The Creative Entrepreneur's Secret to Staying Focused, Inspired, and Organized.
How My Monthly Planner Became My Creative Compass
As an artist and creative entrepreneur, finding balance between creativity, business, and daily life isn’t easy. Years ago, when I was a teacher, I carried my planner around like a little Bible. It told me where to be, when to be there, and what was coming next—a lifeline amid the chaos of lesson planning and classroom life. When I transitioned from teaching to running my own creative business, I discovered I needed a new kind of structure, one that went beyond managing appointments. I needed something to help me grow as an artist and a business owner.
Over time, I built my own business planner, a resource that I now use monthly to stay grounded, focused, and inspired. I created this planner not just to organize my time, but to give myself the space to reflect, plan, and prioritize what truly matters to me. Unlike a typical daily planner, my monthly planner has become a ritual—a time each month where I sit down, unplug, and dive deep into both my past progress and my future plans.
Why a Monthly Planning Session Is My Secret to Staying Inspired
At the end of every month, I take 45 minutes to an hour, switch my phone to “Do Not Disturb,” and fully immerse myself in reflection and planning. Sometimes I’m working toward specific goals—like prepping for an upcoming show, focusing on commissions, or building a new collection. Other months, my calendar is more open, allowing me to set creative goals that might not have an immediate payoff but are crucial for my artistic growth. During these quieter months, I’ll often use my planner to outline personal projects, take an online course to refine my business skills, or simply spend time experimenting with my art to keep things fresh.
This monthly ritual doesn’t replace my day-to-day diary. I still keep a physical diary for appointments and use Notion for task lists and projects to stay organized. But my monthly planner is different; it’s a tool I use to zoom out and look at the big picture. It’s here where I get to think strategically about my next steps while making sure I’m investing my time in a way that feels purposeful and balanced.
How My Planner Supports Creative Growth and Learning from Failure
Running a creative business can be overwhelming, especially when you’re wearing all the hats. My planner helps me break down big ideas into monthly focus areas, allowing me to tackle my goals without losing sight of my artistic side. Whether it’s organizing a marketing push, preparing a new collection, or giving myself the freedom to play and fail, my planner reminds me that I’m allowed to explore. Failure, after all, is part of the creative process. Some of my biggest breakthroughs have come from failed experiments that taught me more than any “success” ever could. Learning to navigate these ups and downs keeps me engaged and reminds me that growth often comes from taking creative risks.
Why This Planner Works for Creative Entrepreneurs
If you’re an artist, solopreneur, or anyone balancing creativity with business, this monthly planner can be your guide. It encourages you to pause, reflect, and make intentional choices about how you spend your time. Planning each month isn’t just about ticking boxes; it’s about giving yourself the space to dream, reflect, and grow.
This planner allows me—and can allow you—to approach each month with purpose, whether it’s a month full of deadlines or an open canvas for new ideas. Having this dedicated planning time keeps me moving forward, grounded, and focused on what matters most in my creative journey.
For those interested in using a planner like this, I’ve made it available as a digital download, along with two free bonus resources to help you stay visible and focused as you build and grow your creative business. If you’re ready to make space for your creative goals each month, take a look—I’d love for this planner to support your journey too
Getting the right mindset for a successful business.

I started my own art business in September 2014 after a 20 year career in teaching! I knew how to paint but I had no idea how I was going to be able to turn my passion into my full-time job and my full-time living. Now seven years on I’m happy to say I’m a successful artist and loving my life.
If you have doubts about your abilities in business or if you’re able to make your passion your business read on and get the mindset to realise your dreams!
Read on for more info or click the button to sign up. It’s free by the way!
I read Carrie Green’s book “She Means Business” in early 2017 and thought it was one the most useful business books I’d read.
I also realised how I was getting in my own way. My mindset needed some work to allow me to be successful.
I then joined her membership….that was four years ago and I’m still member. There’s so much great info there.
I’ll blog more about what her membership is about in a couple of weeks time. But in the meantime here’s a podcast I did with Carrie in 2020, talking about the ups and downs we have in our personal lives and how we can still make our business a success.
Some of the things we cover are…
- how I created multiple sources of revenue
- How being a successful artist means you also have to manage a business
- The crisis of confidence and the mindset struggles I faced when I first started.
- Three essential aspects of business.
- The struggle to continue working on my business after the loss of my lovely Dad and how the support of other members from inside the Members’ Club helped me.
- How I use the Members’ Club monthly Goal Setting and Planning workshops to review and plan ahead.
- How being in the Members club helped me win SWOBYA Entrepreneurial woman of the year in 2019.
Carrie’s launching a great new mindset challenge you can join in with this October.
Its free and its fun and you’ll learn a whole lot. If you’ve ever had that imposter syndrome feeling…or in my case I just get so overwhelmed with it all sometimes, then this challenge is going to help you so much.
It’s going to be 3 fun filled days of realigning with ourselves and our vision and reigniting our love for our businesses. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s going to be happening:
Day 1: 3 Ways To Get Out Of Your Own Way – No more feeling stuck not taking action.
Day 2: 5 Ways To Condition Yourself For Success – Once you overcome the things that were holding you back, it’s time to start setting yourself up for success.
Day 3: Creating Your Future History – Predicting your future is not as crazy as it sounds, in fact we can all do it!
It’s gonna be so awesome and I’d love for you to join me in the challenge, because the more the merrier, right?
If you want to join me you can sign up for free
I can’t wait to get started!
