Disclaimer: I am NOT a financial advisor. This blog provides business coaching insights, not financial advice. Please consult with a qualified financial professional for specific financial advice related to your situation.

As a business coach (not a financial advisor – an important distinction!), I’ve seen how creative entrepreneurs struggle with determining their income needs. They often find themselves stuck between two extremes:

1. The cliche “starving artist” myth (ugh), which implies you need to struggle to be a legit creative.
2. The endless “more, more, more” treadmill, where you’re constantly chasing bigger numbers without knowing why.

But the truth is – neither option works. Not for your business. Not for your sanity. And definitely not for your checking account.

So what’s a creative business owner to do?!

Creating a Sustainable Profit Model

What if I told you there’s ONE number that completely transforms your business finances?

It’s called your “Enough Point”.

Not some pie-in-the-sky revenue goal. Not what your business bestie is making. Not what you think sounds impressive at networking events.

Your ACTUAL “Enough Point.” The real number you need to take home every month to keep living your life.

So what exactly IS this magical number?

In plain English? 

It’s the actual cash YOU need to take home from your business each month after all your business expenses are handled.

It’s not some fancy financial concept cooked up by your accountant. It’s about getting brutally honest about what you NEED versus what you think you SHOULD be making.

Game-changer? You better believe it.

• You’ll build a business that won’t burn you out by year two
• You can finally set realistic prices (instead of guessing)
• You’ll sleep soundly instead of wondering if you can pay your water bill
• You’ll stop chasing phantom revenue goals and start celebrating REAL wins

Without knowing your “Enough Point”? You’re just playing business roulette. Always hustling for more because you’re never quite sure if what you’re making keeps the lights on.

But with this number locked down? You instantly gain the power to make decisions from a place of “I know exactly what I need” instead of “I’m freaking terrified of my finances.”

With your “Enough Point” crystal clear, you can:

• Say “hell no” to soul-crushing projects without panicking about paying rent
• Raise your prices with the confidence of someone who knows their value
• Plan your entire year knowing exactly how many clients you actually need
• Recognize when you’ve WON instead of constantly moving your own finish line
• Experience genuine peace of mind from the clarity and confidence of knowing exactly what financial success looks like for YOU

Look, your business exists to fund your life — not slowly drain your creative passion and your wallet. Let’s figure out what you ACTUALLY need to make, and build something that won’t leave you burned out, broke, or both.

Stop guessing. Start knowing.

After all, it’s not magic, it’s math.

Why Most of Us Get This Wrong 

I see it all the time. Creative business owners either:

1. Aim way too high (often because they’re stuck on matching their old corporate salary or some lofty number they see on social media)
2. Aim way too low (because they underestimate what running a life actually costs)

Either way? Recipe for disaster.

If you aim too high, you set targets you can’t hit and feel like a failure. Too low, and suddenly you’re eating ramen while wondering if you should just get a “real job.”

Neither is necessary. What you need is to determine the minimum profit needed for a sustainable creative business.

How to Set Realistic Income Goals for Your Creative Business

I go deep into determining your “Enough Point” in my course Business Building for Creatives with action-focused worksheets and guided exercises, but here’s how to start thinking about it (remember, this isn’t financial advice – just business coaching to help you think through your creative business needs):

Step 1: Get Real About Your Must-Have Expenses

Make a quick list of what you absolutely need money for each month:

• Roof over your head (rent/mortgage)
• Keeping the lights on (utilities)
• Food (because, you know, eating is good)
• Healthcare (because getting sick is expensive)
• Getting around (car payment, gas, transit)
• Staying connected (phone/internet)
• Insurance (the stuff you hope you never need)
• Debt payments (those art school student loans aren’t going away by themselves)

Be honest here. This isn’t about what some finance guru says you should spend. It’s about your actual life.

Step 2: Think About Basic Future-Focused Needs

Beyond just getting through the month, consider some future basics:

• Emergency cash
• A stash for retirement (even if it seems forever away)
• Paying down debt 

Step 3: Calculate Your Minimum Viable Income

Once you’ve outlined your expenses, determine the total amount your business needs to generate after expenses. This is your “Enough Point”—your baseline income goal.

Step 4: Align Your Pricing and Offers

Now that you know your income target, assess your pricing. Ask yourself:

• Are my rates aligned with my income needs?
• How many clients/projects do I need each month to meet my goal?
• Can I adjust my pricing or offer higher-value services to hit my target more sustainably?

These four simple steps will give you a much clearer picture of what your creative business needs to generate to support your life. And once you know that, you’ve got your “Enough Point”.

COO Tip: Pricing making you sweat? My pricing mini-course breaks it down into bite-sized pieces so you can stop guessing and start charging strategically. No more random pricing or copying competitors – just clarity in an afternoon.

Why Defining Your “Enough Point” Creates Long-Term Stability

Many creative entrepreneurs unknowingly build businesses that look successful on the outside but don’t actually pay their bills. 

When you define your “Enough Point,” you stop chasing vanity metrics and start making decisions that actually feed your bank account (and your peace of mind).

A clear “Enough Point” lets you: 

1. Stop throwing random numbers at clients, hoping they stick
2. Set sales targets based on reality, not wishful thinking
3. Escape the undercharging → resentment → burnout cycle
4. Pace yourself intentionally, knowing exactly when you’ve hit your necessary goals
5. Break out of the scarcity mindset that keeps you constantly hustling out of fear

The difference? You’ll stop apologizing for your rates and start hitting your income goals without working yourself into the ground. You’ll breathe easier knowing exactly what success looks like for YOUR business, allowing you to celebrate when you reach it instead of endlessly chasing “more” with no finish line in sight.

Here’s Your Next Move

Ready to determine the minimum profit needed for your sustainable creative business? You’ve got options:

1. Go it alone: Use what I’ve shared here to start thinking about your basic income requirements.
2. Get the roadmap: Join my Business Building for Creatives course where I’ll walk you through this process step-by-step so you can confidently establish your minimum viable income.

Either way, remember – knowing your “Enough Point” isn’t settling for the bare minimum. It’s getting crystal-clear on YOUR financial reality so you can make decisions that keep you in business.

Ready to Create a Sustainable Profit Model for Your Creative Business?

If you found this concept helpful, I’ve got something that might change everything for your business.

In my Business Building for Creatives course, we go much deeper on establishing your “Enough Point” with:

• No-guesswork workbooks that help you think through your business sustainability needs
• Real talk guidance on figuring out what’s truly essential for your business versus what you can cut
• Tangible strategies for balancing today’s needs with tomorrow’s business vision
• Business frameworks that help you plan for taxes, business costs, and those feast-or-famine income cycles

Plus, we connect your “Enough Point” to your entire business strategy – from pricing to marketing to what product or offers you should create next.

The course shows you exactly how to determine the minimum profit needed for your sustainable creative business so you can set realistic income goals.

Are you ready to build a business that truly supports you?