Having a good idea is one thing. Figuring out how to make money from it is another.

For Bermuda's creative entrepreneurs, building a business means setting prices, finding customers, managing the operation and deciding when to listen to an audience and when to trust their own instincts.

Shi-Vaughn Lee, founder of Dove & Butterfly, and Niamah Cann, owner of La Petite Soirée, have taken different paths into entrepreneurship, but both have learnt that turning creativity into a viable business requires far more than making something people like.

Shi-Vaughn Lee: Dove & Butterfly

Before launching Dove & Butterfly, many Bermudians knew Ms Lee from her Bermudians Be Like videos, which used comedy to showcase Bermudian slang, culture and dialect.

Her move into business came after being called to the Bermuda Bar.

“I had just been called to the Bermuda Bar, but knew that ultimately I didn’t want to practise law at that time. Covid had just occurred, which showed me just how uncertain the world and life is.”

Having previously struggled with acne and hyperpigmentation, Ms Lee began experimenting with natural body butters and oils from her kitchen before selling them through Instagram.

“I thought about the things that I am good at, things that have concerned me most about myself in wanting to ‘fix’ and made that the business.”

The confirmation that it could become something bigger came from her customers.

“I realised that Dove & Butterfly could become an actual business when people started buying the product. It didn’t take off immediately, but once I started to create creative advertisements similar to Bermudians Be Like, and the word began to spread, I knew that I was on to something different, fulfilling and impactful.”

Becoming a business owner also meant adjusting to creating for customers rather than herself.

“The biggest adjustment I had to make when I went from creating for myself to creating something people would pay for is being less emotional to people’s opinions, judgement and criticism.”

It also meant accepting that she couldn't simply stop when she didn't feel creative.

“When I create for myself I can ‘take breaks’, but when people depend on the product as they do now, I can’t stop because I am sad today or something didn’t go as it should.”

Operating a creative business in a small community has brought another lesson: the person and the brand can become difficult to separate.

“When you’re a creative in Bermuda you are viewed very differently from corporation-type businesses because you are more a ‘face’ for your business.”

That visibility has changed how much of her success she shares publicly.

“I thought that I was being an inspiration by showing people what I was achieving and in turn what they too can achieve if they tap into their goals, passions and creativity.

“When you’re showing the successes, some people don’t take it as inspiration and misperceive it as ‘bragging’ or a lack of humility. Ultimately, the one lesson I have learnt about making money from creativity is to be quiet.”

Niamah Cann: La Petite Soirée

Ms Cann's creative journey began with a love of writing.

“I’ve always had a love for pen and paper, especially writing letters to my grandmother, Mama Madge. There’s something about putting pen to paper that encourages us to slow down, be present and connect in a way that feels increasingly rare.”

She started La Petite Soirée about ten years ago as a small online party supply business before moving into her own Bermuda-inspired products.

“It really began with our Bermuda Journal. The first version was a sleek black, lined journal with a gold Bermuda map, and it sold out in about two weeks. That was the moment I thought, ‘OK, there’s something here.’”

Despite building a commercial business, Ms Cann still creates from a personal place.

“Truthfully, I still create for myself. Every product begins with something I would genuinely use, wear, give as a gift or love to have in my own home. I have to love it first.”

The difference is that she has also learnt to listen to her customers.

“For me, the sweet spot is somewhere between staying true to my own creative vision and listening closely to the people who actually use the products.”

Pricing was something she had to grow into.

“In the beginning, I was nervous about asking for what I believed my products were worth, so I often priced them too low.”

Over time, that changed.

“I became much more confident in understanding the true cost and value of my products — not just the physical item, but the design, development, craftsmanship, packaging and thought behind it. I’ve learnt not to apologise for charging appropriately for something that has been thoughtfully and beautifully made.”

Finding customers has required the same confidence.

“I’ve always been proactive about creating opportunities. I pitched my products to boutiques, hotels and corporate clients rather than waiting for them to discover me.”

But creating is only one part of running La Petite Soirée.

“I’d love to say I spend most of my days dreaming up beautiful new products, but the reality is that creating is probably one of the smallest parts of running a profitable business!”

“There’s inventory, manufacturing, shipping, wholesale, marketing, customer service, accounting and all the little things happening behind the scenes that people never see.”

Doing that from Bermuda brings additional complications.

“Restocking isn’t always quick or simple. There are production timelines, freight, shipping costs and importing to consider, so you have to anticipate what people will want months before they actually want it.”

Which makes protecting time for creativity all the more important.

“I’ve learnt to intentionally carve out periods of time when I can step away from the operational side and simply dream again.”