The True Cost of Creativity with Stylist and Podcaster Internet X
Exploring how accounting skills or a career in accounting can elevate any creative passion with Accounting+.
Lots of creatives have what it takes to make it big, but they may not have all of the financial resources to back it up. Ideas are free, but the supplies aren’t cheap. In the creative world, behind the glitz and glamor, everything has to align for visionaries to make an impact in their respective industry. Whether you’re pursuing a podcast or starting your own agency, learning how to progress your passions with financial confidence by taking on accounting skills is non-negotiable. So why not set yourself up for success and pursue an accounting career path that’s going to give you the foundational knowledge you need to start a creative business and thrive?
Brooklyn-born stylist and creative producer Xavier, or Internet X, knows a thing or two about the financial knowledge it takes to see imaginative concepts come to life. Trailblazing his own path from a young age, Internet X always had an affinity for creativity, styling, and following his dreams — no matter how ambitious they seemed. At just 24 years old, he’s been featured in major publications and is best known for his styling work and interview series, Talking to the Internet.
Alongside Accounting+, Internet X goes in-depth about how accounting is vital in the world of independent creatives. It’s all about managing finances in order to achieve larger-than-life plans and goals. Within his interview series and podcast, Internet X has not only grown artistically but also personally, especially when it comes to keeping track of his expenses and budgets.
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“Having a good infrastructure and a strong vision of what I’m creating is important for Talking to the Internet,” Internet X explains. “Sticking to an idea and making sure that you’re following through is key. If you’re looking at your business as an actual business, it’s kind of easier than looking at it as an artist.” That’s part of the reason why learning accounting — the language of business — is so beneficial.
Budgeting is a key element in ensuring financial security as an independent creative, especially when just starting out. “First, I always want to make sure that I have the ability to produce the idea that I actually want to produce,” Internet X adds. “I think that there are a lot of financial aspects that are required to be a stylist. A lot of them include handling budgets and making sure that you’re not going over the budget.”
Internet X also shares a few of the obstacles he faced on the path of creative pursuit, as it took him some time to learn to balance the different logistical aspects of each of his roles. “For instance, I know that I want my edit a certain way, and I know that I have a budget allocated to have it edited that way, but maybe the editor’s price was much more than what I had anticipated,” X shares. “I would say you have to follow your heart. Certain things are worth it in the moment and certain things you’re going to know just aren’t.”
Like many other entrepreneurs, both of his platforms are bound to bring challenges along the way. But pursuing a career in the accounting field can help resolve those challenges. “I think that, as creatives, we aren’t really told that financials and handling numbers are a big part of our job. Once the financials are taken care of, you can start to really be the artist,” he says.
Through trial and error and years of perfecting his practice, X has learned the importance of accounting skills and financial literacy in the creative world. Now, he hopes to share those sentiments with other burgeoning artists, stylists and more, proving that accounting can fuel creativity and imagination in its own way.
“A career in accounting is important to creatives like myself because accountants are the vision realizers that empower us to live and create freely,” he continues, “As a stylist, there’s so much going on in our world, there’s so much day-to-day that happens that we can lose track. Accountants are one of the bridges that help make the ‘unsustainable career’ sustainable. I definitely think that we need more accountants in the creative world.”
Xavier’s experiences exemplify how accounting knowledge can empower you to make your own financial decisions and seamlessly navigate creative entrepreneurship. By building a sound financial foundation through an accounting career, the possibilities are abundant. Getting real experience with business operations isn’t the only perk though. You’ll also open the door to unexpected opportunities such as travel, flexibility to work from anywhere, and a stable career that’ll be able to support you during your start-up phase.
If you’re ready to embark on your own journey toward financial literacy through a career in accounting, or if you want to learn more about career prep and accounting tools from Accounting+, visit joinaccountingplus.com.
