We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Jeffords and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’m an artist (primarily a painter), and my career around my art developed very organically. One month, I was selling paintings to a distant Facebook friend (this was back in 2008); then I was growing a collector base at shows, then through my blog and online platforms. Things really began to take off when I started taking my sales goals seriously and marketing constantly online. Now, I have collectors around the globe, have sold over 10,000 pieces of artwork from my studio alone (not counting licensing or collaborations), and have the massive honor of helping other artists run their businesses through my community for artists called The Collective.

The throughline, and the reason I began my business in the first place, is that each step in growth also allowed me to play in new ways. It’s not often the reason someone starts a business, but pleasure and joy have always been very important to me as I’ve grown my studio into a multi-six- or seven-figure business. I think when something brings you joy, you do it exceptionally well.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Being an artist is at once the most effortless career and the hardest. Creating in the studio, working on new collections, and flowing through the cycles of inspiration and output is DELIGHTFUL. However, running a business, growing a studio, hiring a team, meeting collectors, and keeping that flow of inventory and product inventory going is rarely easy. However, what artists are not often told (and when I consistently tell the Artists in my programs and at retreats) is that ARTISTS ARE DEPENDABLE. You can depend on your inspiration, your abilities, the beauty of your work to speak to the right people, and your willingness to do what you need to do to get the privilege of showing up in the studio month after month.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m in the process of writing a book so my favorite places in the city are cozy coffee shops like Coffee Coffee. Start there, visit the farmer’s market on Main Street if it’s a Saturday, then head to M Judson for a little snack and a good book. From there, hop over to the West End for some good pizza at Coastal Crust and visit the beautiful Art and Light Gallery (where had my first art show after college!), Art Bomb Studios and Gallery, and the new Spoonbill Gallery. Finish your delicious, artsy day with an incredible dinner at The Anchorage.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Someone who deeply inspired me and made me realize that a creative career can be wildly beautiful and expansive (and maybe different than I ever imagined) was photographer, retreat host, and blogger Beth Kirby (founder of Local Milk). Sadly Beth passed away a couple of years ago, but her impact on my life is still felt.

Website: www.EmilyJeffords.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily_jeffords

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/emily_jeffords/

Image Credits
Emily Jeffords, Sarah Cotting, Tanya Val

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSouthCarolina is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.