Teaching Business to Creatives Without Killing Creativity

Bridging the Gap: Integrating Business Thinking into Creative Education -

Creative programs do an excellent job developing artistic skill… but often struggle when it comes to preparing students for the realities of running a business.

At the same time, traditional business education methods can feel rigid, abstract, or disconnected from creative practice. The result is a gap where students either disengage from business concepts or fail to apply them in meaningful ways.

This session explores how to reframe business education for creative students using approaches that align with how they already think and work.

Based on MFA research into creative entrepreneurship and supported by over 25 years of professional experience, this presentation introduces:
- A design-centered approach to teaching business fundamentals
- Methods for breaking down complex topics into visual, structured concepts
- The use of prompts, challenges, and iterative thinking to encourage engagement
- Strategies for helping students connect business decisions to their creative goals

The session also introduces elements of the Artrepreneur Mindset system as a teaching tool, demonstrating how tactile and visual frameworks can improve comprehension and retention.

Rather than replacing existing curriculum, this approach is designed to enhance and integrate with current programs, making business education more accessible, practical, and relevant.

Key Takeaways
- New approaches for teaching business concepts to creative students
- Tools for increasing student engagement and comprehension
- Methods for connecting business thinking with creative practice
- Practical frameworks that can be integrated into existing courses

Target Audience
- College and university faculty in art, design, and creative programs
- Program directors and curriculum developers
- Graduate students preparing for teaching roles
- Educators seeking to modernize creative curriculum

Why This Matters
Students don’t just need creative skills… they need the ability to sustain a career. This session provides educators with practical ways to teach those skills without losing the creative foundation that makes their programs valuable.

Talk / Workshop (45–60 minutes)

Level: Intermediate

Abstract: Creative students need business skills to succeed… but traditional business education often conflicts with how creatives think and work. This session explores how to teach business concepts in a way that supports creativity rather than suppresses it, using design-driven frameworks and practical tools developed through MFA research.

Structured Content in DNN

In this session, Ryan Moore with Moore Creative presents an introduction to Structured Content and how you can use DNN to power external use of DNN-controlled data. We will demonstrate and explain both the DNN Evoq Liquid Content solution and comparable Community solution(s) including DNNSharp API Endpoint & XMod Pro (2SXC/Forms&List/Etc.).

Evoq & DNN Community Upgrade and Migration Scenarios

I have had the pleasure of upgrading DNN instances from version 3 up through version 9 and know that there are many hurdles and steps involved to a smooth upgrade! Additionally, migration, copying and moving or splitting DNN instances can be complex!

In this session, we discuss 10+ years of experiences with DNN upgrades:
- Copying a Portal within a DNN instance
- Moving a Portal to a new DNN instance
- Backup and migration tools and steps
- DNN upgrade path, common breaking points and issues
- What to do when you must remain on an older version
- Upgrading DNN from 5x to 9x
- Downgrading from Evoq to DNN Community
- Addressing failed upgrades & issues
- "Upgrade or Rebuild?" discussion points

DNN Versions - What's the Difference? (History of DNN Versions & Features)

In this session, we’ll do a full comparison of older DNN versions (3, 4, 5, 6, 7) newer versions (8, 9, etc) and platforms (evoq, basic, community) while discussing the needs for upgrades, concerns and differences.

Brief history of DNN versions
Review of the visual styles of versions over time
Major feature/breakpoints of versions
Upgrading, when necessary? OK to stay?
Examples of sites at different versions, quirks and issues to work around
Discussion, Q&A with attendees and their versions of DNN

Essentials For Your DNN Toolbox

In this session, I go through some of the key modules to install, security lock downs, and DNN settings and tools that we use with every DNN instance that we work within. These are the “Must Have” essentials for you to have in your DNN Toolbox!

During this session we will discuss the tools that we use when managing servers and DNN instances of clients. Whether a new install or a site inherited, we often find that we use the same key tools again and again across sites to help address problems and make life easier!

Tools to Help the DNN Instance: - Evotiva Backup - CK Editor - X3 URLManager - Portal Manager XModPro Template - Site-Wide Skin Manager XMP Template - F3 Find & Replace

Security Related Items: - DNN Security Telerik Patches - Security Analyzer - Diff/Compare Tools - Sublime Find In Files - SQL Analyzer

Key Modules - Forms: XModPro, DNNSharp, Mandeeps - Advanced Login - UltraMediaGallery - DNNSharp RedirectToolkit - Search: psSiteSearch - Articles/Blogs: ZLDNN, Mandeeps - Misc: DNN FAQ, DNN Links, DNN Documents

Additionally, during the session’s question and answer time, we’ll go through your questions about best modules and solutions for issues.

DNN Jeopardy

Come watch the fun of Jeopardy as DNNSummit attendees battle wits and knowledge to dominate a board of DNN trivia, tips, troubleshooting and code facts.

DNN Community, User Groups, Help & More!

Get active within the DNN Community! Come find Help for your DNN Questions! This session introduces users to the various sites and organizations for help and community activity, from Slack to User Groups to DNNDocs and more,

DNN Administrator Training

Whether you are a DNN/Evoq host or a site administrator, this is your opportunity to learn, refresh or advance your knowledge of DNN/Evoq site and portal administration and system management. Each attendee will be taken through the process of installing, upgrading and deploying a DotNetNuke installation following best practices. In this “DNN Administrators 101” course, you will learn best practices for portal and site configuration and administration, and you will have the chance for hands-on application of your new skills. The training course will highlight the new features available in DNN8 and how to optimize day-to-day tasks to include performance and labor-intensive tasks.

Developing DNN Structured Content Solutions With XMod Pro

XMod Pro is one of the most long-standing, popular, DNN Modules which helps DNN Integrators and entry-level developers make the most out of DNN by allowing them to rapidly create new DNN-based solutions. This session outlines how to approach XMP projects and trains on how to build custom solutions.

Artrepreneurs and Business Survival: Research-Driven Strategies for Creative Careers

Why Creative Businesses Can Fail… and What Actually Helps Them Survive -

Many artists and designers graduate with strong creative abilities but limited preparation for managing a business. This gap contributes to a high rate of early failure among freelance creatives and small studios.

This session presents findings from a Master of Fine Arts thesis focused on “Artrepreneurs”… creative professionals who must balance artistic practice with business responsibility. The research examines common failure points, including inconsistent client pipelines, weak financial planning, and lack of structured decision-making.

Rather than offering surface-level advice, this session focuses on practical frameworks grounded in research and professional experience. Topics include:

- The disconnect between creative education and business readiness
- Key pressure points in the first five years of a creative business
- The role of mindset, structure, and process in long-term sustainability
- How design thinking can be applied to business strategy

This presentation is especially relevant for students preparing to enter freelance or studio-based careers, as well as educators seeking to integrate business thinking into creative curricula.

The goal is not to turn artists into accountants… but to equip them with clear, usable approaches to navigating real-world challenges.

Key Takeaways
- Understand the most common reasons creative businesses fail early
- Learn practical frameworks for managing income, clients, and growth
- Recognize the importance of structured thinking in creative careers
- Identify ways to apply design skills to business decision-making
- Target Audience
- College and graduate students in creative fields
- Design educators and program directors
- Emerging freelancers and studio owners
- Why This Matters

Creative careers are often framed around talent and passion, but long-term success depends on sustainability. This session helps bridge that gap with grounded, actionable insight.

Talk / Lecture (45–60 minutes)

Level: Intermediate

Abstract: Creative professionals are highly skilled in their craft… but often underprepared for the realities of running a business. Based on MFA research into “Artrepreneurs,” this session explores why creative businesses struggle in their early years and identifies practical, research-backed strategies that support long-term sustainability. Designed for students and educators, this talk bridges creative practice with real-world business thinking.

Artrepreneur Mindset: Turning Creative Skills into Sustainable Business

More Than Talent: Building a Creative Business That Actually Works -

Most creative professionals don’t struggle because they lack talent… they struggle because they can lack understanding of key business principles.

This session introduces the Artrepreneur Mindset Card System, a design-driven tool created to help creative entrepreneurs take focused, practical action in their businesses. Built from MFA research and over 25 years of professional experience, the system translates complex business concepts into clear, approachable steps.

Each card represents a focused idea, challenge, or prompt that encourages movement in key areas of a creative business:

- Money… pricing, income stability, and financial awareness
- Market… visibility, positioning, and client development
- Method… workflow, systems, and execution
- Mindset… confidence, clarity, and decision-making

Rather than overwhelming creatives with long-form theory, the system emphasizes small, actionable steps that build momentum over time.

In this session, attendees will:
- Explore how the card system is structured and why it works
- See examples of how creative professionals apply the system in real scenarios
- Learn how to use prompts and challenges to drive consistent progress
- Connect research insights with everyday business decisions

This is not a motivational talk… it is a practical approach to helping creative professionals move forward with clarity and purpose.

Key Takeaways
- A simple framework for organizing and prioritizing business efforts
- Tools for overcoming stagnation and indecision
- Practical ways to improve consistency in business development
- A repeatable system for ongoing growth and refinement

Target Audience
- Freelancers and creative entrepreneurs
- Small studio owners
- Artists transitioning into business ownership
- Creative professionals seeking more structure

Why This Matters
Creative professionals often know what they should be doing… but struggle to act consistently. This session provides a system that makes progress manageable and sustainable.

Talk / Workshop Hybrid (45–60 minutes)

Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Abstract: Creative talent alone isn’t enough to build a successful business. This session introduces the Artrepreneur Mindset Card System, a practical tool designed to help artists, designers, and creative entrepreneurs take consistent, meaningful action. Built on research and real-world experience, this session provides a structured way to think, plan, and grow.