Market Trends
The Subscription Model Isn't Always the Answer
We're seeing creative businesses move away from recurring revenue models that don't fit their work. Sometimes project-based pricing makes more sense, even if it feels less secure.
Since 2017
Building Financial Confidence Through Creative Problem-Solving
We started with a simple observation: most financial education treats creativity and numbers as opposing forces. That never made sense to us. Business owners need both.
Our Journey
Eight Years of Refining What Actually Works
We've learned more from our missteps than our successes. Each phase taught us something that changed how we approach financial education.
01
2017 - 2018
The Beginning: Recognizing the Gap
Started with a handful of workshops in Newcastle. We noticed creative business owners struggled with traditional finance courses that felt disconnected from their reality. Most dropped out before completion. That told us something needed to change.
02
2019 - 2020
Rethinking the Approach
Spent two years developing a methodology that connected financial concepts to creative thinking. We tested different formats, gathered feedback, scrapped ideas that didn't work. The pandemic forced us online, which turned out to be unexpectedly useful for reaching more people.
03
2021 - 2022
Expanding Beyond Basics
Introduced advanced programs after participants kept asking for more. Started working with established businesses facing growth challenges. Learned that experience level matters less than willingness to examine assumptions about how money works in creative industries.
04
2023 - 2025
Where We Are Now
Supporting over 400 businesses across Australia. Still refining our programs based on participant feedback. Currently developing resources for late 2025 that address emerging challenges in digital business finance. We're not done learning.
What We Focus On
Areas Where We've Developed Depth
Over the years, we've found certain areas where our approach seems to click with creative entrepreneurs. These aren't everything we do, but they're where participants tell us they've seen the most tangible shifts.
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Cash Flow for Variable Income
When income isn't predictable, standard budgeting advice falls apart. We work with the reality of project-based work and seasonal fluctuations.
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Pricing Creative Services
Most creative professionals undervalue their work. We look at pricing as a strategic tool rather than just covering costs plus margin.
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Growth Planning Without Losing Soul
Scaling a creative business often means tension between artistic vision and commercial reality. There are ways to grow that don't require abandoning what makes your work distinctive.
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Financial Literacy for Non-Finance Minds
Numbers don't have to be intimidating. We translate financial concepts into frameworks that make sense for visual and creative thinkers.
Recent Analysis
What We're Thinking About in 2025
Some observations from working with Australian creative businesses this year. These reflect actual patterns we're seeing, not theoretical predictions.
Pricing Strategy
Why Some Businesses Thrive With Higher Prices
Counter to what many expect, raising prices often improves business health beyond just revenue. It changes client relationships, project scope conversations, and how much care you can put into work.
Business Operations
Rethinking Business Structure for Creative Work
Australian regulations around business structures have implications for creative entrepreneurs. We're helping people understand when sole trader status makes sense versus other options, based on actual circumstances rather than assumptions.
Program Leadership
The Person Behind the Framework
Clifton Radford
Lead Instructor & Program Director
Spent fifteen years managing finance for design agencies before realizing the disconnect between standard accounting practices and creative business needs. That frustration led to nerinlithalevpahyros. My background combines corporate finance experience with firsthand understanding of creative industry challenges.
I'm not interested in generic business advice. What works for a retail shop often fails for a creative consultancy. Our programs reflect what actually helps when your work involves custom projects, subjective value, and clients who often don't understand what they're buying.
- Former CFO for two Sydney design studios
- Developed cash flow models specifically for project-based work
- Regular contributor to Creative Business Australia
- Teaching programs starting autumn 2026 now open for registration