We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lauren Breegle a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, thanks for joining 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?

In 2020 many things have changed, sadly my paint and sip company was one of them. Events were no longer happening, so I had to make an adjustment. People didn’t stop their desire for painting, they simply were not able to join in groups of any size to do so. Therefore, why not send people the supplies directly to their homes? That’s exactly what we did! Without knowing how we would execute the teachings, we decided to start with paint by number kits. After a bit of testing, it was ready! We came up with some standard abstract animal paintings that we would be able to easily produce. Once those were going well, we switched up the direction and went into custom kits. These custom kits allowed customers to turn any photo they wanted into a paint by number painting! The outlined canvas, paintbrushes, paint, and instructions were sent directly to the customer upon placing an order.

Not only did this help our business get through the hardship of 2020, but it allowed us to thrive in an awful economical year. Now that we’re back in business doing paint and sip events, we still continue to sell paint by number kits via Etsy. We’re in the process now of building a website that will bring the two worlds together. I’m looking forward to a one-stop-shop for everything Lauren’s Art Club. This will include paint and sip events, paint by number kits, art pieces, and some merch.

Being able to make it through one of the hardest times my generation will hopefully ever have to endure, was very meaningful to say the least. I feel that adaptation is one of the most important traits to have as a business owner and I’m proud to see that I was able to adapt. Now in 2022, I just hired my first employee and seeing her grow into the company has been very rewarding! We’re looking to open up into vending fairs and succulents. Much more to come in the world of Lauren’s Art Club. I plan to always fight to stay relevant in a constantly changing society.

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’m Lauren, the owner of Lauren’s Art Club a paint and sip company in the central Florida area. I started the company doing paint and sip parties throughout central Florida. Then I had the idea to bring the fun to your doorstep with Paint by Number kits! Why limit yourself to painting the same image as all the other attendees when you could bring your custom image to life.

Lauren’s Art Club started in 2016 and has grown exponentially. Starting with only one venue for many years, I then started branching out and expanding. Now I have roughly 16 venues per month to host painting events in many different cities from Ocala to Daytona and Edgewater to Maitland.

We’re always working to stay relevant in the world of art. This includes finding new and exciting medias to paint on including handmade planters, birdhouses, and wood planks. I put in the time to research new products and use my graphic design abilities to create beautiful paintings. We always have new things up our sleeves at Lauren’s Art Club and that’s what sets us apart from other paint and sip companies.

Coming soon – we are looking to start vendor fairs and expand our web presence. I am in the works of combining Etsy and Eventbrite to have a one-stop-shop for all things Lauren’s Art Club. Also, we’re getting more and more into the plant world. Specifically, succulents! You’ll be seeing us at vendor craft shows in the upcoming months!

I’m a supporter of shopping small because small business owners do a happy dance when they make a sale. I don’t think we could say the same about the large corporations! Help your neighbor, keep the business in America and shop small.. In America.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

Currently I manufacture the majority of our products. I do have a vendor for others and I’m always looking to collaborate with locals to create new and better products. Right now, I’m purchasing wood from Lowes’ and cutting and sanding myself to the desired sizes. I’m also working with a local to create paint by number kits on wood in the very near future. I stretch my own canvases and print the PBN on a large format printer at my home office. I try to keep as much as I can to my own manufacturing, but there are certainly new products that I use vendors for.

I started making planters and having paint and sip events where we paint the planter to decorate our gardens. This has launched a whole plant affair which will be coming soon in vendor fair style! I’m very excited about this because it combines my love for art with my love for plants!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Be friendly. It sounds cheesy and untrue, but I think kindness goes a long way. People don’t just want to paint at the paint and sip event, they want the whole experience. Talk to them, laugh with them, joke with them and they’ll want to keep coming back because it’s entertaining. Fun events bring fun people! I’ve working on growing my clientele by listening to my customers and letting their opinions be heard.

Contact Info:

• Website: laurensartclub.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurensartclub/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurensartclub/
• Other: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/laurens-art-club-12876463685 https://www.etsy.com/shop/LaurensArtClub