The Creative Entrepreneur's F*ck Budget: Lessons from Sarah Knight

Blume Bauer
May 1
3 min read

Smiling woman with curly hair and pink glasses wears a floral crown. Text reads: "The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck." A review of Sara Knight's Book by Blume Bauer at The Yellow Studio.

Hi sweet friends! 💛

Have you ever found yourself saying "yes" to a commission that made your heart sink? Or agreeing to attend yet another networking event when you'd rather be in your studio? Today, I want to talk about a book that transformed how I approach my creative business decisions.

When Sarah Knight talks about having a "f*ck budget" in her book "The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck," it becomes crystal clear how important it is to choose what we DO and DO NOT give our f*cks to. I loved this book and it's one that I'll be reading again and again over the years as a reminder to not sweat the small stuff and that I 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 have to care about the things that everyone else cares about.

A person in a yellow room sits at a cluttered art desk, head in hands. Paintings and supplies are around, conveying frustration.

**Building Your Creative Entrepreneur's F*ck Budget**

As creative entrepreneurs, we often feel pressured to follow certain paths:

→ Create what's trending

→ Be present on every social platform

→ Say yes to every opportunity

→ Price our work based on others' opinions

But what if we applied Knight's philosophy to our creative businesses? What if we carefully allocated our limited supply of "f*cks" only to what truly matters to us?

Permission to Be Uniquely You

Sarah reminds us that it's okay to be unique – better than that, it's important to be unique. To really know what you love and don't love and what you want to spend your energy on.

This resonates deeply with me as someone who has sometimes struggled with comparing my artistic journey to others. When I stopped caring about what other artists in my field were doing and focused on my own authentic expression, my work not only improved—it started attracting the right audience too.

Woman in white dress and yellow hat, smiling, holds brushes in a bright yellow room with flowers, paintings, and art supplies. Vibrant mood at The Yellow Studio.

Signs This Book Might Be For You

If you've ever:

→ Felt guilty for not posting on Instagram daily

→ Accepted projects that drained your creative energy

→ Worried about what other artists might think of your process

→ Stretched yourself thin trying to please everyone

Then Knight's approach might be exactly what you need. If you've ever felt like you're a people-pleaser or that you say yes to things more than you'd like, this book is definitely for you! I highly recommend it. 💛

How I'm Applying This at The Yellow Studio

Developing a thoughtful creative entrepreneur's f*ck budget has been game-changing for my business. Since reading this book, I've become much more intentional about where I direct my energy. I've cut back on:

→ Client projects that don't align with my vision

→ Social platforms that don't bring me joy

→ Industry "shoulds" that don't serve my business goals

And I've redirected that energy toward:

→ Creating more meaningful content for this community

→ Developing courses I truly believe in

→ Finding my unique voice in the creative business space

Notebook on yellow background with text "Things I No Longer Give A F*ck About" above illustrated yellow flowers. Bright, bold mood by The Yellow Studio.

Your Turn

What aspects of your creative business are currently getting your "f*cks" that maybe shouldn't be? Where could you redirect that precious energy?

Share your thoughts in the comments below! And if you've read Knight's book, I'd love to hear how it's impacted your approach to your art or business.