Art Business

26 Tips For Starting A Successful Art Business (2024)

Pat Walls

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Updated: January 19th, 2023

Want to start your own art business? Here are some tips you should know:

Learn more about starting an art business:

Where to start?

-> How much does it cost to start an art business?
-> Pros and cons of an art business

Need inspiration?

-> Other art business success stories
-> Marketing ideas for an art business
-> Art business slogans
-> Art business names
-> Art business Instagram bios
-> Art business Instagram captions

Other resources

-> Profitability of an art business
-> Blog post ideas for an art business
-> Art business quotes

We've interviewed thousands of successful founders at Starter Story and asked what advice they would give to entrepreneurs who are just getting started.

Here's the best advice we discovered for starting an art business:

#1: Emily Sayer, founder of Stib:

We chatted with with Emily, founder of Stib ($/month). In our interview, Emily says:

Learn to walk alongside doubt. If you wait for the doubt to pass, you’ll standstill. Even on the bad days, just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Additionally:

Don’t get overly attached to one way of doing something in the early days - stay open to change and pay attention to common themes that arise from both informal and formal feedback.

Read the full interview ➜

#2: Jack Gao, founder of Marblebee Ltd:

We chatted with with Jack, founder of Marblebee Ltd ($10K/month). In our interview, Jack says:

The turning point came when we began working with a professional SEO company. They have a larger team to manage our extensive website and have provided a comprehensive strategy for our brand and marketing plans.

Additionally:

Maintain a strong focus on managing your cash flow. It is essential to continually invest your cash flow into addressing the most urgent or obvious bottlenecks in your business operations.

Read the full interview ➜

#3: Çağrı Ayten, founder of Hoagard.com:

We chatted with with Çağrı, founder of Hoagard.com ($415K/month). In our interview, Çağrı says:

A startup with a good idea, the right team, and a solid strategy will lead you to great results.

Additionally:

It is very important to consider branding as a whole. From design and R&D departments to the shipping company we work with, good steps should be taken to bring the brand to a better place.

Read the full interview ➜

#4: Justin Erickson, founder of Justin Erickson Art:

We chatted with with Justin, founder of Justin Erickson Art ($876/month). In our interview, Justin says:

You won't grow until you become comfortable with failure. It’s a large part of the entrepreneurial journey.

Read the full interview ➜

#5: Sarah Miller, founder of Sarah Paints Pets:

We chatted with with Sarah, founder of Sarah Paints Pets ($3.5K/month). In our interview, Sarah says:

Understanding the WHY of what you’re doing is the most important thing. Your purpose will guide you forward because without having to question yourself, you are free from fear and doubt holding you back.

Additionally:

Find your community. Chances are your friends and family have “normal jobs” and aren’t going to understand what you’re going through. It is incredibly motivated to be part of a community with similar dreams.

Read the full interview ➜

#6: Ursula Barton, founder of URSULA BARTON:

We chatted with with Ursula, founder of URSULA BARTON ($3K/month). In our interview, Ursula says:

I learned more about myself and about business in those six months than I learned in four years of college.

Additionally:

When you have a goal that is bigger than just you and your needs, it becomes easier to do the hard work you don’t want to do, and there is a lot of that when you own your own business.

Read the full interview ➜

#7: Justin Erickson, founder of Justin Erickson Art:

We chatted with with Justin, founder of Justin Erickson Art ($876/month). In our interview, Justin says:

Since our last interview with Starter Story, we have experienced a 186% growth in profits. I hope to see that trend continue into 2022.

Additionally:

A single piece of work should create multiple streams of revenue. Be it through print sales, licensing agreements, or small products.

Read the full interview ➜

#8: Sarah Hickey , founder of Innerglow Art:

We chatted with with Sarah, founder of Innerglow Art ($4.3K/month). In our interview, Sarah says:

When strangers were noticing my art and asked if I had a website, business card, etc., it really pushed me to start the business.

Additionally:

Big dreams start out small and they start with making one decision each day towards your goal.

Read the full interview ➜

#9: David Cruickshank, founder of Twisted Boards:

We chatted with with David, founder of Twisted Boards ($1K/month). In our interview, David says:

"You know what would be cool? Is if I could make a dry erase board out of my face."

Additionally:

After watching a few YouTube videos, I decided I was going to try to build a vacuum thermo-molding machine in my basement to mold plastic sheet and try to make the board.

Further:

Out of frustration, I yelled, "How can this be so hard?! They make car parts in Michigan!" And with that, I decided to fly to Michigan and find a car parts manufacturer.

Also:

There is a whole "underworld" that exists to exploit you in your early stages of business. Everything from insurance to marketing.

Read the full interview ➜

#10: Ursula Barton, founder of URSULA BARTON:

We chatted with with Ursula, founder of URSULA BARTON ($3K/month). In our interview, Ursula says:

When you support the small businesses in your community don’t be shy to work together, share resources, and promote one another.

Read the full interview ➜

#11: Scott Wood, founder of Mapply:

We chatted with with Scott, founder of Mapply ($15K/month). In our interview, Scott says:

Even if sales dropped to zero tomorrow I would be happy with what I’ve learned along the way about business and growing a small lifestyle brand. It's been a great ride so far.

Additionally:

We all want to make money and do big things, but unless you genuinely like what you do, I don’t think it's possible to be fully invested as you need to be to get good traction and continue to drive growth.

Read the full interview ➜

#12: Justin Erickson, founder of Justin Erickson Art:

We chatted with with Justin, founder of Justin Erickson Art ($876/month). In our interview, Justin says:

It is so important to become part of your local community. I’m introverted so I wish I learned this one a bit faster. I have gotten more work from attending random events and talking to people than I have through digital marketing or social media.

Additionally: