Creativity in Entreprenership
by Alexa Le
Most people undervalue the importance of creativity in their everyday lives. In fact, some even discount the intrinsic creativity within themselves, either suppressing the inner desire to express their creativity for fear of being thought of as unprofessional or simply believing that they have no capacity for imagination. We feel a great disconnect between our fervent desire to express our creativity as children, and focusing on the more practical, logical side of life as an adult. However, that inner creativity we are so afraid to express might be the thing that makes us stand out, both in our daily lives and in entrepreneurship.
Although this may not be the first trait that pops into our minds, creativity actually plays quite a significant role in entrepreneurship, as it can open doors to new opportunities and create competitive advantages. By harnessing your ability to think outside of the box, you can expand on the more traditional aspects of business, forming innovative new ways to make both yourself and your business memorable. A study by the World Economic Forum in 2015 ranked creativity as the tenth most important skill in the workplace. However, they predicted that by 2020, creativity would become the third most necessary skill to thrive in business. If this trend continues, creativity will steadily rise to become a more and more prominent trait, helping an entrepreneur to move into uncharted territories that set apart the innovative from the ordinary.
While technology is playing a role in increasing the need for creativity because it replaces the need for certain skills, it is also helpful in serving as a tool to harness creativity in your entrepreneurial journey. For example, Melanie Perkins, an Australian technology entrepreneur who is one of the youngest female CEOs of our time, innovatively used her creativity to found Canva, changing how we think of technological design as we know it. She says that her “best piece of advice for any entrepreneur is to solve a real problem. If you find a problem that people care about, then it will make every other aspect of running a business much easier. You want to make sure that the solution you create, solves a problem that people care about.”
When you foster your ability to push the envelope and go beyond your supposed limitations, you open yourself up to a myriad of new opportunities that can change how you look at the world. In turn, you have the chance to change lives, including your own. Creativity and entrepreneurship go hand in hand for that exact reason.
In a time where technological innovations have replaced many skills once deemed necessary, creativity is one of the single most critical factors that stand out. By honing your creative skills, you might just be able to gain an advantage in a changing economy.
On May 21 and 22, be sure to attend 50/50 Leadership’s workshop for female entrepreneurs to learn more about how to thrive and grow your business!
1 https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-10-skills-you-need-to-thrive-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/
2 https://generationt.asia/leaders/find-out-how-melanie-perkins-disrupted-the-design-world