The creative identity crisis

Why learning business basics scares the bleep out of designers

When I began teaching business basics to creative leaders three years ago, I thought I knew what was holding us back in that particular arena. My hypothesis: Designers and design leaders didn’t get business simply because of lack of access or exposure.

Turns out I was wrong… Not about access and exposure being legitimate issues, because they absolutely are. Most creatives still don’t learn anything much about business in school–or even when they arrive in the corporate world.

But I’ve seen many creatives go through our business workshop and come out the other side delightfully surprised by how compelling the mindset shift can be. In fact, a workshop attendee recently told me that they now think reading P&Ls is fun. No lie!

So our business blocker is not our ability to learn it, even if access is still a barrier.

No, the real problem that creatives have with acquiring business acumen? It’s?identity.

Who do we think we are?

In design school (or?art?school), and maybe early in our career, we align ourselves with the identity of the creative. Back in my day that meant you were a black-wearing, record-playing, notebook-carrying creative. Your look might have been different, but you know what I’m talking about. We creatives have a certain?aesthetic?that sets us apart.

We want the world to know that we are makers, crafters, and creators. We even embrace our differences in the way that we think. (That?Apple ad campaign?really worked!)

So we show up to work hoping to live that identity to the fullest.

Often, we’ve been taught that someone else is responsible for the business side. Like all those business majors. The suits and stuffed shirts. So we shrugged off responsibility, and then we went ahead and made up stories about how it’s?us versus them.

Acquiring any sort of business acumen — strategies, tactics, P&Ls — felt like going over to?the dark side.

Fast forward a few years in our careers, and it becomes clear that many creatives are actually measured — and their work is evaluated — based on their business impact.

We wanted the seat, but we didn’t understand what it entailed. Now we’re sitting at the table where big decisions are being made. But to hold on to our place here, we have to embrace our creative side while making room for the logical, analytical perspective, too. In our work. In ourselves.

That can feel like a loss.

If we’re logical and analytical, who even are we anymore?

Doing more of what we love

I want to help creatives see the gain, instead of feeling loss.

You can be a designer who understands, shapes, and aligns with the business?without?losing your soul. Without losing your creativity.

When we learn to translate the value of our creative work to the business, we rely less on others to translate it for us (and likely get it wrong, or at least not tell the whole story). When we make the connection between design and business, we actually generate?more?value for the things we care about (and for the people we’re designing for).

Embracing business is not loss; it’s amplifying. It’s helping us do more of what we love.

Being a business-minded creative is a balance, and requires a lot of intentionality. But it is possible. And embracing this identity shift is absolutely critical to our success as a discipline. Especially in the world we’re facing now.

If you'd like support in building your business acumen without losing your connection to your creativity, join us in the Designing Business public workshop.

Or create your own custom series for your team to level up their business impact.