Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sharon Hoffman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Sharon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Persistence. There are many quotes about persistence and success. One of my favorite quotes is by Calvin Coolidge: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
Becoming a Veterinary Dental Specialist took decades of studying. testing, practice, and long hours dedicated to all three. Life happens during those years to discourage, exhaust, and confound. I was told that my goals and aspirations were set too high. Too high for whom? Too high for what? One of my monochrome images is entitled “Stalwart”. The definition of stalwart is to be marked by outstanding strength and vigor of body, mind, and spirit. The image is of a palm tree that was at the top of a dune one day. A couple days later, after erosion, it was at the bottom of the dune, still upright with its entire root ball exposed! Be stalwart. Be resilient. Be persistent.
There are obstacles in the path of any business. In another monochrome image entitled “Obstacles”, there are multiple driftwood sculptures at the beach that prevent a straight path. The footprints show us that there are ways around obstacles. Expect them along the way. Go around, climb over, or wait for the tide to recede.
Both businesses have a similar purpose: to bring smiles to faces. Both provide quality of life. In my patients, I relieve their pain, improving their quality of life. For pet parents, they can smile again when their pets are comfortable. I also bring smiles to people that live and work in places with my coastal murals. I bring them to the beach by bringing the beach to them.
Another of my coastal images entitled “Storm on the Horizon” tells a story in monochrome or color. There is sunshine on the beach and a storm on the horizon. Business and life are like this. You have either just come out of a stormy phase, are in the midst of a storm, or there is one out there on your horizon. I am reminded of the Bible story in Matthew (chapter 8) and Mark (chapter 4) in which Jesus calms the storm. Sometimes He calms the storm and sometimes he calms the person during the storm.
My coastal photography teaches persistence and resilience in business and life. My businesses bring smiles to faces. My passion is to do both. What could be more successful?
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Coastal Fine Photo is my photography business. I grew up spending summers on the Jersey shore. Travel destinations include places where I am on the water, in and under the water, or near the water. I often revisit local beaches season after season and year after year. It is never the same place twice. Storms, salt air, wind, erosion, and tides create new driftwood sculptures at each visit. I began to appreciate how the elements polished the driftwood to a smooth metallic finish. So I had some of my work printed on metal. The first image on metal was entitled “Still Life in Motion”. People that saw this art, told me that I should sell it! Years forward, it is award-winning and a best seller on metal and as a custom wallpaper mural. I am mostly self-taught and am thankful for the mentors I have had and continue to have on my photography journey. Some of the many masters I admire are Ansel Adams, Clyde Butcher., and Alison Shaw.
You won’t find many sunrises or sunsets in my collection. Instead you will find things that most people walk by without noticing. What is happening at the water’s edge where wave meets sand or rock? What highlights are present in the driftwood and what shadows are created in the sand? What reflections are there in tide pools? What do you see from the coastal path far above the shoreline? What do the clouds and weather look like?
I bring the viewer to the beach. And I bring the beach to the viewer.
My art touches the soul essence of people living on the coast, traveling to the coast, or those that grew up near the coast. It is available in the following formats: paper prints, canvas prints, metal prints and custom mural wallpaper. My work is showcased at Coastal Cottage of Amelia on Amelia Island in Florida and at www.coastalfinephoto.com. I have several Pacific coast selections on my website. You can also follow-me on Facebook and Instagram (@coastalfinephoto). Another of my best sellers is featured in a chapter on excursions in the travel guide entitled: Ameilia Island’s Happy Places. I am most proud of the custom mural wallpaper of my coastal art. It makes a dramatic impression in home or office. A mural extends the feeling of the space in a room beyond the wall. You literally feel like you can step onto the sand! I am looking forward to offering commissioned photography on any coast.
How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.
I joined Artstorefronts (ASF) this year. After two years of managing my own photography website and hiring IT help as needed to help me update it and troubleshoot it, I realized I was exhausted, not enjoying it, and online sales were abysmal compared to instore purchases. I learned that marketing was not my skill nor my passion. I am a creative. I wanted to spend my limited hours creating my art. My photography business is also my side hustle. I have patients to care for and surgery to perform in my other life.
The pros of hiring ASF to build my new website, fulfill purchases, manage my social media calendar and posts monthly, provide technical and marketing help as needed, and to track growth has been worth the investment. Online sales have increased.
While there are still many marketing tasks that I need to complete, I have found a balance. I enjoy creating blogs, instagram reels and stills and am taking an Instagram course in the time I never had before. Finding the support team you need is essential. I wish that I had not spent two years trying to do this on my own.
The cons are that marketing trends and algorithms change weekly (as it seems). There is a lot of noise out there with content creators telling you to do it their way and everyone else is wrong. Who do you listen to? Today’s trend is tomorrow’s history. Find a team you can work with and who will work with you.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
I am switching to my Dr. Hoffman coat as a Veterinary Dental Specialist to answer this question. There are about 200 such specialists in the world. So my clientele seek me. As a Doctor providing a quality of life service, the most effective way to grow clientele is by word-of-mouth. The kindness I show people and their pets begins in the exam room with empathy and concern. I spend a lot of time listening, educating, and answering questions. I provide treatment options and care. Word-of-mouth is a slow process but it is consistent over the years and pets and their parents enjoy an improved quality of life together.
Now, we will switch to the creative business. Selling art is different from providing a service but has some similarities. The difference is that now I am doing the seeking. How do I find the coastal art collector? When I sell my art, I learn about the person buying it. What emotion was evoked when they saw the art? What memory did it recall? I learn this when my art is sold at auctions. .And the buyer also wants to know about the artist! Since there are no appointments to make these connections as there are for an exam, the clientele “growing” process is different. I am still learning effective connection strategies in this regard. I do have a strategic partner. This amazing entrepreneur enjoys my art and has included the murals and other wall art in her home decor store on a consignment basis. This is huge in gaining recognition and growing clientele. Entering juried shows has also been helpful in getting my art out there. There is a connection between the two businesses. A portion of online sales is donated to the Make Me Smile Program (https://veterinarydentistry.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.coastalfinephoto.com
- Instagram: @coastalfinephoto
- Facebook: Coastal Fine Photo
Image Credits
All Images by Sharon Hoffman, Credit to Helmut Albrecht, Portrait picture credit to: Karen Sutton