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Chapter one of the physical storefront era: completed
This October, I paid off my physical storefront in Holly MI. I officially own the building! I’ve been selling woven jacquard tapestries, art prints, woven tote bags, pillows and more on a seasonal basis there. My revenue has skyrocketed and my vision for my career has expanded tenfold. Let’s talk about the last 3 years and my journey establishing myself in this chapter of the art business. Adding an art business to my art business You could say I stumbled upon the opportunity to buy another existing art business by being in the right place at the right time, but anyone who has stumbled upon an opportunity that they took…
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Three areas every working artist must focus on – in order
You’re done being a hobby artist. If you decided today to officially put your ALL into your career as an artist, what would that look like? There are three phases every working artist masters. You’ll focus on these three things (in order): NOT THE ONLY, BUT THE BEST WAY Before we get into details about the phases, I want to mention that I used to have a different take on the process of becoming an artist. In this article, First four steps to take to become an artist, I talk about how the first things you should do are make it known, make a sale, sell at an art show,…
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Should you DIY, outsource, or invest in education?
Artists are creative entrepreneurs. In the beginning that can mean juggling all parts of your business solo. And there are A LOT of moving parts. Handling all them all with grace is ideal. There are different ways to handle each piece of your art business. Sometimes it’s best to learn how to do a task all by yourself. That’s DIY. And sometimes it’s best to pay someone else to do it for you, also known as outsourcing. Other situations call for a mix of the two: paying someone to teach you how to do it faster. Learning art business is split into these three paths. Let’s talk about it. Best…
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What I stopped doing in my art business
Quick question: remember the things you used to do alllll the time that you can’t imagine doing today? Like eating a whole tin of frosting from the jar in one sitting or doing unknown drugs with a strange man twice your age. Yikes, right? Well this post is about that. But in an art business way. There are some things I simply don’t do anymore while running an art business and couldn’t imagine doing the way I used to. Let’s talk about it. Using physical tracking tools for art sales I stopped using pen and paper to keep track of sales. Now I use online tools which work way faster.…
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Fears you have of being a full-time artist (that aren’t true)
Since becoming a full-time artist in 2021, I hear a lot of other artists project their fears about it onto me. Many of these creatives also want to go full-time, but they’re simply afraid that something bad might happen if they do. Today I’m going to dispel a few of these fears so you can move forward with your art journey and know that it’s possible for you, too. “I won’t be able to keep up with demand” This fear is the equivalent to a physical trainer hearing someone say, “I just don’t want to get too bulky in my shoulders.” It assumes that it will be so quick and…
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Big 5 lessons from traveling full-time as a solopreneur
Running an art business while traveling full time is an absolute trip – figuratively and actually. I was on the road for over two years while operating A Cup of Cloudy as a solo entrepreneur, and I learned a few lessons with my traveling business that will be helpful for all artists. When I quit my day job, I focused on increasing revenue AND cutting expenses drastically. For us that meant selling all our belongings, leaving our rental house, and moving into a tiny home. My husband and our two dogs lived in a travel trailer and then transitioned into hotel-hopping in the second year. We saw so much of…
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Financial basics for your creative side hustle
Many artists begin making art as a hobby, which transitions into a creative side hustle after they hear, “could I buy that off you?” enough times. Once artists get comfortable with selling, the call of becoming a full time artist gets louder. This article is for artists anywhere on this spectrum – all of us must learn how to track the money we spend, make, and hold. Let’s get into financial basics. Revenue Revenue is the money that you receive from selling your art. It’s any income generated by your art business. This can include commissions, accessories, shipping fees, tax you collect from customers, etc. Any money that comes IN…
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Avoid these 6 mistakes in your online art shop
SELL MORE, SERVE MORE. Sell art online this year by avoiding a few simple errors – errors that are often overlooked. Artists have a lot to manage in their creative businesses and an online art shop is just one part of it. But to sell art online is to give your creative business a way to scale! So let’s tackle a few common mistakes you might be making so you can get to scaling instead. I recommend selling your artwork at in-person shows first before creating your website. Read this article here to learn why art shows move your art journey along faster. Paying too many fees Making a good…
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Challenges of a traveling artist: receiving mail
BUSINESS ON THE ROAD Getting things shipped to you on the road is tough. Of course like everyone, I need my tax info, products for my business, my skincare supplements, and anything else important to me to come in the mail. But when you’re a traveling artist road tripping around the country in an RV, you don’t exactly have a mailing address. So what do I do? Here are some solutions and a rundown of their pros and cons. PO BOXES I can always set up a PO Box, but it’s not a perfect solution. For one, it adds to my long list of things to do before I move. When…
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8 Mistakes you might be making as an artist
Everyone makes mistakes. But not everyone corrects themselves. Being a working artist comes with challenges, and you’ll have a few of your own to overcome. It’s all good as long as you bounce back! Be sure to set yourself straight after realizing you may be doing one of these 8 things: 1. Not embracing artistpreneurship In other words, if you’re learning how to sell art then you need to learn the art of sales. An artist who makes money from their art is an entrepreneur and a business owner! Embrace the world of sales, systems, legal setup, website tech, and the business of setting up shop. Ignoring these things can…
