One of the great things about the minds of creatives is how well they think outside the box. They - or you - have the ability to see things not only from other perspectives, but also from perspectives that non-creatives tend not to even be aware of, much less consider.
If you are a creative type, you'll also know your mind can tend to be on "go" almost constantly, even during sleep, and hundreds of ideas can be working their way around inside your head with seemingly no letting up any time soon.
Whilst having a creative mind, and these abilities to think well beyond 'normal' can be highly beneficial to business, creatives tend to struggle with business more than most.
Part of this is due to the non-stop mind and thinking up of ideas. This in itself is not so much of a problem, except that creatives tend to want to do all of it. Not only that, they want to do all of it, NOW!
Creatives tend to take on too many tasks, whether these are jobs they give themselves, or saying yes to everything that comes their way. They do too much, at the same time, spreading themselves thin and not allowing themselves the opportunity to focus on a small number of projects and do them well. They become overwhelmed, or overworked, and tend not to finish much of what they start.
Another aspect lies in creatives tending to avoid structure, routine and/or systems. Although essential for running a successful business, these ideals tend to leave creatives feeling restricted or repressed. Rather than setting up systems and schedules, they work far more reactively, or at the whim of their over active minds.
Thinking outside the square also leads creatives to seeing potential in everything - and everyone. Similar to placing too much trust and reliance on others to do what they say, creatives have the capacity to see what others are capable of doing, not necessarily what they have proven they can do. Thus, they can often fall into the trap of relying on the unreliable, hiring or working with others who are deemed more suitable for the position, based on potential, not on actual proof. Although an admirable trait, it can often leave them high and dry, let down by others not fulfilling their potential, much less the tasks assigned to them.
Finding a happy medium between structure and creativity, although seemingly difficult, is essential for any business, and especially for creatives. This includes a system for managing the millions of ideas that raise their heads, and nag until they are addressed in one form or another.
Understanding the difference between potential and performance, and allowing yourself to choose proven performance over potential, is another necessity, and one that will take creatives a little while to learn and apply to their business.
In the long run, as much as it feels uncomfortable and restrictive, it will be for the benefit, not just of your business, but for yourself.