My Favorite Business Books For Artists

Hello art friends,

If you’ve been here for a while you probably know that I’m constantly investing in education whether that's for business, art making, or personal development. Education and learning are a constant in my life. So it goes without saying that I’m almost always reading a book or two on business, and today I want to share with you two of my favorites from this past year.

The thing about most business books is that they don’t necessarily apply to being a fine artist. You’ve usually got to work a little to translate the text meant for someone trying to build a huge corporation into something that makes sense for a solo artist entrepreneur. A lot of times the recommendations feel too aggressive for me, or require an energy that I just don’t have.

But this first book is the exact opposite of that. 

1) The Soul Sourced Entreprenuer by Christine Kane

Christine started her own business journey as a musician and ended up a business coach so her advice feels very applicable and gentle. In the book you learn to check in with your own intuition to help you set goals and learn to trust yourself. There’s a very helpful decision filter to apply any time you’re having a hard time making a decision. And after reading the book I adjusted the way I plan my weeks to make sure I’m reviewing my previous week and learning from how things went so that every week I get more and more aligned with how I want to realistically spend my time.

I highly recommend The Soul Sourced Entrepreneur if you’re already running a business and need some guidance on how to run a business that honors your creative spirit.

2) 10x is Easier than 2x by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy

This one isn’t specifically written for creatives, but I had no trouble applying the concepts to myself and my own business. I think this book is great no matter what stage your business is in. There are so many new and refreshing concepts in this book, I highly recommend you read it.

The main concept of 10x being easier than 2x is that often increasing your growth by two times means you’re working twice as hard. But if you set your growth goal to be ten times your current state, you can’t possibly work ten times as hard. You’re going to have to develop new strategies, hone your focus, engage others to help, and basically become a new you in order to make it happen.

This is a great book for anyone who is feeling stuck or like they’ve plateaued in their business. There is so much more to it than that, but you’ll have to read it for yourself.

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I wanted to share this bonus book, which is not technically a business book, but I think any artist would find it incredibly inspiring. The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin (who mainly works with recording artists) feels like it's written for visual artists and is such an inspiring and encouraging look at the creative process. One thing I love about it is that the chapters are quite short so you can just pick it up for a page or two of inspiration when you’re in the studio. It’s lovely to read it and feel so understood.

OK. That’s truly it. Thanks for reading!

All my best,

Jennifer