Understanding creative enterprise creation, functionality and sustainability from the lenses of Ghanaian creative entrepreneurs

This paper explored the dynamics of the Ghanaian creative industry to understand creative entrepreneurs’ lived experiences in the process of turning their creativities into business ventures and the challenges they encounter in bids to sustain ventures. Guided by the business canvas model and a qualitative approach, data was collected from 40 creative entrepreneurs. Using both descriptive and thematic analysis, coupled with sense-making, it was established that creative entrepreneurship, as business practice was constrained by several phenomena, including the lack of governmental and investor support, high cost of creative productions, a dearth of practical teaching of creative skills and research in educational institutions, unfavourable regulatory policies for creative works, and a lack of appreciation for the Ghanaian culture. It is concluded that the constraints associated with the business dynamics of creative entrepreneurship could be used as innovative spaces for the derivation of plausible practices to enhance creative enterprise performance, in terms of future creative policy development and creation of viable business opportunities. This paper investigated the lived experiences of creative entrepreneurs in relation to how they turn their creativities into business enterprises, and the challenges that confronts them in managing and turning such enterprises into sustainable ventures. Based on interviews with creative entrepreneurs in Ghana, it was found that after forming their creative businesses, they found it too difficult to manage and sustain such enterprises. The reasons identified included the high cost of running their businesses, unfavourable regulatory policies for creative works, and the non-appreciation of their products, influenced by the Ghanaian culture. Additionally, they do not receive financial and/or technical support from the government or investors which could have helped them manage their business effectively to become sustainable. It is concluded that the identified difficulties experienced by the creative entrepreneurs could be used as innovative spaces to develop effective practices to enhance creative enterprise formation and management towards sustainable performance.