.

I’ve then completed my new arrangement of the pages so it is now 36 pages long with a colour front and separate pages for the quotes, to divide the content.

I was advised after this tutorial to sort through and put my subheadings into bold, and then add some more illustrations as they were liked.

My main focus is now to add more resources that link to my direct influence over the project, and to add further to my stand out points that aren’t seen in the market. By adding more tasks and resources to takeaway and go and do, I am implementing my idea of selecting and forming tools I think would benefit others, under the notions of mindfulness and evaluation.

Main takeaways - starting points to trigger thinking:

• What Branding is About - brand visibility, architecture and the timings and reasons for branding as a resource.

• Making Brands Work - cost, control and strategies

• Belief in Branding - risks and value and what it can bring to an organisation.

Im going to use these starting points to build the body around my brand identity page for my guide focusing on the points that need to be considered most with a small business. This is going to take time for them to develop and so my point/steps need to be clear and concise.

It’s for those who need some extra guidance on the economy as a whole, making a few changes and suggestions within their organisation to get things going again.

This will act as a handbook to get out and refer back to when feeling unmotivated or worried about the growth of the business, demands or products.

I have also selected topics discussed during our first module of arts business, only picking what I deemed useful for my audience. Thus, ever since starting my work experience with Secret Spaces, I realised a lot of this knowledge isn’t discussed anywhere that is accessible and quick to take in, like mine. So my thinking came behind what essential topics and content would be a must to know for those struggling. It is the utter basics and foundation of startup creative thinking and ideas. Hence why I have added my personal touch of growth and journaling through the evaluation pages. I learnt this skill from dfp and it has stuck almost as a habit to me to assess and evaluate everything. So, I brought this skills along with me into this project and work. Hopefully proving to everyone that being your best leads to your best work, and to do this requires 5 minutes of your thinking and reflection. It makes you feel so much better and so much more focused. Imagine what changes this can make to failing or quiet small business

• In 2001 the Creative Industries were defined by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) as those industries ‘which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property’ (UK Government 2021).

• In 2023 the creative industries accounted for 2.4million jobs

• Self employment accounts for 28% of creative industry employment in the uk.

• In 2024 90% of creative companies were micro-businesses

• 93% of 16-18 year olds say studying a creative subject impacts positively on their mental health and wellbeing.

• Creative Research and Development (R&D) is crucial for innovation in the sector and makes up a larger proportion of the economy than might be expected, considering that R&D is typically associated with sectors like manufacturing or biotechnology. But both in the Creative Industries and other sectors, the UK under-invests in R&D compared to its peers, potentially restricting the development of improved products, services or processes and harming international competitiveness.

• ‘Our creative industries are world-leading, an engine of our economic growth.’

• ‘They provide the news that informs our democracy, the designs that shape our cities and the content and performances that enrich our lives and strengthen our global image’

• ‘The sector has proved that it is an essential positive force for society, bringing joy, inspiration and opportunity to our lives’

• The sector vision and creative industries council cic want by 2030, to grow CI in clusters by an extra 50 million pounds. Develop a career promise that builds talent into the sector and supports a million extra jobs.

• Innovation in almost 2,250 uk businesses

• Turnover increase of 13.5 million

• 218,790 new jobs

• 13.48 billion in gva

• Exports increased by 320%

By understanding how intellectuals are thinking behind the growth of the Creative Industries, it’s important to analyse the perspective of this. It’s okay to say, ‘right we want to see this happen and this is how’, but if YOU don’t actually understand and know the level of work needed within this industry and how much of it become too much, how will you be able to achieve this ambitious goals?

I want people and particularly small owners to understand that to achieve growth and success, every single individual must know the importance of their own personal growth against that of the companies. We must be our best to perform our best. This is what I set to outline in my essay.

If there is a clear division of power and hierarchy, collaborating, being open to ideas and expressing new ways of learning is always going to be difficult. It’s essentially the bosses way or no way. Which is essentially what I saw. So, if we encourage the idea of decentralisation in a creative setting it encourages collaboration and creates an open and diverse atmosphere where all can learn and build themselves up. This is what the industry needs more of. Teams are very important in order to feel welcomed and achieve a companies best. This is not to say this isn’t the same for independence and leading, but knowing when centralisation should be implemented is key. Use it for decision making when absolutely needed but do not direct the creativity, keep it flowing.

The structure is essential to making things work, and again this depends on each individual and how you let this work as a team. Grow together!

• “Employees become loyal to an organisation when they are allowed initiative in the work they do. Employee loyalty can decline in a centralised structure as their limited autonomy stifles creativity and loyalty due to the rigidity of the work” Helen Wale.

• The sectors contribution to place extends beyond the economic. It plays a significant role in health and wellbeing, in bringing people together, strengthening communities and supporting the most vulnerable. This came to the force during the COVID-19 pandemic when Creative UK highlighted the value of arts, culture and creativity through its ourworldwithout campaign. Creativity contributes to our sense of self, and helps us feel connected and shape our values,

• To ensure that we spread growth and opportunity throughout the uk, we need to invest in people as much as in organisations. Cultivating and attracting the next generation of diverse creative talent and ensuring our sectors significant freelance workforce is better supported, are among our sectors top priorities.

