Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Victoria Kennedy. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Victoria, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

It’s definitely interesting to see how owning a business is such a radically different way of life than working for an organization. There was a comfort in the “9 to 5” that I sometimes miss – the predictability of a pay check and regular hours. But the benefits of owning your own business definitely outweigh the cons.

Since opening Kennedy Contemporary in 2021, I’ve felt more proud of what I’ve accomplished in the past two years than my entire previous career. Every ounce of energy devoted to the business feels incredibly personal, which is why it’s so gratifying when you do have wins and equally demoralizing when you fail. Many people think that owning your own business means that you have more free time, but the reality is you have less (at least when you’re first starting out). The work is hard and there never seems to be enough time to accomplish what you want. But ultimately what I’ve loved is the work feels less like “work” and I’m more excited to be building something of value that will last a long time.

Victoria, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Kennedy Contemporary is an art gallery based in Newport Beach. We proudly represents fourteen nationally and internationally recognized artists, ranging from emerging to established. Born from a desire to educate and innovate, we connect our collectors with fine art that will enrich their lives. We pride ourselves in developing close relationships with our clients to help them expand their collections, while supporting the growth of our artists’ careers.

As we represent a stable of artists, we advise them on their careers and focus on promoting and marketing their work in Southern California. The most gratifying part of the job is working with private collectors, interior designers, and art consultants to educate them on our artists’ works and place them in homes and offices around the world. Unlike other art galleries, we are technologically driven and believe in transparent pricing and inventory. We often do photoshop mockups for our clients, arrange in-home consultations, and just launched a new website that has an augmented reality feature where collectors can place our artists’ works in their own home.

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

As a Newport Beach native, it made sense to open an art gallery in a place where I had grown up and already had existing connections. However, from day one, I made it a point to build new, authentic relationships. Through the first two years, and even now, I make it a point to meet someone new every week. This means taking interior designers out for coffee, getting to know my neighbors at The Walk, and developing open lines of communication with my competitors. It’s not enough to set up shop and hope for the best – you have to invest time in getting to know the people behind the businesses. I firmly believe that collaboration over competition is the best mindset, and this philosophy has earned us many clients who heard about us through word of mouth.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

By far, Instagram has been the best way to keep in touch consistently with our collectors and also generate connection with potential clients. It’s a consistent touch point that generally works better than sending out mass emails every week. When someone does choose to collect an artwork, they receive a “Thank You Package,” which includes the artist’s bio and CV, a Certificate of Authenticity, and a hand written thank you note. This last detail makes a big impact on our collectors – who still handwrites notes nowadays? During the holidays, we also send out client gifts thanking the clients who supported us through the year with a note and handmade treat. It’s a small gesture, but a nice way to round out the year and reignite any conversations about art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kennedycontemporary.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kennedycontemporary/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennedycontemporary
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kennedy-contemporary-newport-beach

Image Credits
Photo Credit to Michael Radford (@_mikeradford) and The Scout Guide Newport Beach (@tsgnewportbeach)