Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Deborah Argyropoulos. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Deborah , thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
“In my world there are no naked walls.”
Well, I knew that in order to do what I loved to do (creative visual arts), I would have to make my own opportunities to brand and sell what I created. I learned a long time ago that no one is going to make it happen for me, and that if I wanted something it was up to me. I have an extremely strong work ethic and unparalleled tenacity. When I have an idea (and I have ALOT of ideas, which all seem great at the time… but that’s another story) it becomes an obsession, a puzzle that I must figure out how to solve.
I started my painting career in Los Angeles, mainly creating realism portraits of people, nudes, and animals in oil, on canvas. And from there it organically snowballed to where I am now (almost 20 years later!). I was contacted by someone at Caldwell Banker (real estate company) in Indian Wells, CA that had heard about me and was looking for art for their new corporate office. They asked if I had a collection of large abstract works they could come and look at for the space. I said absolutely, and set a meeting. Well… truth is I had never painted abstract, but did some quick research and a lot of experimenting (painting 15 hours a day) up to that meeting! By the time we met I had a collection of works that in their words were perfect for their new space and “ would elevate the client’s experience”. I had so much fun taking on the challenge and learned so much in the process. It occurred to me at that moment I was on to something new.
I started to pay more attention when I was in commercial spaces to what was or was not on the walls. I realized it made a HUGE difference in the energy and flow of the space when it had beautiful, original art on the walls vs, uninspired, cheap framed reproductions that had no purpose except to try and cover some of that massive blank wall space. My love of painting in general, combined with the scale of the corporate art projects was a natural fit.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I moved to Austin in 2011 specifically for it’s reputation of rapid growth and its up and coming art scene. The city was and still is growing at an incredible rate and buildings need art on their walls! Having the years of experience in LA and surrounding areas working with corporate clients (including Hospitals and Hotels) I understood what the needs of my clients were and how to successfully guide them through the corporate art experience. As each company is different, we (Corporate Art Smart) design a plan based on their individual needs and budget. We don’t have one specific formula to achieve the end results, however we always have the same goal of incorporating what the building/business needs to create the best possible environment for people to live, work, and thrive. Happy residents, tenants, clients, and customers increase profits for business owners. Art also has been scientifically proven to promote physical and psychological well-being. This is very powerful as we have the ability to literally help heal people which makes what we do a perfect fit for hospitals, medical buildings and doctor offices.
Corporate ART Smart works with builders, architects, interior design companies, acquisition directors and procurement teams to strategically place artwork with their clientele. A few of the elements we consider in our consultation process to choose or commission art are personal taste, color, imagery and scale. Corporate Art Smart’s ultimate goal is to create beautiful artwork that provides an inspiring environment for the end viewer whether residential or commercial. Corporate Art Smart is known for it’s collectible, large scale, original pieces however we produce reproductions as well for resorts, hotels, commercial buildings, galleries, and private residences.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
This is a fun story to tell! Many years ago I was a contestant on the hit television game show “Wheel of Fortune.” This was in the late 90’s so there was not a million dollar slice on the wheel, and Vanna White was still having to turn the letters by hand! At the time, I was the grand champion in the history of the show and even asked to appear on the Oprah show! After paying taxes, the remaining winnings I put into a CD (back then you actually got a little bit of interest!) and when the time came to fund a business, I cashed out!
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
The most important factor in having a successful company is the team of people that work for/with you. No one can do everything by themselves, regardless of how smart, talented or hard working they are. Mutual respect, trust, and good communication between you and your employees are essential; without that you have no foundation on which to build. I would never ask someone to do anything that I was not willing to do, or haven’t already done myself. I always want my employees to know how much I appreciate what they bring to the table, and that I could not do what I do without them. I am very hands on with the people I work with. We spend a lot of hours together, sometimes in a small space, so in my particular situation personalities must be compatible. Our work environment is explorative so I need creative, confident, smart, and innovative team members. The best way to boost morale is for employees to feel important, needed, respected, and know that they are part of the team, because they are. I always express how grateful I am to them for all of their contributions to making our “machine” run. We are all in it together!
Contact Info:
- Website: corporateartsmart.com
- Instagram:@corporateartsmart
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmcart/
- Other: dmcart.com