Twice a month, for one year (July 2023-June 2024), the mentees will meet virtually (Zoom) as a group with mentors Lisa and Emily.
Basic requirements:
- You currently live in the United States. (Citizenship is not required.)
- You are a self-employed artist and business owner; you might work part-time doing something else, but you do not have another full-time job.
- You have a developed, unique artistic voice and style.
- You have a large body of illustration and/or lettering work, and you have product ideas based on that work.
- You currently sell products featuring your work to customers online, to retailers at wholesale, or a combination. And/or, you take illustration commissions from clients and license your illustrations. Experience in both of these areas is not required.
- You are interested in learning more about both successfully building the illustration and licensing arm of your business, and successfully manufacturing and selling your work in the marketplace.
This mentoring program may be a great place for you if the majority of these apply:
- You’ve reached the limit of your own knowledge on how to further develop your illustration or licensing portfolio and how to reach art directors or licensors.
- You’d like to sell your work retail and/or wholesale, and you’re trying to navigate how to best approach it.
- You’re trying to decide what sales and marketing channels are best to promote your work or products.
- You want help with sourcing the right manufacturers to make products from your art, and/or with making decisions about manufacturing.
- You need to improve or implement systems for things like inventory management or customer service.
- You’re unsure of the best practices for working with editors, art directors and art licensors, especially bigger brands.
- You’re unsure of what to pay attention to in a publishing, illustration and licensing contract and you need advice on negotiating.
- You’re unsure of what to charge for your work when you get an opportunity.
- You need support around hiring and/or managing an employee or employees, or figuring out what to do yourself vs. what to hire someone to do.
- You want to figure out how to streamline and simplify, and what your priorities are, not only for the business, but for the kind of life you want.
- You need support in managing your time, your priorities, and your dual role as business owner and artist.
This is likely not the right fit for you if…
- You’re still working out your artistic voice and style.
- You haven’t yet made the leap to full-time.
- You’d like to be an illustrator, license your work, or create new products from your art, but you don’t have a solid body of work yet.
- You own a product-based business that works with artists, but you are not an artist yourself.