Author: Carolyn Dailey
Publication Date: 2025
Creativity and commercial success are often treated as separate pursuits, yet The Creative Entrepreneur: A Guide to Building a Successful Creative Business from Industry Titans explores how the two can work together. Written by Carolyn Dailey, the book brings together conversations with ten influential figures from the worlds of fashion, design, music, film, hospitality, publishing, and gaming, offering readers a look at creative careers and the businesses behind them.
Rather than presenting a single formula for success, Dailey allows each contributor to share their own experiences and perspectives. The result is a collection of stories and lessons from leaders working across different creative sectors. From Grammy-winning musician Nile Rodgers and architect Thomas Heatherwick to Soho House founder Nick Jones and The Crown producer Andy Harries, each interview offers a different perspective on creativity and business.
The book balances inspiration with practical guidance. Alongside the interviews, readers will find discussions on branding, marketing, networking, intellectual property, investment, and business development. These topics are reinforced by key takeaways and lessons learned from the journeys of the featured creative leaders, making the content accessible to aspiring entrepreneurs as well as professionals looking to expand their knowledge.
One of the book’s strengths is its breadth. Fashion designers Roksanda Ilincic and Priya Ahluwalia are featured alongside Frieze co-founder Matthew Slotover, The River Cafe founder Ruthie Rogers, Yinka Ilori Studio founder Yinka Ilori, and Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick. The range of contributors reflects the diversity of today’s creative industries and introduces readers to experiences from multiple disciplines.
Dailey’s background in both the creative industries and global media provides context for the project. She is the founder of Creative Entrepreneurs, an online community that supports creatives in building successful businesses, and has lectured at institutions including Central Saint Martins, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Design Museum, London College of Fashion, and the University of Cambridge. Before founding Creative Entrepreneurs, she spent two decades at Time Warner, whose portfolio included HBO, CNN, Turner, Warner Bros., Time Inc. magazines, and Warner Music. She has also collaborated with creatives including Zaha Hadid, Charlotte Tilbury, and Jamal Edwards, and has been recognised by Creative Review and BIMA for her contribution to the creative industries.
The Creative Entrepreneur will appeal to entrepreneurs, creatives, founders, freelancers, and professionals interested in building creative businesses or developing their careers. Bringing together interviews, business topics, and key lessons from established industry figures, the book offers an introduction to the experiences and perspectives of leaders working across some of the world’s best-known creative sectors.
Get your copy of the book here.
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