Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Auburn Ellis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Dr. Auburn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s something crazy on unexpected that’s happened to you or your business?
That’s such a great question. Let me give you a little background first. I launched Studio 54oo in Chicago at Bridgeport Art Center in 2014. The Bridgeport Art Center is a huge building housing 1000+ artists working in every medium from metal to fibers. I had a space for painting and ceramics and hosted gallery exhibitions and open studios. When I decided to move to Kansas City in 2017, the decision was made to open my own storefront in the Midtown Area. I knew it would be hard starting fresh in a new city. Even though it was my hometown, the worry was marketing myself to a new audience and finding success. Big challenges are met with big opportunities!
I decided to try a fresh business model after finding a storefront space at 55th Troost. Instead of hosting open studios or galleries for people to come see my art like in Chicago, I wanted to create opportunities for people to be inspired by making their own artwork. Studio 54oo went from just artwork sales to hosting painting events. So I began planning a series of paint parties open to the public. The ticket included canvas, paint, good company and the option to choose to participate in a guided session, or work alone to paint what inspires you.
It was time to post the first paint party on Eventbrite. When asked how many tickets to sell, I set the ticker to 100, and laughed to myself thinking it would be a dream come true to sell just 20 tickets at my first event in a new city. I did lots of social media marketing and also ran a commercial on the radio. The month before Studio 54oo’s debut weekend I was taking a vacation and planned to have everything done before the island trip so I could take a break.
With everything set on course for success, I headed on vacation to unplug. The trip was amazing and as we settled back in the States on the airport runway, I decided to check the ticket sales-and had to refresh the screen in disbelief -Eventbrite said 66 tickets sold! Note that this was pre-pandemic so I was ecstatic. The tickets just kept selling!
Of course we had to make adjustments to accommodate all the tickets sold. I split the paint party in two sessions to make more space for everyone, then went to work finding places to rent furniture and buy bulk supplies. We booked a live DJ, food truck, and prepared to take over Troost Midtown, I was overwhelmed but overjoyed with Studio 54oo’s successful debut in Kansas City.
Things really took off after that. I started booking private parties and community events based on the initial success of the paint party. I was excited that a change of direction for the business ended up going so well. A month ago, I attended an event and three different people approached me asking about the space. We connected about the fun they had at Studio 54oo’s past events. It’s been 5 years and we still seek to inspire.
Dr. Auburn , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Yes, I would love to. The name Studio 54oo is inspired by the historic Studio 54. It’s sort of a “remix” of that space. We host “happenings” or events, for example Art Dance Yoga Expo or Art & Yoga Flow. These events feature live art, performances and celebrate community.
Studio 54oo curates authentic and organic experiences for participants, Whether a painting class, yoga flow, or educational workshop we help spark the creativity that lives in each of us.
I am most proud that during the pandemic pivot, Studio 54oo moved from in-person events to innovative online programming. From yoga and meditation to diversity and inclusion, til this day we continue encourage open dialogue and help people tap into their intuition.
Have you ever had to pivot?
We can definitely call out a pandemic pivot. Even today, Studio 54oo events are still being shaped by this global tragedy. When the world shut down, it was time to focus on online services. Studio 54oo started making Paint Party Packs and shipping them to clients homes & businesses. For parties up to 20, we provide pre-drawn canvas, paint, brushes-all the tools you need to have an inspiring experience in the comfort of your own space.
To add to that, because of the social climate after the death of George Floyd, I also put my educational hat back on and started offering DEI&A (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Antiracism) workshops. Companies like Charlie Hustle locally and Corepower Yoga nationally signed on for services; content delivered by Studio 54oo was designed to meet the needs of their employees. During training participants discover ways to unpack privilege be more inclusive in their personal and professional lives.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Building on social media is difficult, especially since I am not a millennial! The best advice I can give is to be consistent. Also, stay genuine, true to yourself and your brand. When my social media pages took a turn from strictly yoga to DEI&A, there were conflicts to navigate. People in my personal life who I thought respected me showed their true colors. As a member of the BIPOC community, it was important for me to stay to course of not only art making, but authenticity and advocacy.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.auburnaesthetic.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/dr_auburn?r=nametag
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studio54oo/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-auburn-e-ellis-069b29b/
- Youtube: https://vimeo.com/382351295?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=107091704
- Yelp: https://goo.gl/maps/EjwW837RDzN4QoWw9
- Other: https://vimeo.com/390417773?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=107091704 https://www.artandyogaflow.com/