“You keep innovating and streamlining your ideas, success will follow, today or tomorrow. Artist & Entrepreneur Nazia shares her story.
We don’t have to tell you that Covid-19 Pandemic has made life of an artist and entrepreneur tough. Working long hours, constantly changing and innovating things and obsessing over the smallest little details, accepting rejections again and again, struggling financially. Then, you start thinking, why do we do it?
Because there is NO other way for us, the concept/idea has got into our blood, our DNA. But again, the mood swings of the business we’re in, keeps on discouraging us to an extent of dreaming about those bachelorhood days.
Never give up! Being a startup and a 1st generation entrepreneur is challenging but the rewards are just out of the world. There is no greater feeling than watching your dream piece come to life just the way you wanted or being astonished and amazed at how well your work has been received at your latest exhibitions and fairs. Imagine yourself you are NOW at a place sharing the stage with the BIG tycoons.
Can you talk about your startup? How did you manage during the Pandemic?
As a startup, my company, Lovely Obsessionz was incorporated in the year 2015 and since then we never looked back. From initially doing trading of GIFT items imported from Chinese market which constituted 80% of the gifting sector, now the entire business is transformed to trading of Local Art and Craft items, corporate and individual.
This pandemic, we closed 2 stores, couldn’t manage paying RENT and staff payment.
While we continued bootstrapping about future prospects, the idea of ‘Gift Basket” with locally made health food items and Art/Craft along with ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ note popped up. We started these concept and worked with few corporate and individuals who were looking for ‘Return Gifts’ to their special guests, invited in less numbers.
This is the time, innovating more with more locally procured items to put in the basket worked well. The client even appreciated the move that it’s not just Quality of the product but also was promoting the Artists and SHG’s who were having a tough time earning the livelihood.
What support you are getting from the Govt. bodies?
At present we don’t look out for much support from fostering agencies or Government but definitely would like to say this with pride that ‘Lot of support is coming from local startups and entrepreneurs.’ They are too liberal in terms of sharing and collaborating for a common GOAL of achieving through Self-Help.
We are definitely looking for more support and assistance post Pandemic from the State and Central government. We are in touch with them.
What would you say to artists and local SHG units who have gone hopeless? What advice would you give them?
We would say to other artists that Lovely Obsessionz, as an organization truly recognize their efforts and would be working hand in hand to market and promote their creativity. As a matter of fact they should also start thinking of getting more creative and innovative, producing more Quality of finished goods. Our team has a lot of experience and long contact lists and your art will be looked at by collectors, art lovers, and the general population.
But part of the responsibility to continue to work hard, not only on the creations but marketing and sales, remains with the artist.
Making great artwork is half of the equation; the other half is putting it in front of the right people. Being an artist is a full-time job and then some. Ups and downs will make you stronger and more efficient in the long run.
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