Through Entrepreneurship
Through Entrepreneurship is a podcast exploring how entrepreneurship – when supported by the right ecosystems – can drive economic growth, solve complex societal challenges, and foster a more equitable future.
Each episode goes beyond the myth of the lone entrepreneur to uncover the real systems that make innovation possible. From student debt and healthcare barriers to the transformative power of local businesses and public-private partnerships, the show examines the forces that shape who gets to succeed and who gets left behind.
Grounded in research and stories from entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and community leaders, Through Entrepreneurship highlights the power of new and growing businesses as engines of job creation and community resilience.
Every conversation ends with actionable insights for all stakeholders: entrepreneurs, educators, policymakers, investors, and citizens alike – because building a more supportive entrepreneurial environment is a collective endeavor.
Through Entrepreneurship
014: The Artist-Entrepreneur and the Death of the Starving Stereotype
This episode cuts through the noise to reveal that the intersection of arts and entrepreneurship—the creative economy—is a powerful and resilient economic engine, not just a cultural bonus. By treating creative individuals as strategic assets and modernizing financial and policy support structures, we can unlock massive economic growth and build more resilient communities.
Key Concepts & Discussion Points
- A Massive, Underestimated Economic Engine: Globally, creative industries account for about 6.1% of worldwide GDP , translating to roughly $2 trillion in revenues. In the US, the arts and cultural production accounted for 4.3% of the entire US GDP in 2022 ($1.1 trillion).
- The Portfolio Career and the Hustle: The modern artist is an "artist entrepreneur," embracing a dual identity where the passion must also be a professional venture. This requires a portfolio career but forces independent creators to spend nearly as much time on admin, self-marketing, and promotion as they do on the actual act of making their art.
- The "Aha!" Moment: The Local Multiplier Effect: The economic contribution goes far beyond direct ticket sales. On average, arts attendees spend about $38.50 per person, per event beyond the cost of admission on things like meals, parking, and local retail. Non-local cultural tourists spend even more, over $60 per person, per event.
- The Platform Paradox and Precarity: Digital platforms offer global reach , but the income distribution is severely skewed. Only about 2% of creators on Patreon, for instance, actually earn above the US federal minimum wage just from that platform. Creators feel like "tenant farmers" on digital land, highly dependent on algorithms and platform policies.
Actionable Recommendations
For Policymakers & Government Leaders:
- Integrate the Creative Economy into all economic development planning.
- Tackle the Affordable Space Crisis by actively supporting and capitalizing Creative Land Trusts to secure permanent affordability.
- Push for Regulatory Changes (like revisiting Basel III) so that intellectual property (IP) can be recognized as legitimate collateral for loans.
For Entrepreneurs & Innovators:
- Embrace the Dual Identity: Successfully blend artistic vision with business acumen, mastering skills like contract negotiation, digital marketing, and financial planning.
- Cultivate Direct Relationships: Build a superfan model to provide substantial, direct financial backing.
- Explore New Models: Investigate the potential for retail royalties built into smart contracts (blockchain/NFTs) as a residual income stream.
For the Ecosystem (Investors, Educators, Community Leaders):
- Increase and Tailor Financing: Develop specialized loan funds and business training (like that provided by New INC) to help artists turn ideas into viable businesses.
- Embed Entrepreneurship: Integrate business skills into arts education (e.g., MFAMBA programs).
- Shift the Cultural Mindset: Recognize and advocate for creative work as skilled professional labor deserving of fair compensation, countering the pressure to work for "exposure".
The Big Takeaway
In a future increasingly shaped by AI and automation, creative entrepreneurs—those unique individuals who manage to successfully blend imagination with initiative—are not a luxury, but the essential foundation of the future workforce and the most crucial engine for our collective economic dynamism and prosperity.