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Introduction
In this episode of the I Hate Numbers podcast, we tackle a tough but necessary truth: ignoring your numbers is quietly damaging your creative business.
We understand why creatives avoid spreadsheets, budgets, and financial reports. You started your journey to create, perform, design, and inspire — not to stare at figures. However, the longer you ignore your numbers, the louder the financial clock ticks.
Why Ignoring Your Numbers Feels Appealing
Let’s be honest. Avoidance feels easier in the short term. Staying reactive, making decisions on instinct, and hoping everything works out can seem simpler than facing the reality of your bank balance.
But if you want to stay stressed, reactive, and running what feels more like an expensive hobby than a business, then ignoring your finances is a perfect strategy.
Without clarity:
- You make snap decisions without insight.
- You chase invoices while worrying about rent.
- You feel overwhelmed by tax deadlines.
- You live hand-to-mouth from project to project.
That is not creative freedom. That is financial anxiety.
Why Numbers Matter (Even If You Dislike Them)
When you understand your numbers, something empowering happens. You stop guessing. You start making informed decisions. You move from “I hope this works” to “I know this works.”
It is like switching on the light in a dark room. You can see what is coming in, what is going out, and where growth is possible.
Understanding your finances does not mean becoming an accountant. It means becoming the driver of your business rather than a passenger.
Profit Is Not a Dirty Word
Profit allows you to cover your costs, pay yourself properly, and build a financial buffer. It gives you sustainability. It prevents burnout and protects your creative future.
Without profit, your business cannot survive long term. How you earn that profit is up to you. Ethics and values matter. But profit itself is not the enemy.
Three Simple Steps You Can Take Today
1. Track What’s Coming In and Going Out
You do not need complex systems to start. A notebook, spreadsheet, or digital tool like
Xero cloud accounting can give you visibility and control.
2. Schedule a Weekly Money Check-In
Set aside 15 to 30 minutes each week to review your numbers. Treat it like brushing your teeth — routine, necessary, and good for your long-term health.
3. Give Every Pound a Purpose
Assign money intentionally. Allocate funds for tax, equipment, rent, savings, and paying yourself. Money without a plan disappears.
You Are Not Alone
You did not enter the creative world to become a number cruncher. But if you want your passion to pay the bills — and more — then your numbers matter.
That is why we created the podcast. It is why Numbers Know How and
I Hate Numbers exist — to make finance human, practical, and empowering for creatives.
Key Takeaway
Ignoring your numbers might feel comfortable in the short term, but it limits your growth. When you face them — even imperfectly — you take back control.
Understanding your money does not make you less creative. It makes you unstoppable.
Episode Timecodes
- [00:00:00] – Why ignoring your numbers feels easier
- [00:01:00] – The cost of financial avoidance
- [00:02:30] – Why clarity changes everything
- [00:04:00] – Profit and sustainability
- [00:05:00] – Three practical steps to take control
- [00:06:00] – Final message and mindset shift
Further Support
📘 Get practical finance guidance in our book:
I Hate Numbers
🎧 Listen to more episodes on the
I Hate Numbers Podcast
📺 Subscribe on
YouTube
Plan it. Do it. Profit.