Why Finance Professionals Are Trading Corporate Careers for Writing

Financial professionals are abandoning corporate careers in record numbers, swapping balance sheets for creative pursuits that promise both personal fulfilment and entrepreneurial freedom. This trend reflects a broader cultural reality among professionals seeking meaningful work over traditional security.

The creative economy now represents one of the fastest-growing sectors globally, with many successful artists, writers and entrepreneurs emerging from financial backgrounds. Their analytical training, risk assessment skills and business acumen provide unexpected advantages in creative fields that often struggle with commercial viability.

Josh Absher epitomises this transition. The published tattoo artist left his decade-long career in finance to open The Dead Yeti Tattoo Studio in Indiana, becoming what he calls ‘Indiana’s Bold to Fine-line Tattoo’ specialist. With four book titles to his name, Absher recently expanded into literary fiction with his supernatural thriller ‘The Pottersfield Express’, released on 19 May 2025.

Finance Professionals Bring Unique Advantages

Research shows that financial professionals possess specific skills that translate remarkably well to creative entrepreneurship. Their understanding of cash flow, investment cycles and risk management proves invaluable when building sustainable creative businesses.

Michael Lewis famously leveraged his Wall Street experience to become one of America’s most successful non-fiction writers. Similarly, Josie Natori transformed her investment banking background into a fashion empire. These aren’t isolated cases – they represent a growing pattern of finance-trained entrepreneurs who understand both creative vision and business fundamentals.

The tattoo industry, in particular, benefits from this business-minded approach. Many tattoo artists struggle with pricing strategies, client management and studio operations – areas where former finance professionals excel naturally.

‘The key is confidence and the willingness to challenge conventional thinking within a new arena,’ notes a recent analysis of finance-to-creative transitions. This analytical mindset helps creative entrepreneurs identify market gaps and develop sustainable business models.

The Creative Market Opportunity

The timing couldn’t be better for finance professionals considering creative careers. The global fiction books market is valued at $12.09 billion and growing at 1.5 percent annually. Supernatural thriller and horror genres are experiencing particular growth, with publishers actively seeking fresh voices that can blend literary quality with commercial appeal.

Absher’s debut novel explores themes of redemption and regret through a supernatural afterlife thriller – a genre combination that reflects contemporary readers’ appetite for psychologically complex horror. His financial background likely informed the book’s intricate plotting and character development, areas where many first-time authors struggle.

The publishing industry is embracing what experts call ‘speculative fiction’ – an umbrella genre covering fantasy, supernatural and science fiction elements. This represents a significant market opportunity for writers who can craft compelling narratives within these popular frameworks.

Making the Transition Work

Successful finance-to-creative transitions require careful planning and realistic expectations. Financial stability during the early creative years remains crucial, with many entrepreneurs maintaining part-time financial consulting while building their artistic careers.

The tattoo industry offers particularly attractive prospects for entrepreneurial artists. Established tattoo artists can earn substantial incomes while maintaining creative autonomy – a combination that appeals to former financial professionals accustomed to high earnings but seeking artistic expression.

Absher’s approach demonstrates smart diversification. By building expertise in tattooing before expanding into writing, he created multiple revenue streams while maintaining his core artistic practice. This mirrors successful finance-to-creative transitions across various industries.

Creative entrepreneurs also benefit from the analytical skills developed in finance careers. Understanding market trends, customer behaviour and revenue cycles helps artists make informed decisions about their creative output and business development.

The psychological transition proves equally important. Many former finance professionals report that creative work provides the personal satisfaction missing from their corporate careers, even when facing initial income reductions.

Beyond Personal Fulfilment

This trend reflects broader changes in how professionals define career success. Younger finance graduates increasingly prioritise work-life balance and personal meaning over traditional markers like salary and title progression.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this shift, with many professionals reassessing their career priorities and seeking work that provides both financial stability and personal fulfilment. Creative careers offer this combination when approached with business discipline.

For Absher, the transition from finance to tattooing to writing represents a natural progression rather than a radical departure. His financial background provided the business skills necessary to build a successful tattoo studio, which then supported his literary ambitions.

This pattern suggests that finance-to-creative transitions work best when approached as strategic career development rather than emergency escapes from corporate life. The most successful transitions combine artistic passion with business pragmatism – exactly what finance professionals are trained to provide.

The growing number of finance professionals entering creative fields is reshaping both industries. Creative sectors gain business-savvy entrepreneurs who understand market dynamics and sustainable growth. Meanwhile, former finance professionals discover that their analytical skills remain valuable assets in entirely different contexts.

As the creative economy continues expanding, expect more finance professionals to discover that their corporate training provides unexpected advantages in artistic careers. The key is recognising that creative success often depends as much on business acumen as artistic talent – making finance professionals surprisingly well-equipped for creative entrepreneurship.