We were lucky to catch up with Alix Greenberg recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alix, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
I had an 8 year career in the fine art world in New York before launching ArtSugar in 2017. With an MA from Christie’s and a BFA from Cornell, I began my professional career at Christie’s and held positions with artist Peter Tunney and at Skarstedt Gallery before founding ArtSugar. While I was working at the art galleries and museums, I realized there wasn’t a great platform for artists who were growing their businesses on Instagram. I launched ArtSugar to give them an optimized platform to sell their work and connect with a broader audience. ArtSugar donates proceeds from every purchase to notable charities.
I started a smaller version of ArtSugar when I was still working in a museum; it was called Portraits for Good. I had a few artists on the platform. People could submit pictures of themselves, and I would paint portraits based on them. I sold my first piece while working at the museum, and someone wanted to offer me money. I felt like I couldn’t possibly take it without giving back to an important cause. The first charity I worked with was Code Purple Now; they are an advocacy platform for pancreatic cancer. I got involved with them because my grandmother passed away from the disease. I then realized you only live once — I no longer wanted a 9–5 job, and so I launched ArtSugar.
Alix, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I can make the decisions and curate all the products for ArtSugar, utilizing my 12+ years of experience and expertise in the art world. I contract other experts and consult mentors when needed.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
Focus on the big picture, not the noise. When you are an owner of a business, you open yourself up to a lot of situations. Try not to take things personally if they don’t go your way, and track back to your goals and mission. You’re allowed to make mistakes and pitfalls as you build your business. Don’t give up! Don’t get caught up in the weeds ore focus on minutia. Prioritize your to-do list and learn when a task is done. If you obsess over minor details while doing tasks, you may find it difficult to adhere to your deadlines.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Say “yes” to meeting new people, even if you don’t want to. For example, if your business needs capital to grow, you should keep pitching, networking in your industry, and reaching out to prospective contacts on LinkedIn and even Instagram! I met our investor Carrie via Instagram DM. It’s important to persevere and say yes to the meetings and calls even if they don’t seem fitting at first.
Contact Info:
- Website: artsugar.co
- Instagram: artsugar.co/
- Facebook: artsugarco/
- Linkedin: alix-greenberg/
- Twitter: ARTSUGARCO
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkUYatQ1cEa3W6jFeabPRhg