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Managing Your Creative Business’s Finances

As part of our finance resources, we thought we would put together some techniques we have used to manage our costs at Blick over the years

  1. Analyse all of your expenditure and think about what value it adds to your business e.g. look at your marketing expenditure to see if you are actually getting results from your adverts and promotions, are any consultants you are paying bringing added value to your business, do you need all of the subscriptions you are currently paying for?
  2. Be strict with yourself about business purchases. Ask yourself honestly if the purchase you are planning to buy will add value to your business or are you buying it to distract yourself or make yourself feel better or like you are doing something useful?
  3. Streamline your processes and systems to keep your costs low/ to increase your profitability, do you actually need to do everything you are currently doing or can you cut some of it out? Can you automate some of your processes? What can you do yourself to save costs on outsourcing.
  4. Make sure your bank account is the best value and shop around to see which accounts offer the lowest bank charges
  5. Monitor your costs as you go along rather than just at the year end. Sometimes you will find you have been paying for a subscription for something which you haven’t used all year!
  6. Check any supplier invoices carefully to make sure you have only been charged what you were quoted and there isn’t any added costs which you didn’t agree to.
  7. Check with utility suppliers e.g. broadband, electricity, mobile etc that you are on the best tariff and haven’t been pushed into expensive out of contract tariffs.
  8. Make sure people actually pay you! Don’t feel bad to ask for what you are owed. Follow up on any overdue invoices by sending reminders and following up with personal emails and phone calls! If you find this too difficult ask a friend or family member to help you with this or just give you moral support!

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We are delighted to have a mini exhibition space, including great street windows in our new Great Northern Street Studios! Which will give us space to showcase some of our projects, allowing passing members of the public and visitors to our studio to find out a bit more about the creative industry in Belfast.
The first work we are showcasing is the work from the Sustainable Pop Up Design Museum we helped organise in collaboration with @belfastdesignwk for the REact Festival in November.

Feb 20

Open
We are delighted to have a mini exhibition space, including great street windows in our new Great Northern Street Studios! Which will give us space to showcase some of our projects, allowing passing members of the public and visitors to our studio to find out a bit more about the creative industry in Belfast. The first work we are showcasing is the work from the Sustainable Pop Up Design Museum we helped organise in collaboration with @belfastdesignwk for the REact Festival in November.

Creative Skills Workshop – How to DIY your brand (and the common mistakes to avoid)

Join us on Wednesday, 12th March, for this free creative skills workshop all about branding your creative business. This workshop will be hosted by Laura Whitehouse founder of @mightyfinedesign

ABOUT LAURA:
Hello! I run a small graphic design agency (read: one person, a dog, and lots of lovely contractors) based in Bangor. I specialise in work for arts organisations, small businesses looking to grow, and a smattering of TV and Film projects, with clients across the UK ranging from garden designers, marketers, and voiceover artists through to behemoths such as Sky, Netflix, the BBC, and Marvel.

I graduated in 2012 with a BA in Archaeology and Anthropology, not exactly, a natural path to becoming a designer, and so my relationship with design began as illicit rendezvous with internships and local theatre productions, tinkering with posters and bothering people for work. I snuck my way into a Proper Grown-Up Agency after university in 2015, and another a few years later, working with bigger fish, bigger briefs, and balancing freelance work on the side until going fully self-employed in the glorious year that was 2020.

I’m now known as Mighty Fine Design, and alongside my own skills I’ve got a little black book of talented Junior Designers, Copywriters, Marketers, Social Media Whizzes, Photographers, and Set Designers to bring jobs to life: no matter what the size.

You can find out more about Laura on her website: https://www.laurawhitehouse.com/ or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mightyfinedesign/

EVENT DETAILS
Event Date(s): March 12, 2025
Event Time: 7pm - 9pm
Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, Belfast, BT1 2LB
Cost: Free

Sign up now for your free ticket! Link below and in our profile ✨️

https://blickstudios.org/events/nurture-creative-workshop/

Feb 10

Open
Creative Skills Workshop – How to DIY your brand (and the common mistakes to avoid) Join us on Wednesday, 12th March, for this free creative skills workshop all about branding your creative business. This workshop will be hosted by Laura Whitehouse founder of @mightyfinedesign ABOUT LAURA: Hello! I run a small graphic design agency (read: one person, a dog, and lots of lovely contractors) based in Bangor. I specialise in work for arts organisations, small businesses looking to grow, and a smattering of TV and Film projects, with clients across the UK ranging from garden designers, marketers, and voiceover artists through to behemoths such as Sky, Netflix, the BBC, and Marvel. I graduated in 2012 with a BA in Archaeology and Anthropology, not exactly, a natural path to becoming a designer, and so my relationship with design began as illicit rendezvous with internships and local theatre productions, tinkering with posters and bothering people for work. I snuck my way into a Proper Grown-Up Agency after university in 2015, and another a few years later, working with bigger fish, bigger briefs, and balancing freelance work on the side until going fully self-employed in the glorious year that was 2020. I’m now known as Mighty Fine Design, and alongside my own skills I’ve got a little black book of talented Junior Designers, Copywriters, Marketers, Social Media Whizzes, Photographers, and Set Designers to bring jobs to life: no matter what the size. You can find out more about Laura on her website: https://www.laurawhitehouse.com/ or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mightyfinedesign/ EVENT DETAILS Event Date(s): March 12, 2025 Event Time: 7pm - 9pm Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, Belfast, BT1 2LB Cost: Free Sign up now for your free ticket! Link below and in our profile ✨️ https://blickstudios.org/events/nurture-creative-workshop/

