4 Lessons Artists Can Learn From Startup Gurus

Are you an Artist Entrepreneur? Yes, I just said "Artist Entrepreneur". I know, right? Could there be two pursuits that are more polar opposites? One pursuit is driven by the heart, passion, and devotion to a craft. The other is dominated by numbers, profits, losses, business plans and spreadsheets. It is easy to slip into this binary mindset. But from our experience Jake and I have discovered that the very best entrepreneurs are the ones who treat their business like an art. And conversely, the most successful artists are the one’s who treat their art like a business.

We certainly are not suggesting that you “sell out” your artistic integrity in the pursuit of the almighty dollar… far from it. But there are some important lessons we indie artists can learn from entrepreneurs if we wish to see our art become more than just a hobby or side-job. Here are four simple tips that Jake and I have carried over from the world of business that have taken our “art-business” from good to great!

1. If you want your art to be your job, treat your art like your job!

This is a very simple concept. If you have a full time job, you know you are expected to put in about 8 hours a day, five days a week to earn your paycheck. Well, if you want your art to be your job, consider putting a similar hour requirement on your artwork. This may sound like a small gesture but the results can be amazing. 40 hours a week is A LOT of time! Some of us can only spend so many hours practicing guitar or painting. What are you going to do when your fingers cramp up and you are ready to throw your canvas out the window? Call it a day? NO! You have an hour quota to meet. You need to fill those hours with something. This can be the time you work on marketing, build that new website, and form promotional partnerships. An hour quota forces you to find work to do. You will be shocked at how much this can change your life in as little as 30 days.

2. Create a Business Plan!

You may have art and you may occasionally find ways to monetize it. But if you don’t have a business plan, you don’t have a business. You are a boat adrift in the ocean without a rudder. If you want to see progress you need a business plan to set your course and set milestones for success. In it’s simplest form a business plan is a written document that spells out your art-business goals and exactly how you will hit those goals. Your goals must be measurable and have deadlines. Don’t be shy with this. Most artists we consult with achieve the objectives of their business plan only to realize that they set their goals WAY too low!

3. Build and manage an email list!

In the world of sales (especially online sales), your mailing list is your most valuable asset. Consider how much more successful an ad or promotion will be when targeted at a group of people who have already expressed an interest in your art, than say an ad or promotion that is targeted at the entire internet! Remember, your website should have two primary functions. It should capture emails and create sales… that’s it!  Find a system for capturing emails and then use that list accordingly. You can capture emails at live events as well. Nothing gives a business more vitality and growth than a tribe of loyal supporters. Know who your tribe members are and have a method for communicating with them.

4. Seek training that takes you out of your comfort zone!

Entrepreneurs know that their are lots of people out there who are smarter than them. No one person holds all the pieces they need to put together the perfect “startup puzzle”. That is why Jake and I constantly seek out the best training we can find. We have taken courses in online marketing, public speaking, finance, social media and more. Entrepreneurs have to wear a lot of hats, and so do Artist Entrepreneurs! Seriously, how can you expect yourself to run an effective art business if you have never read a business book or taken a business course? How much money do you think you will waste by blindly trying to figure out some of this stuff on your own? Do yourself a favor and learn from the best!

In conclusion, I would like to challenge you to add “Entrepreneur” to the end of your “Artist” identity. You owe it to yourself and to your craft. After All, the better you are at running a successful art business, the more artistic and financial freedom you will experience every day. And who doesn’t want that? Get started by claiming your free copy of our new book "Art to Income" over at https://arttoincome.com/free-book. Until next time... may your days be happy, may your skies be blue and may your art create income!

Kenny Ballentine

Co-Founder of Independent Artist Day and Art to Income