Always Be a Student

I believe I've mentioned that one of the secrets to my success is showing up. Sometimes I mean this literally as in all of the events I attend to support and stay in touch with our local art scene. With that said, showing up can also be more figurative. Trying. Learning. Continually developing your skills. Plenty of people are happy to stick with one big idea and never push the boundaries. Perhaps they’re scared of the "what if’s". What if I’m not good at this new technique? What if I don’t learn it as quickly as others? What if my customers aren’t interested in something new? These are all valid points, but that shouldn’t stop you from testing the waters. You’ll never know otherwise. People who stick with the status quo usually do ok, but if you really want to have a full professional life, you should never stop learning. Ideally you pursue things with the greatest likelihood of benefiting your business, but there’s nothing wrong with little creative tangents to keep your juices flowing. Whatever your reasoning or motivation, I highly recommend making time for professional development throughout the year to keep growing as an artist and entrepreneur.

The Secret to Success as an Artist

If you're reading this, it's likely that you have or want to start a creative business and make a living off your Art. Let me first say Congratulations! I've always loved Photography, but it took me a while to fully dedicate myself to this passion, and now I get to do meaningful work every day!

The most important thing I believe we all need to know as Artists, the secret to finding success as a self-employed handmade business owner is ... There is no one-size-fits-all solution.