You did everything right. Built a profitable studio. Great clients. Talented team. From the outside, you’ve made it.

But something’s wrong. The business that was supposed to give you creative freedom has become a prison. You’re working harder than ever but enjoying it less. Your team seems stressed. Clients are demanding. The work that once energized you now drains you.

You’ve tried productivity tools. Wellness initiatives. Time management systems. Nothing fixes the fundamental problem: you’ve built a successful business that’s slowly killing your love for what you do.

This isn’t about working smarter or harder. It’s about rebuilding your business from the ground up to serve both people and profits.

Most business consultants tell you to choose: maximize profits OR prioritize people. Optimize for efficiency OR creativity. Focus on growth OR sustainability.

We believe that’s a false choice.

After 30 years of running design studios and mentoring creative leaders, we’ve developed something different. A framework that doesn’t force you to sacrifice what matters to hit your numbers.

Together with Andy Wright (CEO of Streamtime and founder of Never Not Creative), we’ve created the Creative Business Canvas – a holistic approach that addresses the whole system, not just symptoms

What you’ll walk away with

✅  a roadmap to rebuild your business around what matters to you
✅  a practical framework for every business decision
✅  industry benchmarks you can use to proof-check your business
✅  tools to evaluate hiring, firing and growth decisions
✅  profit analysis that includes the human costs
✅  productivity guidelines for people not machines
✅  evidence-based research on the Australian design industry.

Book a call … this is a workshop tailored to your business and your needs

What this workshop can bring to your business …

The canvas was developed by three experienced design practioners with a vast range of skills: Greg Branson, Carol Mackay and Andy Wright. Together they have an unmatched breadth of skills and knowledge.

This workshop comes from a unique collaboration between the Design Business Council’s 30+ years of industry experience, Streamtime’s data-driven insights and Never Not Creative’s research into creative’s mental wellbeing.

You will learn a framework designed specifically for creative businesses – it’s a combination of academic research and practical industry knowledge.

Want more detail on the canvas? Watch a video explanation. Email Greg to arrange a demo.

Not quite ready?
We get that, but this might be of interest.

We write a weekly article about managing a design agency

Each week we share research and thoughts about the business of design. We discuss the topics we’ve covered in mentoring, just in a less specific, more generic way. It’s free, all you have to do is subscribe. The archive of articles is here.