We were lucky to catch up with Stina Aleah recently and have shared our conversation below.

Stina, appreciate you joining us today. Folks often look at a successful business and imagine it was an overnight success, but from what we’ve seen this is often far from the truth. We’d love to hear your scaling up story – walk us through how you grew over time – what were some of the big things you had to do to grow and what was that scaling up journey like?

I absolutely love this question! In fact, the vulnerability it requires to answer this very question is one of the main reasons my business scaled up the way it did. But first, let’s start from the beginning. Being an artist is one thing, being a successful artist is another. And the truth is none of us knows what that looks like, because it is not a one size fits all topic.
In corporate America we are given a path to climbing the corporate ladder, but as an artist, what does that ladder look like?
I had to first start by defining what that even meant for me, my scale up may be different from other artist!
once I had that defined I knew that there are a few things that make you stand out.

1. Mastering Your Craft
2. Consistency
3. Authenticity

That is my magical potion.

I started with learning everything I could about being an oil painter and a muralist. I made myself a promise that if I were to do this, I was giving my 100% and I wanted to be the best. At the time that I started teaching myself how to paint I was a single mother of a beautiful baby boy. With very little time during the day to make my dreams come true. So I dedicated time at 4:30am every…single…day….to learn, to practice, and to dedicate the time needed to master my skill. While I was doing this, I learned how to be consistent, I learned what was required of me, in order to be good at what I was doing, and I loved showing up for myself everyday to do it.
But man it was hard. I was learning, but also faced with the dilemma most of us have which was money!
I didn’t know how to sell my work, I didn’t know how to price my work, but I knew that I had to.
I decided that I can’t get customers if I’m not willing to show my work….after gaining a lot of courage I started sharing my work online, everyday….pretty or not.
And of course those first months I received nothing but a few likes, a few “Oh that’s so great”, and that’s about it…but the money wasn’t flowing.
It is super easy to get discourage during these times, it’s easy to throw in the towel….but easy is just too easy. So I just kept going because I had a passion and developed a love for what I was doing…not to mention a cute little boy that was depending on me. I knew my purpose, and I had my “Why”…but without those I would have quit! (Needless to say, you need to know your purpose and your Why, because those two things keep you going when the going gets tough)

Although I went months without a single sale do you know what was happening that I didn’t even realize right away?
My platform was growing, I was cultivating a support system of people I had no idea were inspired by me and rooting for me. My consistency did that. The consistency I created by showing up for myself everyday.

Here is what I decided to do.
I decided to be honest because I was struggling mentally and emotionally.
The social media world, at the time, was extremely superficial, but that didn’t feel real to me…it felt forced.
I decided to share the real reasons I was painting, my mental health struggles and how my paintings related to it and helped me through it. I decided to bare it all. In doing so, I created a safe space for people, and potential clients, they connected more with me as a person and connected with my work emotionally. I was REAL to them, and for that they saw their own stories in my work. Authenticity saved me. Authenticity stopped me from guessing WHO I should be everyday online, and allowed me the freedom to just show up…as vulnerable as I knew how or could, and share my stories with my work.

And I still wasn’t perfect. I lost a lot of money not understanding pricing structure, or my operations, being disorganized, not knowing how to manage and balance my creative mind and my business mind. But that takes time too, you learn how you want your business to run, and making mistakes is apart of the journey (it hurts) but it is an important part of building your business.

And of course this wasn’t an overnight thing, my supporters found me when they needed me, and over time my platform grew, it took 7 years, many sleepless nights, tears, and pep talks from peers for me to become an “overnight success”. I do not believe God would bless me with such a talent to let me fail, and as long as I continued to do the work I know I can succeed. And through the years my idea of “success” still changes and it still requires my magical potion to get me to that next level.

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

Stina Aleah, an acclaimed oil painter and muralist who has carved a remarkable path in the professional art industry for the past eight years. With a brush in hand and a boundless imagination, Stina has captured the hearts of art enthusiasts worldwide. Her artistic journey is a testament to her unwavering passion and commitment to her craft.

As an oil painter, Stina’s mastery lies in her ability to breathe life into her canvases. Each stroke carries a profound sense of emotion, drawing viewers into a world of captivating narratives. Her artwork transcends traditional boundaries, leaving an indelible mark on those fortunate enough to experience it.

Additionally, Stina’s talent extends beyond the canvas, as she embraces the expansive medium of mural art. Her large-scale creations adorn public spaces, transforming mundane walls into vibrant, immersive landscapes that inspire and uplift communities.

Stina discusses how she harnesses the power of art to raise awareness about mental health, sparking conversations and fostering a sense of community. Her commitment to making a difference shines through every brushstroke, igniting a fire within the hearts of those who encounter her work.

With a wealth of experience and an ever-evolving artistic vision, Stina Aleah continues to push boundaries, captivating audiences with her mesmerizing artistry. Discover the breathtaking depth of her portfolio on Instagram @stinaaleah and her official website www.stinaaleh.com. Prepare to be enchanted by a world where colors dance, emotions speak, and art comes alive.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building your audience on social media doesn’t require a special formula. I wish I could sit here and say make sure you do this, this, this, and that; and you’ll have 100k followers.
But it’s just not true. Without developing an emotional connection with your audience, it will be very difficult to grow your platform.
We tend to like to blame the algorithm or hashtag use or whatever else we have been told to do to have social media success, but the truth is, you have to be consistent despite the algorithm…or despite how you feel that day.
Focusing on the followers you have and building a relationship with them is way more important than focusing on the people who haven’t found you yet.
We can get discourage in our social media journey by focusing on what we don’t have, instead of what we do.
When I lose sight of this, I ask myself “Stina, would you rather have 1,000 engaged followers that shop with you every month, or 100k that aren’t connected to you or supportive of you in any way”
Engagement is way more important than follower count.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe it is important to master your craft, but allow your clients to be a part of the journey. I wasn’t the best in the beginning of my painting career (as I am self taught) but I showed every step of my journey, shared my knowledge openly, and kept showing my industry that art can look and be different. I didn’t step outside of Me and start painting things that I thought would be popular or only to go viral. Staying true to myself really kept those involved in my journey inspired to do the same. The impact my art has on people and my community is powerful because I am them, and they are me…and they see that, they know it, and they feel it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.stinaaleah.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/stinaaleah
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/stinaaleah
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/stinaaleah