We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Violet Tremblay. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Violet below.

Violet, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a customer that you appreciate them?

During Covid, times were tough for everyone. I decided to do free painting classes twice a week via facebook live. I was able to create some amazing connections with older customers that couldn’t come into the studio. I received so much feedback about how those 30-45 minute lessons were life savers for families with children. I have never felt more connected to my community than I did during those interactive live lessons.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am the owner of a local paint and sip business that I kind of started without much preparation or training. In Christmas of 2009, my husband was desperately trying to think of something to get me for a Christmas present. I had recently painted a painting (first time ever) and I loved it. Well, he went with it. In fact, his family and my family both went with it and I got so many art supplies that Christmas. By January of 2010, I told my husband that is what I wanted to do full time (even though I had a full time job). I had heard about Paint and Sip businesses and thought “it can’t be that hard to figure out.” The name immediately came to me – “Painting and Pinot.” The rest of it…not so much. This was a labor of love. After 8 months of zoning/permitting and 3 months of renovations done by us and our family, we had our grand opening party (the same day we also found out we were expecting our first child…different story for a different day).

I am so proud of the fact that this is my business – for better or worse, it is mine. I am the Creative Director, HR Manager, and Social Media Consultant. When I create a class/painting that people want to participate in or learn how to do – it makes it all worth it.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

During Covid, we couldn’t have in person classes so I decided to have online classes (for free). After I had built up a community online that was taking my classes, I offered art kits for sale that would include everything they needed as well as free delivery within 20 miles of the studio. We couldn’t go anywhere, so my family and I drove around delivering Art Kits to customer’s front steps. It created quite a buzz on social media – we were able to socially distance and still interact.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

In my previous position, I worked in education but with college students in the medical field. I now work in art education with college students that are in more artistic fields of study. The way that I manage the art students is VERY different than how I managed the Science students. The expectations are very different as well. Once I realized that I couldn’t treat my new group of employees like my old ones, it made me have much more success in keeping a full staff.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.PaintingandPinot.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/paintingandpinot
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/paintingandpinot

Image Credits
Headshot: Hunter Kirkland