I was thinking about how running a creative small business can be kind of like riding a bike.

Now, stay with me here ….

Remember the very first bike you had? How excited you were to ride it all day every day? First within your own neighborhood and then farther and farther away as you got more comfortable?

I think we all have that same level of excitement when starting our own little creative business. We’ve found a craft or project that we just love to make and are delighted when people want to buy it from us.

We start with customers closest to us (friends, neighbors, family) and then move farther and farther out (acquaintances, strangers).

That’s kind of a fun little metaphor to consider when you are starting your creative small business…..

But I think the aspect of riding a bike that is even more applicable is BALANCE.

When riding a bike, you must balance on both wheels and not go too far to the left or right (or too far to the business side versus too far to the creative side).

When riding a bike, you must balance your energy and be both the power (pedaling) and the navigator (handlebars).

When riding a bike, you must focus on all these things at once in order to go forward, maybe slowly at first before picking up momentum.

I guess what I’m trying to say is …. Stay balanced.

Don’t neglect your art while you are blogging …

Don’t neglect your marketing while you are caught up in your brainstorming…

Your art and your business can’t be separate; they need to balance to move forward….

Just like on your bike.