Three moves before the holiday coma: reconnect, prune the portfolio, raise rates.
How in the world is it already November?
It's like I blinked and we entered the holiday season.
And here's the thing about the holidays.
They have this sneaky way of lulling us into a creative carb-coma.
One minute you’re wrapping up client projects and the next you’re halfway through a tin of peppermint bark wondering where your momentum went.
But the end of the year is prime time to do some intentional tinkering behind the scenes so that when 2026 hits, you’re not playing catch-up… you’re cruising.
Here are three things you can do right now to set your creative business up for a killer new year that won't give your holiday cheer a buzzkill:
🎁 1. Reach Out and Reconnect
Now is the best time to check in with your network. People love being thought of around the holidays, and even better, you can remind them how good you are at your craft by sending something special their way. A holiday card, a mini zine, a short video, whatever fits your creative flavor.
✨ See this month’s Creative Challenge for your prompt.
🎨 2. Give Your Portfolio Some TLC
Take a long, honest look at your current body of work. What still represents the direction you want to go, and what belongs in the archives of your “past life”?
Retire anything that feels out of alignment with your 2026 goals. Then, add the projects you’ve been too busy to update all year.
This season is perfect for pruning, polishing, and preparing your showcase for what’s next. And if you need help creating projects that attract the right clients (and presenting them like a pro), Maker Division members can revisit Modules 2 and 3. We'll walk you step by step through aligning your offers and portfolio with the clients you want more of. Not a member? You can join here.
💰 3. Raise Those Rates
Let’s be honest. Most of us aren’t charging enough. The holidays are the perfect time to reevaluate your pricing before the new year kicks off. Crunch your numbers, review your projects, and see which ones were truly profitable.
If you have ongoing or retainer clients, now’s the time to have that rate conversation. Don’t drag underpriced projects into 2026.
Inside Maker Division’s Module 5 , you’ll find two spreadsheets, Functional Finances and Project Profitability, that’ll help you see exactly what you should be charging. Many members realize they’ve been underpricing and eating their own runway. Don’t let that be you.
✨ The holidays are for cocoa, connection, and clarity. Give your business the gift of a little attention now, and your future self will toast you with champagne come January.
Creative Flow Academy
Course Rec
We love Notion inside The Division, but also get that it can be… a lot. Luckily our Notion guide, Jenny Famularcano, has something exciting planned for anyone wanting to dig deeper into organizing their creative practice in Notion in an 8-week cohort and private community. If you want to get your studio in order in 2026, you'll want to get on this interest list!
Foundations of Lettering
Workshop Rec
I often get asked how I was able to become a professional lettering artist so quickly and there's one answer: workshops with Ken Barber. He's bringing back his fundamentals workshop on November 8- check it out if you've got the lettering itch.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
On the Bookshelf
For my 30th birthday my dad bought me the Millenium Trilogy and I was quickly obsessed. And since it's the Bers and I tend to read more, I'm revisiting the series with new additions to the original three that I didn't even know were out. Highly recommend checking out the book that started it all if you're into psychological thrillers.
Over September and October our members were tasked with their first (optional, of course) Portfolio Party prompt: create a portfolio-worthy piece for an Art Deco-themed supper club that incorporated both their craft and something from their own Creative Cocktail- our fun way of making sure all portfolio pieces align with the vision we have for our business.
And wow. Our members created some amazing work; thank you to all who participated.
This week I wanted to highlight the work of illustrator Esteban Matheus. I mean, wow!
Not only did he nail the Art Deco aesthetic, this project is filled with everything Esteban.
Yes, it's got his signature style.
But it's also a nod to one of his favorite game franchises, Bioshock.
Just check out some of the sample process images from the full case study he shared in the community. Stunning.
While we love a good business win in The Division, it's also really nice to see so many of our members making things just for the fun of it and getting their portfolio in a place that feels 100% like them.
Esteban Matheus
Maker Division Win
When I saw the program and joined one your streams I couldn't be happier. I needed guidance to focus my efforts more efficiently, I was spending a lot of energy on many different venues to get better clients but wasn't getting results. I'm still working on my outreach skills but I feel more confident in my work, and I have a much better picture of how creatives do business in a profitable way. What I found here was a supportive community filled with hard-working artists just like me; here, I feel like I'm not alone in this process, Ben and Stephanie have turned this program into a big family where good advice and inspiration abound. The resources and the course content are top-notch, but the coaching calls have been crucial to making the teachings settle in.
RElated issues
Charging more… isn't the answer.
The best career advice I've heard all year.
I didn't have a portfolio
Build a creative business you love
Start with a side hustle. Grow into full-time freelance. Scale into a studio. Maker Division gives creatives the systems, feedback, and community to keep growing.