�Really looking forward to Ian Pitt �@mehimandherdesign�`s talk this Wednesday evening! Just 2 tickets left which you can book for free on our website!

Feb 4

Open
�Really looking forward to Ian Pitt �@mehimandherdesign�'s talk this Wednesday evening! Just 2 tickets left which you can book for free on our website!

We currently have 2 dedicated deskspaces available in our Cotton Court Studios £125 each per calendar month email christine@blickstudios.org for more info or to arrange a viewing or visit our website for more info!

Jan 29

Open
We currently have 2 dedicated deskspaces available in our Cotton Court Studios £125 each per calendar month email christine@blickstudios.org for more info or to arrange a viewing or visit our website for more info!

Looking forward to our first creative talk of 2025 on Wednesday, 5th February with Ian Pitt, founder and Creative Director of the London - and Belfast-based design studio Me,Him&Her. @mehimandherdesign

With nearly 30 years of experience in design, Ian’s career began in the retail sector before co-founding his own studio in 2007. Over the past 18 years, Me,Him&Her has developed a reputation for its multidisciplinary approach, crafting brand identities that come to life across digital, print, and physical spaces.

Their client base spans multinational corporations (ASOS, Virgin), SME’s and startups, all with a focus on creating meaningful, engaging brand experiences. Across branding, graphics, signage, interiors, or exhibitions, the studio balances creativity with commercial impact.

In this talk, Ian will share insights from his creative journey, exploring key projects, lessons learned, and the realities of running an independent design studio — from the highs of creative freedom to the challenges he’s found running his own business.

Discover more about Ian and his work at mehimandher.com and follow the studio on Instagram at @mehimandherdesign

Event details:
Event Date(s): February 5, 2025
Event Time: 7pm - 8pm
Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, BT1 2LB
Cost: Free

Book your free ticket on our website ✨️ (link in profile)

Jan 22

Open
Looking forward to our first creative talk of 2025 on Wednesday, 5th February with Ian Pitt, founder and Creative Director of the London - and Belfast-based design studio Me,Him&Her. @mehimandherdesign With nearly 30 years of experience in design, Ian’s career began in the retail sector before co-founding his own studio in 2007. Over the past 18 years, Me,Him&Her has developed a reputation for its multidisciplinary approach, crafting brand identities that come to life across digital, print, and physical spaces. Their client base spans multinational corporations (ASOS, Virgin), SME’s and startups, all with a focus on creating meaningful, engaging brand experiences. Across branding, graphics, signage, interiors, or exhibitions, the studio balances creativity with commercial impact. In this talk, Ian will share insights from his creative journey, exploring key projects, lessons learned, and the realities of running an independent design studio — from the highs of creative freedom to the challenges he’s found running his own business. Discover more about Ian and his work at mehimandher.com and follow the studio on Instagram at @mehimandherdesign Event details: Event Date(s): February 5, 2025 Event Time: 7pm - 8pm Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, BT1 2LB Cost: Free Book your free ticket on our website ✨️ (link in profile)

Creative Skills Workshop – Branding Your Creative Business

Join us on Wednesday, 12th March, for this free creative skills workshop all about branding your creative business!

Event Date(s): March 12, 2025
Event Time: 7pm - 9pm
Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, Belfast, BT1 2LB
Cost: Free

Full workshop details and facilitator info coming soon!

Sign up now for your free ticket! (Link in profile)

Event Date(s): March 12, 2025
Event Time: 7pm - 9pm
Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, Belfast, BT1 2LB
Cost: Free

Jan 21

Open
Creative Skills Workshop – Branding Your Creative Business Join us on Wednesday, 12th March, for this free creative skills workshop all about branding your creative business! Event Date(s): March 12, 2025 Event Time: 7pm - 9pm Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, Belfast, BT1 2LB Cost: Free Full workshop details and facilitator info coming soon! Sign up now for your free ticket! (Link in profile) Event Date(s): March 12, 2025 Event Time: 7pm - 9pm Location: Blick Shared Studios, 46 Hill St, Belfast, BT1 2LB Cost: Free

Gorgeous morning in the Cathedral Quarter 😍 😍 😍

Jan 21

Open
Gorgeous morning in the Cathedral Quarter 😍 😍 😍