There’s a unique energy that comes from building something from nothing. From a blank page. A napkin sketch. A late-night idea that won’t let you sleep.
That energy? That’s creative entrepreneurialism.
It’s not just about starting businesses. It’s about following a vision before you even know what it is. It’s chasing momentum before the path is clear. It’s riding the wave.
And for me, it’s the foundation of everything I’ve built.
The Vision Starts With a Bolt or Spark
I’ve launched over ten ventures. Some made money, some didn’t. I’ve written exactly one business plan—and we only used it to raise capital. We never actually followed it.
Why?
Because in the early stages, planning can kill momentum. You can’t map out the wave while you’re still paddling into it.
That’s what I call the vision state—where ideas are raw and unformed, but charged with energy. You’re not sure what it is yet, but you know there’s something there. That’s the essence of creative entrepreneurialism.
Not the spreadsheets. Not the pitch decks. Just you, the idea, and the current.
Creativity ➝ Entrepreneurialism ➝ Creative Process ➝ Entrepreneurship
Here’s the bridge that ties everything together—and the core of this blog:
| Left Brain | Right Brain |
|---|---|
| Creative Process – the shaping | Creativity – the spark |
| Entrepreneurship – the execution | Entrepreneurialism – the vision |
Think of them like phases of the same wave.
- ⚡️ Creativity is where the spark comes from, the ideas, the inspiration. It’s intuitive. Messy. Idea-driven. Downloads.
🔥 Entrepreneurialism is the spark catching fire. Visionary. Risky. Emotional.
- 📓 Creative Process brings rhythm and form. It’s how that energy takes shape.
- 🚀 Entrepreneurship is where that dream becomes a business—via systems, teams, structure, finance.
🌊 Learning to Ride the Waves
Entrepreneurship is like riding waves. You can sequence them. Learn their rhythm. The wave length ➝ “the flow”.
The Maine Montana Metaphor
You may have noticed that I often sign off with “Easy does it”. “Ride or die”.
Those saying represent the ethos of the two states I live in.
Although they are both northern states, Montana stretches the furthest north and Maine stretches the second furthest north, they have very different cultures.
- Maine is risk “off” ➝ Easy does it.
- Montana is “risk on” ➝ Ride or die.
To creatively thrive in business, you have to flow between these two states.
Risk off. Risk on ➝ All the while trying to move with speed and control – “rails on edge“.
This is what creative entrepreneurialism is all about:
A framework for swinging big, riding waves, taking risk while not going bust.
The Roadmap ➝ The Structure
⚡️Creativity = “risk off” ➝ “easy does it”.
🔥Entrepreneurialism = “risk on” ➝ “ride or die”.
📓Creative Process = “risk off” ➝ “easy does it”.
🚀 Entrepreneurship = “risk on”” ➝ “ride or die”.
“Easy does it” is slow down ➝ “risk off”
“Ride or die” is speed up ➝ “risk on”.
The Creative Entrepreneurial Funnel = Controlled Risk
We have to take risk in business. It’s unavoidable but we don’t want to financially die.
A lot of creatives struggle to bring their ideas to life because they never learn structure. And many entrepreneurs lose the spark because they forget how to play, explore, and create.
This Creative Funnel is about bringing those worlds together, swinging big and controlling the risk.
It’s about not losing the farm.
Helping creatives become better entrepreneurs. Helping entrepreneurs reconnect with their creative flow.
All the while teach process structure and financial discipline so that you can learm to thrive.
My Latest Wave: This Blog
You’re reading my latest creative venture—Mainer Montanan. It’s not a business (yet). It’s in the embryonic stage, fueled by energy, curiosity, and a desire to teach.
Legally, sure—I filed the paperwork (single-member LLC via LegalZoom). Cost me a couple hundred bucks. But right now? It’s just a platform to explore and share ideas around:
- Creativity and creative process
- Entrepreneurialism and entrepreneurship
- Personal finance and investing
- Lifestyle design and adventure
If it becomes something bigger, great. If not, I’m out a few grand—less than what people spend maintaining a boat in Maine. For now, it’s about riding the wave and following the energy.
Follow the Energy Trail
That’s how every good venture starts—not with a business model, but with a spark. A why.
When I met an MSU student recently, I was again reminded how important it is to stay in the energy. The vision state. That raw creative flow. If you try to lock it down too early, you risk choking it off.
In my experience, it’s better to build momentum first. Then create systems to sustain it.
Final Thought: The Ride is the Reward
If you’re early in your journey—whether you’re a creative trying to build something, or a business-minded thinker looking for more meaning—this blog is for you.
You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to catch the next wave.
Creativity and entrepreneurship aren’t separate skills—they’re phases in the same cycle. If you can learn to flow between them, you’re unstoppable.
I’ve built a life that lets me work remotely, live in two beautiful places (Maine and Montana), and chase daily adventure—even if it’s just hiking the “M,” Drinking Horse, or Hyalite Canyon.
That life started with creative entrepreneurialism. This blog is a continuation of that ride.
Let’s see where it goes.
Have questions? I created an FAQ about here 👉 creative entrepreneurialism
