CBS News · 15 Oct, 11:00 · Finance briefing

Make Art & Make Money: Financial Planning for Creatives, feat. AJ Ayers | Money Moves

A recent CBS News feature highlights the critical intersection of creative practice and financial stability.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

28%average pay gap between certified and uncertified finance staff

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83%of finance leaders rank upskilling a top-3 priority

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The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

A recent CBS News feature highlights the critical intersection of creative practice and financial stability. The segment, titled 'Make Art & Make Money', features financial expert AJ Ayers discussing essential money management strategies specifically tailored for creatives. The report addresses the unique economic challenges faced by artists and designers, offering practical advice on budgeting, income diversification, and long-term wealth building. It serves as a resource for professionals seeking to sustain their artistic careers through rigorous financial planning and informed decision-making regarding their professional earnings.

Employer demand for Finance and Accounting skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

You must treat your creative output as a viable business entity. This development signals that financial literacy is now a core competency for creatives, not an optional extra. Skills in budgeting, tax planning, and cash flow management rise in immediate value. If you freelance or own your practice, you should pay close attention to these strategies to avoid burnout and instability. A smart professional would next audit their current financial habits, separating personal and business expenses immediately. Consider upskilling in financial modelling or basic accounting to understand your profit margins better. Proactive financial planning allows you to negotiate rates with confidence and invest in your growth, ensuring your career is both artistically fulfilling and economically sustainable.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Finance and Accounting, Financial Modeling, Taxation Essentials and Bookkeeping Essentials — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

Enrol in these
to benefit.

These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.