Book Review
If you are one of those talented women creatives who have a passion for what they make but want to take more control over their work and getting it to market, then embarking on an entrepreneurial journey is the way to go. Harriet Kelsall’s book, The Creative’s Guide to Starting a Business, is a must read if you are one such creative. Winner of the best startup inspiration book award at the 2019 Business Book Awards, author Harriet Kelsall shares her practical insights and knowledge to help guide other creatives to starting successful and sustainable businesses.
For all those creatives who have a passion for making beautiful objects, but are wondering whether they can take the next step and turn their creativity into a career - The Creative’s Guide to Starting a Business is the book for you! This inspirational guide offers easy-to-follow advice from talented and creative industry experts. There are practical exercises that will help you sell your creations, choose the right time to start your business, and guide you through as you do so.
With The Creative's Guide to Starting a Business, you will discover the best way to: Create pieces that sell; write a business plan; identify and reach customers; research the competition; price products and test the market; and promote the business successfully. Packed with interviews, encouraging real life stories, and tips from successful entrepreneurs who started with a passion and turned it into their own successful, creative business, this practical guide will take you through the very first steps of defining creative and financial success to ultimately establishing a rewarding start-up.
Author quotes
If you are wondering what it would take to move your creative products to a different level and start a business, this book will tell you how to make that step and help you to decide whether this move is something you may want to work towards.
You don’t have to have a business qualification, be good at maths or a computer whizz to start a business.
I started a successful and innovative creative business, and so can you. You do have to be prepared to work hard and work to your market, but creating a successful startup really is within your reach.
Your potential as a creative entrepreneur is not only about your talent as an artist, but also about your drive and determination to succeed.
About the author
Harriet Kelsall is one of the most respected bespoke designers and business trailblazers working in the UK jewellery industry. She is the 2016 HSBC Forward Ladies “Retail Business Woman of the Year”, Everywoman’s “Retail Woman of the Year” in 2011, one of the IoD Director Magazine’s six “Women who have most changed the business world” in 2014, and is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and of the City of London. She is the chair of the National Association of Jewellers and a non executive director for the Responsible Jewellery Council and the British Hallmarking Council. She founded her business, Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery, in 1998 from her kitchen table, and it has 3 branch studios, a team of 40 and over 30 awards. Harriet has revolutionised design within the industry, and triggered an explosion in bespoke jewellery with her “Real design for the High Street” concept stores in central Cambridge and Primrose Hill in London. As a champion for ethics, she helped launch Fairtrade Gold worldwide and her business was the first in the world to be both Fairtrade licensed and certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council. She is a regular keynote speaker on small business responsibility and ethics nationally and internationally at events including the BITC leadership summit and the Fair Luxury Conference, and judges the national CSR Awards (now known as the Global Good Awards). Harriet speaks up about equality for women within the workplace, on boards and also about maternity issues for entrepreneurs. Harriet is passionate about helping creative business flourish and mentors other start-ups. Her book, The Creative’s Guide to Starting a Business, has just won at the 2019 Business Book Awards. As a successful dyslexic, she is an inspiration to others whose talents lie in creativity and business innovation.
Why LoA loves it….
In our Lionesses of Africa community, we have some of the most talented women creative entrepreneurs to be found on the African continent, and indeed around the world. Yet speak to many of them about how they started out on their business building journeys and they will share how difficult it has been to find a balance between the creative and commercial. In her fabulous book, Harriet Kelsall shares her own experiences building an uber successful bespoke jewellery business whilst at the same time winning industry accolades for her innovative creative direction for her brand and her workforce. She has so much to share, and her book will provide both inspiration and motivation for other talented, creative women to follow in her entrepreneurial footsteps. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa