The Second Craft
A Creative Accountant’s Guide to the Business Behind Your Talent
Most creative people never set out to run a business. It happens one gig, commission or client at a time. Then one day there’s a BAS due, a collaborator asking about ownership, and a bank balance that doesn’t match the profit figure.
The Second Craft walks through the business side from the ground up: how to structure it, how to keep the records, how to read what they tell you, and how to plan beyond next quarter. It does it through people you’ll recognise – fictional composites of the musicians, designers, makers and practitioners we work with every day.
Who it’s for
- Solo artists, freelancers and sole traders
- Bands, partnerships and creative collaborations
- Studios, small companies and family enterprises
- Skilled trades and service businesses that work the same way
What’s inside
27 chapters in six parts, moving from the foundations to the long-term picture:
- Your structure. Sole trader, partnership, company or trust – and when to change.
- Ownership and intellectual property. Who owns the work, the name and the business.
- Records that work. Setting up Xero and Hubdoc so the numbers look after themselves.
- Profit, cash and tax. Why profit isn’t cash, forecasting, and a tax calendar you can actually follow.
- Running the business. People and payroll, an operating rhythm, working with advisers, and funding growth.
- Family, wealth and succession. Protecting what you’ve built and keeping your options open.
Each chapter ends with questions to take to your adviser, a practical tool to complete, and a clear next step. The Conclusion sets out a 90-day plan to reset the business.
Book details
- Author: Stuart C. Smith
- Publisher: Fiscal Artisans Pty Ltd
- Paperback: A5, 294 pages, ISBN 978-1-7649975-0-8
- Ebook: EPUB, ISBN 978-1-7649975-1-5
- Price: recommended retail A$35.95. From our bookstore, US$24.95 (about A$36) plus a flat US$5 postage per order, however many books are in it. The ebook is US$13.95 (about A$20) from our bookstore, and the Kindle edition is A$15.99 on Amazon.
- Published: November 2026
Read a sample
Read the Introduction and Part I – the first three chapters – free, along with the same extract from The Numbers Behind Your Business. We’ll email them to you, along with a monthly note with one practical idea from the books.
Put it into practice
The Second Craft – Companion Tools has a matching tool for every chapter, in the same order as the book, on A4 pages with room to write.
Next in the series
Once the structure is right, the next step is knowing your numbers. The Numbers Behind Your Business picks up where The Second Craft leaves off.
The books and this page provide general information only. They are not tax, financial or legal advice for your situation. Talk to a qualified adviser before acting.