Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in fine arts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with DJ Block, owner of Art Lovers Gallery, located in Kelowna, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Art Lovers Gallery in Western Canada's ONLY authorized Art of Dr. Seuss Gallery! We are proud to share the stories, sell the limited editions that appreciate over time, and be part of a legacy that still lives on after 20 years.
My customers are those that appreciate investment art as it appreciates for them. They are art lovers that want to be inspired every day by fond memories of storytelling through iconic and whimsical artworks. We cross borders with iconic International and Okanagan artworks. When you walk into my gallery, you are greeted with a warm heart and a friendly smile every time!
Tell us about yourself
I come from a background in event/meeting planning, never imagining I would own an art gallery when I first moved to Kelowna. I assumed I would get back into the event industry as I had in Alberta. Instead, I landed up in sales, which led me to work for a gallery owner in the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort Hotel.
After a year of learning all about The Art of Dr. Seuss, I took over the gallery lease when the current owner wanted to shut the doors. I got my own Seuss license and purchased my own collection so I could continue the legacy of Dr. Seuss in Western Canada. I've discovered I love storytelling more than executing logistics! I brought in other iconic International artworks and supported local Okanagan Artists alongside Dr. Seuss.
What motivates me each day is bringing smiles to faces that want to remember their childhood stories or discover the joy and inspiration of Dr. Seuss for the first time.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is running the business successfully for over two years through the world global pandemic we've gone through. I've kept my clients happy, created new ones, and kept the doors open through huge financial upheaval.
I've also created a strong female team in the gallery that has the same core values and upholds my standards of professionalism. Two of my team members are my own two daughters! This is a dream come true. One does my social media calendar, and the other is starting in sales. And last but not least, I have overcome my fear, to step out and shine my own light.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things I've encountered being a self-employed businesswoman is learning to work with the ups and down of working in sales. It all rests on connecting with people and understanding how they feel than focusing on tasks and logistics. I've had to shift my own mindset strategies in the process, which has been a good exercise in changing my perspective about business practices. I've stretched and grown more into who I always knew I was meant to be through my business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be open-minded to new ideas. Staying stagnant does not allow new energy to flow into your business.
- Develop and trust your intuition. The facts are always important when making decisions, but tuning into your intuition will set your course in a balanced way.
- Always be experimenting. Don't take things at face value.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.artlovers.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artloversgalleryandtours
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artloversgallerytours/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lovers_gallery
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/art-lovers-gallery-tours/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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