This winter, life got real—and fast.
We bought a house (!!!), which brought adulting to a fever pitch. With our toddler turning three, my MIL undergoing major spinal surgery, and this whole ass Estate to contend with, it hit me:
I have no plan for what happens if I’m not here.
And worse, my business has no plan either.*
We hired the very best trust lawyer to help us with all of the Deciding and Careful Planning we were woefully behind on. She walked us through the process with patience, humor, and a 56-page questionnaire.
One prompt stood out:
“List your assets, including any businesses you own.”
Oh.
I think many of us resist seeing our creative work as a real business.
The “selling out” fear runs deep, that a profit motive might take away from the purity of the practice.
But the reality? That’s just another trap.
You can’t protect what you refuse to define.
If you’re monetizing a hobby, but you haven’t built systems, structure, or succession—then you don’t have a business. You have a job with overhead. And if something happens to you, it ends with you.
Have you ever imagined what would happen to your studio, team, or clients if you suddenly disappeared for a month? A year? Forever?
Want a printable version of this toolkit? Download it here →
Is there actual profit (not just revenue)?
Is there repeat or referral business?
Are there documented systems or processes?
Is your brand recognizable or referable without your direct involvement?
Have you talked to your team about the long-term?
Who would take over (team member, family, outsider)?
Would you sell it, transfer it, or let it wind down?
Is your business in your estate plan?
Would your team have a chance to buy it from your heirs?
I have employees now—people I love and respect who count on this business for their livelihoods. I’ve promised them careers, not just gigs.
If I disappear, do they scramble for new jobs? Does my family—already grieving—have to handle payroll, client emails, brand strategy?
Selling to an outsider? Maybe. But I have trust issues, and I expect to bring them with me to the grave. Would an outsider serve my clients with the same care? Would they protect my team?
That’s why for me, the best case scenario looks like a seller-financed deal with my existing team. That way, no matter their financial position, there’s always a clear, supported path forward. A seller-financed deal means that they will always have a deal on the table with my family, who will have inherited the business.
Income is cash flow. Your paycheck. Your bookings.
Equity is ownership. It’s what makes your business valuable when you’re not the one running it.
Even a small creative studio can be valuable—if it’s structured for continuity.
You might have a sellable business if:
There’s steady cash flow (annual recurring revenue, anyone?)
Your brand carries weight
There are systems that allow others to operate it
The business has a presence beyond you (i.e., not a personal brand)
You’re not the only one clients rely on
Not everything needs to scale or sell.
Your creative practice can (and should) include things that are just for you.
Mine started with a flower hobby, too.
But if you’re calling it a business, build it like one.
Build something that can live without you—and honor everyone who helped you build it.
Know someone running a creative business who hasn’t thought about this yet?
Send them this post. It might save them a lot of head/heartache—and help them build something even stronger.
*We do have a plan - it’s LegalZoom’s finest circa 2015, when we signed an Operating Agreement and became an LLC. Needless to say, she’s a bit dusty…
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