• We need to establish new ways of generating opportunities for the full diversity of individuals whose talent will lead to economic success and social prosperity.

• Creativity and creative skills will be crucial to the recovery of, not only our sector, but the economy at large. The opportunity to learn creative skills must therefore be gauranteed for all. This means prioritising and resourcing creative education and training at all levels to ensure access to the greatest diversity of individuals, regardless of background or location.

• Low levels of self-management, health literacy and activation are linked to increased cost, faster disease progression, early mortality and increased multi morbidity. These can be reversed through evidence based interventions to increase management in oneself.

• Accessing one or more of the interventions significantly increases the likelihood that people will adopt behaviours and approaches that positively contribute to their health and wellbing.

• This could prevent 436,000 emergency admissions to hospital and 690,000 attendances to A&E 2024.

• [1] Barker, I. et al. (2017), Patient activation is associated with fewer visits to both general practice and emergency departments: a cross-sectional study of patients with long-term conditions, Clinical Medicine, 17(3), p.15
  [2] Deeny, S., Thorlby, R., Steventon, A. (2018), Briefing: Reducing emergency admissions: unlocking the potential of people to better manage their long-term conditions. London: Health Foundation

It informs us on what good supported self-management looks like, which applies to the techniques I’ve used in my guide and the reasonings behind them:

• What matters to them is recognised and they are seen within the context of their whole life, including relationships, interests and challenges they may face.

• They are valued as an active and equal partner in conversations and decisions about their health and wellbeing and recognised as experts in their own lives.

• They are supported to find solutions, make plans and break down their health and care goals into manageable steps.

• Support focuses on their goals; not what others think those goals should be.

• Support helps to increase their capability to self-manage and gives them the motivation and opportunity to do so.

• They can access support to improve clinical outcomes and physical wellbeing, for example, blood pressure, blood sugar, symptoms of their condition.

This leads to a better understanding within the workforce and industry as a whole. It can help organisations put the right approaches and methods in place to help people to their needs. The whole workforce is trained on how to look at these situations and encourages help to be given. A supportive atmosphere. It impacts the wider economy to become understanding and help with managing other life problems.

To look over this, it gives a factual basis of knowledge I can use towards my argument explaining why it is so important to understand individual needs before anything else. This can affect everything, and so it needs to be taken seriously and with care. This goes for the whole company.

I want to focus on the affects of mindfulness as I want to stress the importance of inserting this into the workplace.

I focused on the part of the report called: Transforming mental health starts with building the foundations for well-functioning mental health systems and services. Its two point points:

• “A competent and motivated workforce is a vital component of a well-functioning health system”. This means that all countries need to expand and improve their specialised workforce for metal health. Training and building communities and peers to work around this factor will help improve the awareness of the issue and help people come forward. Having the skills to detect the conditions and provide the basic interventions and support to help refer and follow up with people. This would benefit substancially.

• Secondly, it mentions how beyond the systems each of us can strengthen our individual skills by understanding ourselves better. Everyone in the community and workspace needs to support social inclusion for people living and dealing with these situations and provide the right support and care.

I wanted to touch on this serious subject in my report as it a legitimate guide and report connecting to the ideas of mine. I wanted some ways and methods of influencing my audience in a professional way from a well established organisation. It supports my opinion further, and so if I can show evidence for this it makes my argument more interesting and in depth.

Understanding and learning how the Custard Factory was established and changed the creative industries setting for Birmingham.

The create spaces idea, like the Custard Factory, compares to the same ideas of the market in the sense that when a product is realised it keeps and stays on the market through constant need and productivity. It’s like the space, you will have a team creating and that keeps floating around through trade with other companies, industries and locations. So you come to realise after making maybe 1 product and trading it that product is still available and is always being passed around. Supply and demand is essentially the same in both.

We also spoke about the teams and having lot’s of people for their skills. They may not be needed in that present moment, but utilising their skills is key and working together.

This reflects what I am for in my work/guide, as I want others to understand these ideals of the spaces and markets. Merging these almost with the ideas of collaboration and always producing and working effectively for high productivity. I am guiding this idea matched with the understanding of self awareness and confidence to be able to do it.

I feel as if Birmingham is growing in it’s smaller artistic companies and businesses. It separating from the idea of a second city to London, and becoming its own independent self. Which I really really love, and means my guide is more suited here in areas of the city centre and Digbeth as this is where small companies thrive.

I speak about this on my brand identity pages where I gathered the steps to building this and why it is so important.

Usually this manifesto holds so much value and important to the company, it’s what others will look at over all the other methods like social media. Its so important to establish this!

It’s both an evaluative and researching tasks, with trigger points to hint for you to reflect or find out more on them in terms of you and your company.

Actively you can evaluate yourself and spend 5-20 minutes each day building this and talking to the team through this.

Extremely happy with this result and so I am pleased to send it of to print now.

This is an ideal concept for my guide as it triggers both the individual and collaborative ideas and direction.