If you don’t think that you’re fit to be an entrepreneur just because you’re more a “creative type,” well think again. Entrepreneurship isn’t all logic; it’s also part intuition—giving creatives, such as yourself, a considerable advantage.


But now you’re probably thinking, “How do I even begin?” Starting any business can always be challenging, even for seasoned entrepreneurs. 


That’s why I’m here to show you the first steps you can take to start your very own art business (even without entrepreneurial experience). 


  1. Find your purpose. 

The very first step is to reflect — what do you want to achieve from all this? How do you want your art to impact society? What do you want your future to look like?


Your goals and your purpose are your business compass, the foundation of it all. So grab a pen and a notebook and lay all your dreams out on paper. 


  1. Put a spotlight on your skillset and start making prototypes.

Creating art that you love is great, but building a successful business requires that you make sales—that’s why improving your skillset is the next thing to do. 


Take time to practice and refine your skills. It’s a great way to spend your time anyways — create samples and ask people around you, like family or friends, to give their feedback. 


  1. Get to know your audience.

Whose lives do you want to touch with your creations? It’s crucial to pinpoint the type of people who would appreciate your artistic style — that’s your niche or target audience. 


Do some solid research to find your niche. Promote to the right people. Having a clear idea about who your audience is can help you later on as you develop your art business plan. 


  1. Work out your finances. 

Early on, it’s ideal that you have an idea about your finances and future expenses. At this point, it doesn’t have to be too detailed, but it’s good to have a head start.


List down all of the materials that your future business will need, scout different suppliers (for more options), and write down their initial prices. 


Work out the details later as you make a formal business plan.  


  1. Get to know your competitors.

Checking out the competition can help you get an idea of what’s working and what’s not working in your industry. You can study your competitor’s process and you can either benchmark or find ways on how you can innovate to stand out. 


Your competition is a rich source of data — their price point, target audience, messaging, and resources—all of which you can use to build your business the right way. 


  1. Start developing your business plan.

Now you’re ready to dive in and get more technical. Your business plan is your roadmap to success — it consists of all the details you need to see your business’s viability. 


It covers all aspects of your future business giving you the clarity you need to move forward and make sound decisions. Starting a business is huge and having a plan can help keep you focused. 


Conclusion


Being creative is a blessing — having the ability to create beautiful pieces of art is a superpower. Your artistic ideas are not meant to sit idly in your head; they’re meant to be shared with the world. 


Starting a business can be scary but you don’t have to see the entire staircase immediately, you can always do things one step at a time. Simply follow the steps above and hopefully soon you’ll become a proud owner of your own art business.