Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in fine arts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michael Kirby, founder of Murals of Baltimore, located in Baltimore, MD, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Murals of Baltimore, LLC is a business I started in 2005 after returning to the United States from living abroad for ten years prior as a street artist. The goal of Murals of Baltimore is to allow me and my employees to work for government agencies and corporations in creating public art such as murals, statues, mosaics, and more. Our clients have included the Smithsonian Institute, World Bank, and General Service Administration.
Tell us about yourself
I first got started in public art and street art in 1995 when I moved to Italy and began drawing on the streets of Florence with chalk pastels. I worked as a street artist in Europe for eight years and then two years in Mexico. In 2004 I moved back to the United States, and my wife became pregnant with our first child. The art world can be very finicky and not very reliable, so I wanted to build something that could last and withstand the ups and downs of an art career, so I founded Murals of Baltimore. My goal in having a business was to create something that I could support my children with, send them to college, and be in their lives daily.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Running a company full-time has many different accomplishments. It seems that each new job, no matter what the budget is or who the client may be, is our next big thing and our biggest accomplishment. Most artists enjoy the process, and once a work of art is complete, the job is done, and the joy of creation is lost. I seldom reflect on past work, and 99% of the time, I am planning on the future. But I can say that one of my biggest accomplishments is building a business that has supported my children and allowed them to be what they want to be.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The most difficult thing for me as a business owner is the waiting game. I am naturally a person that gets an idea and runs with it until it is completed. When my company and I must work for a client, there is always a waiting period of some sort, whether waiting on a payment, approval, or permission, which forces me to hold up and sit on an idea. At times it can become frustrating because I have a clear picture in my head of the end product while the client is being held up with something that is out of my control.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
My first tip is to have a vision or plan. Make sure what you plan on providing is needed in the market or community you wish to serve. The next tip I recommend is to have a close group of people that you trust that you can bounce ideas off, and they will give you honest answers with constructive criticism. And lastly, make sure it is something you would do even if you are not being paid for it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.muralsofbaltimore.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/muralsofbaltimore
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/murals_of_baltimore/
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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