In this article, I highlight the 6 types of full-time creators and what skills they possess to succeed in this competitive market.
There used to be a fine line drawn in the sand.
Either you’re a right-brain thinker. An artist. A creative. A woo-woo feelings person.
Or you’re a left-brain thinker. Logical. A tactical planner. Doing something with Excel sheets.
But as our culture has evolved, the line between left and right brain thinking has blurred, establishing a new archetype: the creative entrepreneur.
What is a creative entrepreneur?
The creative entrepreneur is a talented thinker that combines business acumen with their innate creativity to make ideas happen.
In this article, I will highlight 6 of the most common types of full-time creators and how they generate revenue, and what skills they possess to succeed in this increasingly competitive market.
1. The Educator (Also known as The Thought Leader) uses information to teach their followers something specific.
This can be a new skill like cooking a unique dish or a tutorial on how to grow an aspect of their business. They use the combination of blog posts, podcasts, and videos giving away free content to build interest, authority, and trust. After building a strong relationship with their audience they sell ebooks, courses, and workshops to generate revenue.
The key to their success is giving away great content to build a genuine relationship with a large group of followers.
2. The Freelancer trades their specific skills for an hourly rate or on a per-project basis.
They have become an expert in a creative field. This includes a variety of jobs like graphic design, web design, copywriting, photography, video production, social media management, public relations, and illustration. They find clients both online and in real life and offer solutions to help grow other people’s businesses and non-profits.
The key to their success is honing expertise and promoting their skillset to businesses that can afford their premium rates.
3. The Coach has a magnetic personality and finds and amplifies the potential of others.
They meet with clients via Zoom or in-person to give inspiration and motivation. They also serve as accountability partners for their clients, providing the necessary tools to break through plateaus in personal growth.
The key to their success is empowering their clients to build their businesses.
4. The Artist/Maker creates tangible goods that they sell to their audience.
These tangible goods can take many forms: housewares, clothing, jewelry, greeting cards, candles, paintings, or perfume. They make money by wholesaling their goods to retailers or selling directly to an audience of followers using e-commerce.
The key to their success is creating a product that appeals to a specific target market.
5. The Curator (also known as the Influencer) is known for their innate ability to find and sell merchandise that other companies make.
They make their money by finding the balance between selling their lifestyle and introducing their customers to new things that they should try.
This can take a variety of forms, from posting sponsored posts on Instagram to curating a newsletter that includes links to other people’s content. They collect and share products and ideas that are cohesive and consistent with their brand’s personality.
The key to their success is their keen business savvy and ability to define and promote to a target market.
6. The Entertainer may use a variety of media: podcasts, YouTube videos, web series, music, theater, or performance.
But the unifying factor is that they produce engaging content that captivates their audience.
They generate revenue from direct sales from tickets and live performances or some variation of advertising, promotional items, or memberships, like Patreon.
The key to their success is building a sustainable audience of raving fans that are willing to pay to sustain the content production.
