Are you someone with lots of different talents? Do people constantly compliment you on how creative you are? Perhaps, you have considered starting a business? However, you have no idea where to start. If that is your case, don’t worry, you are not alone. Photographer, sewer, and multi-slash professional, Blanca Madrigal, shares some no-nonsense tips for creatives.

Blanca, why did you decide to get a job as a creative?

Blanca Madrigal: My story as a creative freelancer started a long time ago. In photography, specifically, I started over 15 years ago. First I started casually taking pictures of the family; while traveling I would photograph architecture and also the people I would encounter, I quite enjoyed capturing images of local people, documenting lives and cultures. When my little brother was getting married, I offered to photograph the event; this was my first try at a formal photography situation [having to consider an agenda, objectives, setups] and I started thinking that I could take my hobby further, to develop it into a freelance activity. Then, I started taking pictures of weddings and other events. So I went on growing my freelance photography business, but always as a ‘side gig’ because in my mind a “job” was a traditional 9 to 5 job...where you know you’re going to get a paycheck at the end of the month...a sure thing.

Afterward, I moved across the world [to Paris] and I started to think about what I wanted to do with my life. I moved once more across the world [to Korea] where working a traditional job was not going to happen, plus I had a little one to take care of, so I needed a more flexible option. I started focusing on photography and I started thinking “I need to give this a chance, to do everything to give my creative photography a chance”. While I continued to photograph events, I also started focusing on portraits. On my last move, I did the background work and I registered as a business. I developed a business plan, financial plan...everything to prepare myself as a ‘BUSINESS’, and I told myself: “For this to work, I need to invest in it more than just as a freelancer. I want to make it work”. 

I think that there are a lot of talented people that see what they do as a hobby, and they have a hard time transitioning from “something they do really well” to a business. What was the process like for you? Do you have any tips for them?

Blanca Madrigal: Right. We get this idea that our activity is a hobby-not only from us, but from the people around us-my husband, for example. To him, being a photographer is not a job. So for me, it was extra hard to make this decision because I had to do all the encouragement on my own. You have to convince yourself that this is something that you want to do. And it won’t be easy because there is a lot of work that goes into it...many times more than the 9 to 5 jobs, especially at the beginning. In my opinion, the reason why creatives might not succeed is that there is also a lot of “non-creative”, administrative work you’ve got to do to set up and throughout the process. So, creatives have to realize that for them to be a business, they have to do the work that goes along with it. And yes, one can always outsource the areas that are the least interesting to them, such as accounting for those that do not like numbers. However, I believe it is best if one makes the effort to learn at least the basics of all the business processes, this way we can understand how everything works together...every piece of the puzzle matters.

What about resources for business? Did you use any?

Blanca Madrigal: It depends on the country you’re in, but there is a lot of support out there. I’m pretty sure that whatever “hobby” you have, there is a group of entrepreneurs or freelancers out there that can provide you with resources. When I came to Belgium, I found a group through the unemployment office. I partnered with them to learn how to start my own business. From there, you learn what it takes for you to run your business -that’s the administrative part. On the creative side, I partnered with several photography groups and I followed a few “masters” for inspiration and motivation and communities where you can reach out and pose a question that you might have, and the community is more than welcome to provide feedback.

As creative, how do you deal with the emotional ups and downs? Sometimes you get a big project, and then you go through a period where you don’t have anything lined up.

Blanca Madrigal: I’m still dealing with it. I officially started my business during the pandemic, it’s hard not to mention this, right? So, it was very slow at the beginning. I attended a few conferences and I was motivated. I had a few photo sessions, I was networking online, I had submitted a few quotes to potential clients and then another confinement happened followed by another one. Things kept on getting postponed and postponed. Needless to say, there were a few months when I thought “well, it’s over. This is not going to work”.  To put it simply, motivation has to come from inside you. For me, I had already put a lot of time into it, and I was not willing to just let it go. It is something you’ve got to do--find the drive to keep going. I had to keep on trying.  

What are your tips for creatives to build credibility?

Blanca Madrigal:

1- Have a clear offer—You might try out different genres within your art, but you should try to specialize so that people understand what you do.

2-Network and follow-up-  because you have to be the person that they think about hiring the next time they need a photographer, or a graphic designer, or whatever it is that you offer. You have to be a top-of-mind choice for them. But don’t always just expect for this to work, remember that one must give to receive... approach your network with this in mind.

3- Have a portfolio - have samples of your work available for clients.

Finally, what is your definition of bliss, and when do you feel the most blissful?

Blanca Madrigal: Bliss to me is being able to spend focused time with my family. That’s bliss. And that when I’m focusing on photography, or my other creative outlets, I’m also truly focused on it. So, I guess bliss for me is threefold: creating, spending time with my family, and helping people express themselves, capturing the personality they would like to show to the world.

To find out more out Blanca´s work, check out her Instagram account: Blanca_Madrigal