The Creative Entrepreneur: A Guide to Building a Successful Creative Business from Industry Titans

by Carolyn Dailey

“This is a handbook of incalculable brilliance. You’ll instinctively know the lessons that resonate with you.”
Nile Rodgers

“I wish I had this book years ago when I started my business.”
Thomas Heatherwick

An essential guide on how to build and run a creative business from ten of the world's most inspiring entrepreneurs, including multi-Grammy winner Nile Rodgers, culinary legend Ruthie Rodgers, and Emmy-winning producer of The Crown, Andy Harries. Their stories, actionable advice, and recommendations will help your business thrive and fuel your life potential.

The Creative Entrepreneur is a call to adventure, inviting you to think from the perspective of a mission-driven creative professional. This thinking can help you form a new business, or transform an existing one, and provide a ready frame for life and your career helping you take your creativity to unprecedented heights. Featuring interviews with ten visionaries from across the fields of fashion, art, film, design, music, gaming, and more, all of whom wed business acumen to a way of seeing the world, and including recommendations to fuel your creativity, support your business vision, and liberate you from old-school thinking.

Genres: Fashion, Design, Business

224 pages, Hardcover

First published February 6, 2025

About the author

Carolyn Dailey is a creative industry visionary who founded Creative Entrepreneurs, an international community empowering creatives to succeed personally and professionally. Creative Entrepreneurs, offers curated resources and informative articles and regular, open to public, free-to-attend events featuring industry experts giving practical advice and answering questions on key topics every creative entrepreneur should know.

She has championed creative lives in the fields of design, music, architecture, film, fashion, publishing, and gaming—and in the heart of government at No. 10 Downing Street. Dailey has been named by Creative Review as one of the Top 50 Creative Leaders, by WIRED magazine as one of the Top 10 Women Digital Powerbrokers and by BIMA as one of the Top 10 Entrepreneurs progressing the creative industries. She spent over 20 years as Time Warner’s top executive in Europe, expanding the reach of HBO, CNN, Warner Bros. and Time Inc. She has given lectures at institutions including Cambridge University and Central St Martins, and regularly appears on Sky News. She is a lifetime member of BAFTA.

Her debut book "The Creative Entrepreneur", is an essential guide on how to build a creative business from ten of the world's most inspiring entrepreneurs, including culinary legend Ruthie Rodgers, Emmy-winning producer of The Crown, Andy Harries, and multi-awarded architect Thomas Heatherwick. Their stories, actionable advice, and recommendations will help your business thrive and fuel your life potential.



You can connect with Carolyn on social:
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Reviews

[Ely Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a Creative who has ever thought about turning your passion into something bigger—whether that’s a full-time business, a side hustle, or just a more intentional creative practice this book is a solid read. It’s packed with insights that make the whole idea of “entrepreneurship” feel a lot less intimidating and way more accessible, especially for those of us who don’t naturally think of ourselves as business-minded.

One of the things I appreciated most about this book is how it really gets the creative mindset. A lot of creatives—whether they’re designers, musicians, filmmakers, or writers—don’t always resonate with the traditional idea of an “entrepreneur.” And honestly, that word can sometimes carry baggage, making people think of high-pressure, hustle-culture vibes. But this book reframes the idea completely, showing that creative entrepreneurship is different. It’s about finding a way to make your art, your ideas, and your unique vision sustainable in a way that actually works for you.

I also loved that it doesn’t just speak to those who are ready to take the leap into running their own business. If you’re working a 9-to-5 and trying to figure out how to keep your creative spark alive while learning valuable skills, this book has great advice on how to use your job as a tool rather than a roadblock. It makes the whole concept of creative entrepreneurship feel way more flexible and personal—there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and that’s a refreshing perspective.

In a world that feels more uncertain than ever, one thing is clear: investing in your creativity is never the wrong move. Whether you’re just starting out, dreaming of making the jump, or already running your own creative business, this book is full of practical wisdom and inspiration to help you make it happen in a way that feels right for you. Highly recommend!

[Hash Sesay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid book that offers quick, digestible, though sometimes surface level, overviews of the careers of successful creatives across industries like design, fashion, film and television, gaming, hospitality, and food. It reads more like a business textbook than a traditional nonfiction narrative because of how broadly and generally it covers each individual.

I appreciated the interview sections, which attempted to dig a bit deeper into the artists themselves, but overall the experience felt closer to reading curated Wikipedia entries, with much of the information fading quickly after reading. That said, the sections that focused on the core business skills and recurring challenges that entrepreneurs inevitably face are genuinely useful, and those are parts I expect to revisit throughout my creative journey.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Creative Entrepreneur by Carolyn Dailey brings together powerful insights from iconic figures and at different points in their journey like Nile Rodgers and Yinka Ilori, offering an unfiltered look into the challenges and triumphs of creative entrepreneurship.

With its mix of personal stories and actionable advice, Dailey creates a comprehensive roadmap for navigating the business side of creativity. If you're a creative at a crossroads, whether you're launching a new venture or pivoting your career, this is the book to guide you toward your next big leap.

[emma ⁠☆｡⁠*⁠♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Finally, I wish you luck. Because, selfishly, I want to see the creativity that you put into the world."

this was nice!! as my first dip into anything remotely business, I found this very interesting and exciting. probably not as useful for someone with anything more than a beginner's understanding of business, but I still think the interviews in here could be worthwhile for anyone.

[Natasha M. Nurse, Esq. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the privilege to review this book and I was thrilled to do it. Not only is this book visibly captivating but it speaks to the journey of creative entrepreneurs in a meaningful and practical way. If you want to become a creative entrepreneur, you will thank yourself after you get this book!

[Anthony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very basic, a high-level skim lacking in substance.