Uncover the strategies top independent marketing and creative businesses use to maximize their earning potential. You can do it too with the 2025 Growth Guide.
Independent work offers unparalleled freedom and flexibility, but turning your passion into a sustainable, successful business is no easy feat. Many business owners aspire to reach six-figure revenue, but what’s the secret to making it happen? That’s what our research with the Harris Poll set out to uncover and we learned there are tried and true tactics to maximizing your earning potential.
The 2025 Growth Guide reveals these findings to empower independent marketing and creative professionals with actionable insights they can apply to their business strategy. Paired with our first-ever revenue range calculator, the Growth Guide is a roadmap to raising your revenue and unlocking new growth levers for your business.
What sets six-figure businesses apart
In partnership with the Harris Poll, we surveyed over 700 independent marketing and creative business owners to uncover the strategies and characteristics that set the highest earners apart. The research revealed four key traits that high earners share:
- Passive income: High earners aren’t relying on one source of income. They’ve strategically built multiple revenue streams, including 25% of their income from passive sources.
- Lasting client relationships: they don’t just win clients–they keep them coming back. High earners prioritize building strong, long-term relationships with clients to generate 50% of their revenue with only 25% of their time.
- Retainer income: they know their worth and price their services accordingly. At least $45,000 of their annual income comes from retainer agreements.
- Driven by passion: they’re working for all the right reasons. The majority of business owners got started to pursue their passion.
Calculate your earning potential
Pricing is among the most challenging tasks every business owner must contend with. Feel confident you’re earning your worth is made harder when there’s little data available to benchmark your revenue against. That’s why we included a first-of-its-kind revenue range calculator in the 2025 Growth Guide. With this tool, independent marketing and creative business owners can compare their earnings with industry peers, providing practical insights to adjust pricing and optimize revenue streams. Here’s how to make the most of it:
- Benchmark your earnings: Use the revenue calculator to see how your income compares to industry averages. This insight can help you identify areas for growth and adjust your pricing strategy.
- Set realistic goals: Based on the industry averages provided, set achievable targets for your business. Whether it’s increasing your passive income percentage by adding new products or boosting your client retention rate, having concrete goals is crucial.
- Learn from your peers: Explore the success stories of others in your industry. These real-world examples provide valuable insights and inspiration for your own business journey.
Working Smarter, Not Harder
Higher earners are making intentional choices to increase their revenue including what tools they use to manage their operations. From client intake and managing leads to booking clients, and managing projects, the top professionals know how valuable their time is and choose platforms that help them make the most of it.
By streamlining client management and automating tedious tasks, HoneyBook users free up time to focus on what truly matters: growing their business. Kristi DaSilva, Founder and CEO of DaSilva Life, credits HoneyBook for helping her scale her business and build passive income streams.
“With the time I’ve saved using HoneyBook, I’ve been able to diversify my revenue and hit that six-figure milestone,” DaSilva shares. “The right tools can truly make all the difference.”
Get ready to grow your independent business
Join the third of the U.S. workforce working for themselves—with more people opting in every day. Resources like the 2025 Growth Guide empower business owners with the data and insights they need to make informed decisions and turn passion into profit.
