Do you want to make a living from making art? Do you want to build a financially rewarding creative career? It’s 100% possible to make a good living from selling your artwork – check out some of our alumni success stories for inspiration. And you’re in the right place: we’ve got tons of tips and advice from art agent Lilla and our other brilliant teachers, lots of info in our freebies library, and raved-about online courses that will increase your knowledge, grow your art, and fill your portfolio.
Today we’re sharing some of art agent Lilla’s top tips on how to be a super successful creative entrepreneur – and she should know. Lilla has run her innovative art agency, Lilla Rogers Studio, for 26 years. Before she was an art agent, she got a degree in fine art and a second degree in illustration, then worked as a full-time illustrator in NYC for over a decade, landing gigs for Anna Wintour, the Grammies, the New York Times and Levi’s.
As well as being an innovative educator, she has also mentored internationally renowned artists; has lectured at venues such as ICON: the Illustration Conference, Printsource NY, art colleges and corporations; has written a book, I Just Like to Make Things; and currently writes a column for Uppercase magazine. All told, she has decades of experience in the creative industry, and boatloads of wisdom to share.
Here are Lilla’s 14 tips on how to be a super successful creative entrepreneur:
1. Be honest about what you suck at and delegate it or learn to do it.
2. Put on music, make a nice cup of tea, and just do that thing you have to do that you don’t want to.
3. Ask loads of questions. Listen. Learn. Don’t know everything.
4. Do more of what fascinates you.
5. Your mind is your biggest asset. Respect it. Read more here.
6. It’s all about niche. What makes you quirky? You’re not alone. Others will want it.
7. Do things you love that have nothing to do with making money. Read more here.
Some of Lilla’s illustrations from her career as an illustrator: for the Grammies (left) and Chronicle Books.
8. Help others. Have empathy. Give.
9. Meditate and move. That’s where your genius ideas will come from.
10. Always have something to write on to jot down your ideas.
12. Know your top three priorities all times. (Not sure what your top three priorities are? MATS MBA (Money BadAss) can help you focus.)
13. Just get really good at something, and then find out who needs it. Then show it to them.
14. People buy your joy!
Lots of love
The Make Art That Sells team xxx
