by Robbi James

At Creative Plus Business, our advisors and mentors are industry-leading experts dedicated to helping creative professionals and their businesses succeed. One such expert is Cat Dibley, a creative industries specialist with an impressive background that includes theatre production, strategic project management, grants strategy, and coaching. We sat down with Cat this month to explore her expertise, experience, and to find out what her key advice for creatives in business is today.

Real-World Experience in the Creative Industries

With over 12 years of experience in the creative sector, Cat has worked extensively in theatre, dance, touring, producing, and acting. Her career spans national and international projects, and she has collaborated with major theatre companies and festivals in Australia, Europe, and the United States. Beyond the theatrical world, Cat has worked across a number of creative disciplines including music, visual arts, crafts, screen, and writing. It’s a broad and invaluable toolkit of experience that allows her to provide tailored and tested guidance to artists and creatives across the creative industries spectrum.

A Combination of Creative and Coaching Expertise

Cat is currently completing a Graduate Certificate in Applied Coaching and will soon be accredited with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). This new qualification brings a psychological and holistic approach to her work with Creative Plus Business, giving her the skills to address not just business strategy, but also personal development, life balance, and managing wellbeing. Her approach integrates business coaching with applied psychology, helping clients create comprehensive life and work plans, overcome challenges, and find balance between their artistic passion and business sustainability.

In addition to her coaching expertise, Cat’s time at Create NSW as Manager of Strategic Projects and Engagement, gave her a unique insight into strategic partnerships, negotiation, and government funding. It’s a knowledge base that enables her to help artists navigate the ever-changing complexities of finding financial support for their projects, and building long-term partnerships with the people and organisations that are key to their success.

A Passion for Theatre and Storytelling

At the heart of Cat’s work as a producer is a deep passion for storytelling. She is driven by the transformative power of theatre and the ability of performances to leave a lasting impact on audiences. 

Whether through big issue works – which have always been her main interest as a producer – or joyful, escapist productions that provide relief from daily struggles, Cat believes in the profound ability of theatre to shape perspectives. She predicts that, while theatre will continue to be a platform for social commentary, there will also be a growing demand for uplifting and entertaining experiences as an antidote to the news cycle and the challenges of modern life.

“Theatre is known as the empathy machine and will undoubtedly continue to enlighten, provide voice for the underrepresented, and provoke change. But in such trying times, we can also depend on Dr Theatre to provide a much needed distraction/relief.”

Breaking Down Business Barriers for Creatives

One of the aspects of being an advisor that Cat enjoys most is making business knowledge accessible to artists and creative entrepreneurs. The business world can often feel exclusive, dominated by jargon and corporate culture that alienates many creatives. Cat is passionate about translating business concepts into plain language and creating a welcoming environment where artists feel empowered rather than intimidated.

“Business never comes to the student. The student must come to business. This, along with the assumption/criticism that artists can’t use their left brain, results in most artists giving up before they’ve even begun despite their motivation to run their own business.”

Having successfully raised over $4.5 million in funding, sponsorships, and partnerships in just four years, Cat understands the challenges of navigating the business landscape. She has seen many creatives struggle with imposter syndrome, feeling excluded or doubted in business settings. Through her work at Creative Plus Business, she helps creatives gain confidence in their entrepreneurial abilities, ensuring they have the tools and support to run sustainable and thriving businesses.

Success Is Subjective

“I didn’t necessarily feel I was taken seriously when I started in business – and sometimes still don’t and feel the imposter syndrome lurking over my shoulder. And yet, I have run businesses for a decade now. Successfully! I have raised more than $4.5 million in funding, sponsorship and partnerships in just 4 years. My clients have raised tens of thousands of dollars in funding and coveted development awards in hyper competitive markets.”

It’s this understanding of the way creatives view and measure success for themselves that helps inform an empathetic and holistic approach to her coaching. And it pays off. Over the past four years her clients have developed projects that have received Screen Australia enterprise funding, Creative Australia awards, City of Sydney innovation funding, and resulted in the development of new stage work that has gone on to engage markets nationally and in New York. One recent client is even about to premiere a new work co-created with AI at Melbourne Comedy Festival and has secured a major Director development placement at a main stage theatre company.

Cat in her former life as an actor; and in her Sydney studio.

A Client-Centred Approach to Coaching

Cat’s coaching philosophy is rooted in a client-centred approach. Contrary to the misconception that coaching involves dictating solutions, she believes that the best expert on what is right for a client is the client themselves. Her method involves creating a judgment-free environment, providing feedback based on observations, and using scientifically-backed approaches to guide clients through problem-solving and change. She takes the time to understand each client’s individual aspirations and challenges, tailoring her support to their unique needs.

Advice for Aspiring Creative Entrepreneurs

“Think about your goals and dreams for the long term. Where do you want to be in 5-10 years time? What life are you building and what big, hairy, audacious goals do you have in mind for yourself? Focussing on long term goals gives meaning and direction to the smaller, more immediate goals you might set. They represent the “why” behind the “what” and offer several key benefits:”  

These key benefits include: 

• Increased Motivation and Commitment – Understanding how daily tasks contribute to a larger, more meaningful purpose helps sustain motivation.
• Enhanced Focus and Prioritization – A clear long-term vision and framework enables better decision-making and prevents distractions from competing priorities.
• Greater Sense of Purpose and Fulfilment – Connecting daily work to a bigger purpose you’ll feel like you’re contributing to something bigger than yourself.
• Improved Resilience and Perseverance – When setbacks occur, higher-order goals can help you bounce back more quickly by providing a sense of perspective.
• Alignment with Values and Identity – Pursuing meaningful goals helps make sure that your work aligns with what truly matters to you. 
• Long-Term Strategic Thinking – A well-defined vision promotes innovation and proactive career development.

Cat believes that by anchoring your creative work to a strong long-term vision, artists and creative entrepreneurs can build more fulfilling and sustainable careers. Her mission is to equip them with the confidence, knowledge, and tools they need to thrive in an ever-evolving creative landscape.

Cat’s dedication to breaking down barriers on the business side of our creative lives, combined with her holistic coaching approach, makes her one of our most popular and innovative advisors and mentors. By empowering creatives with knowledge, strategies, and confidence, she is helping to shape a stronger and more resilient arts ecology.

___

Keen to know more about how you could book up to 8 hours of free advice, guidance, and mentoring with Cat? If you’re based in NSW you can do this now through Service NSW Business Connect. If you’re elsewhere get in touch with our team at hello@creativeplusbusiness.com.

Visit our Business Connect page to learn more about the program or get in touch with Creative Plus Business team for tailored help.