We recently connected with BJ Massa and have shared our conversation below.

BJ , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I wonder all the time what it would be like to have a regular job! I’ve had a lot of different jobs after graduating from college. I spent two years as a flight attendant traveling internationally all across the globe. Then I spent ten years working in NYC, first in publishing and then as a buyer for a major department store.
After having my first baby we made the decision for me to stay home. I was commuting from our home into NYC up to two hours each way. We didn’t have any family close by and based on the cost of childcare it didn’t make sense for me to continue to work.
I went back to work part time as a manager for a boutique when my youngest started first grade. I also taught furniture painting classes there. It was a great job and I loved it. Unfortunately the owners decided to close the store.
That was my sign to invest more into my own small business as a creative and spend more time expanding my skills.
I am very happy as an artist and creative. I couldn’t imagine going back to work in an office or corporate environment ever again. On days when I’m not feeling very creative or I’m experiencing struggles in my own business, there’s always the temptation to contemplate going to work for someone else. But nothing is more valuable to me at this stage of my life than flexibility and a good work life balance which I’m able to have because I am my own boss.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was raised in a home with a dad who could fix and build anything. (My family eats at the same table I ate at as a kid which was built by my dad in the early 1970’s). My mom was an avid thrifter and we spent a lot of time going to garage sales and thrift stores hunting for stuff we needed and decor for our home. While living in NYC as a recent and poor college grad I used my thrifting and fixing skills to furnish my apartment. I continued to employ those skills to furnish our first home and every home we lived in after that.
I started painting furniture with that first apartment but didn’t think about it as a business until much later. I posted pictures on social media and friends began asking me to paint furniture for them or asking me to buy the pieces I painted. This was about the time painting furniture started to explode as an industry.
I took advantage of this and learned everything I could about proper presentation, pricing, branding and other practices important to being successful as a business.
I no longer paint furniture for clients although I did for a long time. Instead I focus on pushing the boundaries of my skills, trying new techniques and products. I recently overcame my fear of painting on canvas and have started painting wall art.
I retail a popular paint line in the industry as well as a line of decorative transfers, stamps and moulds. I teach through my YouTube channel.
I have a wealth of knowledge about my industry and about the products I retail. I am passionate about painting furniture and love to teach and inspire others. Life is too short for boring furniture!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In 2020 I had the opportunity to move from the US to Copenhagen, Denmark for my husband’s job. My first question was, “how am I going to keep my business?”
The move required me to pivot a bit but I was determined to make it work. I shipped my supplies over ahead of my arrival.
I don’t speak any Danish so with the assistance of google translate I was able to navigate Facebook marketplace in Copenhagen to score furniture for me to paint.
We also didn’t have a car so I often took furniture on the metro or picked up furniture in my cargo bike.
With dedication and resiliency I was able to not only keep my business going but to grow my YouTube channel and social media presence.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I don’t think people outside of the furniture painting industry think you can have a legitimate and viable business painting furniture. I also think non creatives don’t realize how many skills are needed to run a creative business. I have to be an inventory manager, a social media manager and a content creator. I create a budget and manage my accounting. I built and manage my own website. I edit my own videos. I pack and ship all orders. Not only do I have to create the actual art or creative project but I have to manage all the other things that support the business.
All of that takes skill and discipline and time and energy. It isn’t just spending time in a studio looking at pretty colors all day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.junkduphome.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/junkdup?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/JunkdUp
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@JunkdUp
• Other: Pinterest: https://pin.it/4WB3SZV