We were lucky to catch up with Nikki Byrom recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nikki thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

I am currently experiencing a rebirth with both my art and poetry, so that’s kind of like starting over. I spent seven years of my life offering visual and functional art to the public, and those years have definitely informed how I facilitate this rebirth. I think the most salient carryover lesson is: slow down and only create/ offer when inspired to do so. Sometimes creative entrepreneurship feels like a race to the next trend. But for me, having a solid and loyal group of collectors is far more valuable. The reality is, some things you only learn through experience, so having the experience of trend hopping for me, though it was lucrative at times, caused me a level of burnout, disappointment, and disillusionment that I will not have to experience in this rebuilding because, I’m only creating and offering when I’m inspired or it’s been requested. This doesn’t absolve me of risk, but what it does is afford me the freedom to create for creation’s sake, and not necessarily because I want to cash in on what’s hot right now. This new freedom allows me to invest my resources (financial and otherwise) in areas that were often neglected because of my oversight.

Nikki, 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?

My name is Nikki R. Byrom. I am a 40 something mixed media artist, poet, educator and lover of nature. I am a masculine of center Queer person from Oglethorpe, Georgia. I have, like most people, been creative all of my life, and have been an artist and poet specifically for a long, long, time. I am an intuitive creator, which to me means, I allow myself to be a conduit through which my ancestors and Spirit can manifest beauty in the world. I started painting in college, having never taken any classes, because I needed a way to manage my depression. I’d been writing poems since kindergarten, so painting felt like an extension of that art form to me.

I’m also an editor, ghostwriter, and writing coach. I don’t see these things as separate entities, only tentacles of the same kind of desire to encourage and empower people from my corner of the world. In all of these endeavors, from art to coaching, my goal is to get people from where they are to where they want to be. Whatever role I am to play in their journey, I do so happily and with gratitude. So if I paint an affirmation that you look at everyday to get you going, or I write an essay or missive that helps you through a rough patch, or I help you finish your dissertation or book chapter, I’m adding value from my heart, using gifts and talents I was given or have cultivated.

I believe what sets me apart in all that I do is my willingness to show up as my authentic self and give my clients and collectors an experience that far exceeds their expectations.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative is how the art resonates with people. One of my favorite things is when people engage with the art for the first time, fall in love with it, take it home, and then tell me months and sometimes years later how much it means to them. If you think about the chances that something you create resonating with another person that deeply, your head will explode. But that’s my favorite thing. This also includes when someone sends me a message and says they saw a piece of art in the home of a friend or relative and wants their own art piece from me. Or, when someone is gifted a piece of art from me and becomes a collector. That’s what keeps me going.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, Unfu*k Yourself by Gary John Bishop, and Principles by Ray Dalio are a few that have helped me throughout my journey as a creative entrepreneur. Each of them addresses a different aspect of what a creative needs on this path, but together they’ve helped me create a clear vision of who I am and aspire to be as a creative person in business.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @ktheotherway
• Facebook: @ktheotherway

Image Credits
Tiffany L. Jones, @starrsnaps