Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in arts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Vanessa Gilbert, Founder of Vanessa Studio Art, located in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am a Canadian painter who practices abstract fluid-type art. I mainly paint on canvases but also on wood panels. My clients are art admirers or interior design lovers between the ages of 30 and 50.

Tell us about yourself

As an interior designer by training, I have been immersed in the art world for several years. However, the interior design lacked this handmade and free-of-creation side that blooms in me constantly. Independent, I always knew that one day I would have my own company and have the flexibility of an entrepreneur while having the opportunity to create without limits. Thus, I started after seeing that today artists can be entrepreneurs without necessarily going through galleries.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I am so grateful to meet other entrepreneurs like me from various backgrounds and to be able to collaborate and exchange with them. I create strong links with people who, without Vanessa Studio Art, would never have been part of my life.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

The most difficult part of entrepreneurship is to have financial stability. In a few months, I can end up with several custom orders and run out of time, having those other months will have almost no sales. It's about finding a path to have a cash flow.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Perseverance: You must never give up. You will hear people around you say that it is too difficult what you try to do, but you must know how to continue and retain the positive, even in the negative. •
  2. To want is to can: You have to believe it. Believe in yourself and in your company. Even today, I am not where I would like to be, but I continue to believe it. By thinking about it, you end up attracting what you really want.
  3. Listening: Listen to other entrepreneurs' stories, new ideas, and podcasts that stimulate and feed you, and above all, listen to yourself. Sometimes we must make heartbreaking decisions, but our little inner voice will often guide us.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.vanessastudioart.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanessastudioart
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessastudioart/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VSAgilbert
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessastudioart/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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