Reasons Why Every Creative Should Consider Working With Businesses

“Creativity itself doesn’t care at all about results — the only thing it craves is the process. Learn to love the process and let whatever happens next happen, without fussing too much about it. Work like a monk, or a mule, or some other representative metaphor for diligence. Love the work. Destiny will do what it wants with you, regardless.”

– Elizabeth Gilbert

Photo by Duncan Kidd on Unsplash

o Do you ever feel like you don’t belong in the business world? o That you’re wasting your creativity in a corporate landscape? o That your thinking is on another level to those in the officer around you?

I will be honest, I used to feel the same way when I worked in the “corporate” world. A year in IBM and over 15 years in a (Big 4 Australian) bank. I believed that my artistic, imaginative side wouldn’t thrive in the corporate space.

It did when I first worked in a call center for a bank. I sat in a tiny cubicle, surrounded on three sides, with a pin board partition that no one could see into. While taking phone calls, I would doodle on the paper in front of me, expected to be used for notes. In the end, I had a creative studio at my desk. Technical, watercolours, and artists pencils, with a pile of different sized sketch books. My artwork cycled through regularly, and I still have some of the bigger A3 and A2 sized drawings of mystical lands and mountains.

Since then, I have worked with finance companies, accountants, bookkeepers, financial planners and even brokers. Drawing more on my business acumen, than my creative side…

But.

What if I told you that your creativity could be the exact thing that businesses today are missing?

I want to share why creatives shouldn’t shy away from working with business, the benefits that it can offer, and how to overcome the challenges that will come with it.

Misconceptions About Creativity in a Business World.

When I worked in my first corporate role, the image was The Blue Brick Wall. This unmoving, unfeeling world of businesspeople walking around in Blue Suits (IYKYK!).

The assumption is that the corporate world can be rigid, dull and stifling for us with the creative mindsets. I did think the same. My world was filled with endless meetings, jargon heavy emails with acronyms to many to count, and little room for my imagination to colour my space.

This misconception overlooks one crucial fact — that all businesses need to create to innovate, to connect with their audiences and stay relevant in their industries.

Fact:

Several early “Star Trek” technologies have made their way into our everyday lives. Communicators are now mobile phones / cell phones, and even our tablets were originally the PADDs used on board the Enterprise.

Photo by Rodion Kutsaiev on Unsplash

3 Reasons Why Businesses Need Creatives

For businesses to stay ahead in their industries they have to thrive on innovation, and who better to lean on than creatives? Here are three main reasons why I believe Businesses need creatives:

1. Problem Solving. Creative brains approach challenges differently, often seeing the opportunities when others see obstacles. For several years while working in the bank, I was instrumental in providing new ideas and processes within the Continuous Improvement Program or something that we called Kaizen. (Kaizen is a Japanese business strategy that focuses on continuous improvement. It is a combination of the Japanese words “Kai” which means change and “Zen” which means good.)

2. Storytelling Power. In today’s digital and technological space, businesses need compelling stories to stand out, especially in the marketing and sales space. A creative’s ability to weave narratives can transform a company’s business and marketing strategy.

3. Fresh Perspectives. Creatives bring a new focus on traditional processes. They think outside the box (was there even a box?), while challenging norms and pushing boundaries, helping their company evolve.

It can take a new perspective to look at things not just from the business’s point of view, but also from the client’s perspective. Working with one business, their materials were uninspired, filled with jargon that confused and alienated their clients. By infusing their messaging with relatable stories (focused on client avatars), vibrant visuals and easy to understand language, it completely transformed the relationship between the business and their prospective audience.

What are the Benefits for Creatives?

The corporate world is a potential goldmine of benefits for creatives too. Here are three of my main reasons why I think this:

1. Financial Stability. Many creative gigs are sporadic, underpaid and underappreciated. Businesses often offer consistent work with competitive rates. Working with some of the businesses that I have, has allowed me to build a sustainable career, doing what I love.

2. Skill Development. The corporate world can challenge us to refine and redefine our craft. You will learn to tailor your creativity to specific audiences, while working to deadlines and collaborating with teams from different disciplines. It has also given me the opportunity to broaden my skills and understanding in different industries.

3. Creative Impact. Did you see what you did? What was the impact of your work on the clients? Seeing your work drive tangible results can be deeply satisfying. There is nothing like knowing you’ve made a difference to someone.

While looking at the Continuous Improvement for the banking industry, I provided procedures for new employees to navigate their jobs. Not only did this help with training new employees, but also cut down time and effort that provided a quicker turnaround for client needs.

Challenges… and How We Overcome Them.

I am taking a huge sigh here.

I know working in the corporate space isn’t without it’s challenges. It’s coming at them with the right mindset, they can be managed.

1. Navigating Corporate Jargon. Acronyms. Industry specific terms. The language of business can feel like a foreign dialect. My advice? Stand up and ask questions. Clarify their expectations. Over time you will pick it up. I mean, obviously we find creative ways to learn new things.

2. Balancing Creativity and Structure. Deadlines and briefs can feel so restrictive to us, but they’re also opportunities to flex those problem-solving muscles that we’re known for. Treat them as creative problems and they will fuel your innovation. You might even find new ways to do things, that the business never realised before.

3. Getting Buy In. Not every business leader will immediately see the value of your creativity. Learn to pitch your concepts with confidence, backing them with well researched data and analytics when possible.

Remember that artistic studio I created in the call centre?

Well, I had an amazing Area Manager than used to come by and appreciate them. I was then tasked with creating and designing internal marketing and training materials for around the office. I was very well rewarded with multiple tins of Derwent pencils (my favourite!) which until recently I still owned.

Sometimes our creative spark lights up the imagination of those around us too!

Photo by Skye Studios on Unsplash

My Final Word

If you’re a creative, and you’re wondering whether the business world has room for you… the answer is a huge YES!

Your unique perspective and skills are exactly what businesses need for them to survive and thrive. And, while it may feel intimidating at first, the rewards for you — both professionally and personally — can be worth it.

So, seek out opportunities where you can blend your creativity with business goals. And, who knows? You might just start writing the next chapter in your story.

What’s your experience with blending your creativity with business? I would love to hear your stories and thoughts.

Thanks for reading my Article. Please feel free to like, share and follow. At this time, my work is free.