This is going to be a different Creative Bite – one that covers a topic often overlooked, especially among creative entrepreneurs. Everything we do, we do with full love and passion. Consequently, topics like money and financial literacy often become a grey zone, something not openly discussed.

So, I’ve decided to address it. Here is a Creative Bite about experiencing bankruptcy, unlearning poor financial habits, and embracing the power of money.

Money. It’s not just a commodity but a language. A language that, as an entrepreneur, I had to learn to speak fluently. When I was younger, I carried with me baggage full of financial stereotypes, lugging it along my entrepreneurial journey until it became too heavy to bear.

Bankruptcy. A word that once sent shivers down my spine became my reality a few years ago. It was not the end, but rather, a brutal beginning. It was in this financial abyss that I truly understood the significance of financial education. It’s not just about earning, spending, or saving. It’s about understanding the rhythm, the ebb and flow of money, and leveraging it to build and grow.

And so, I began asking the hard questions: How can my business model better weather economic storms? How can I diversify my income streams? Is my investment in this new venture, this new idea, strategically sound or financially foolhardy?

There are also other questions that we need to ask ourselves, especially as creatives:

1. How can we break the stigma around discussing money and finances, particularly in the creative industry?
2. How do we shift from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance when it comes to our financial outlook?
3. How can we instill better financial habits, and what resources are available to help us do so?
4. How can entrepreneurs learn from financial failures to build stronger, more resilient businesses in the future?
5. How can we align our financial strategies with our creative passion and vision for our business?
6. How can we use our financial knowledge to make our creative endeavors more sustainable in the long run?
7. How can we leverage the power of money to better serve our creative and entrepreneurial goals?

Bankruptcy taught me that the silence around money is not golden but crippling, especially in the entrepreneurial world where every penny counts. Break the silence. Ask the hard questions. Understand your financial landscape better than you know the back of your hand. Remember, it’s not just about the profit you make but the financial resilience you build and the economic impact you create.

The journey from financial naivety to financial literacy is not easy; I’ve learned it the hard way. Financial education isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. So let’s get curious about our finances. Let’s shatter the stereotypes and navigate the financial maze with confidence. Let’s turn the discourse from “money matters” into “money mastery”.

And support small businesses -> I have a happy dance each time I see new bookings of my products and services, especially for my social enterprise.