Art + Audience Episode 10 Summary: Finding Clarity with Sandra Mejia on Narrowing Your Creative Focus

In Episode 10 of the Art + Audience podcast, host Stacie Bloomfield engages in an insightful conversation with Sandra Mejia, a Colombian-born Canadian illustrator and pattern designer. The episode, titled "Finding Clarity: Sandra Mejia on Narrowing Your Creative Focus," delves into Sandra's artistic journey, the challenges of overexpansion in the art business, and the strategies she employed to regain focus and achieve success. Below is a detailed summary of their discussion.

1. Introducing Sandra Mejia: From Corporate to Creative

Sandra Mejia shares her transition from a monotonous corporate job in Colombia to pursuing her passion for art. Feeling unfulfilled and experiencing physical ailments like migraines and vertigo, Sandra made a life-changing decision to quit her job, sell her car, and move to Argentina to explore her creative side. This bold move marked the beginning of her journey into illustration and pattern design.

Sandra Mejia [00:49]: "I decided to put my art on products. So I started with pillows and I started thinking like, oh, maybe I should have something else."

2. The Pressure to Succeed: Diversifying Without Strategy

Facing limited opportunities for illustrators in Colombia, Sandra began creating various products—pillows, mugs, notebooks, and crossbody bags—to monetize her art. However, this diversification without a clear strategy led her to overextend herself, resulting in wasted resources and diluted focus.

Sandra Mejia [09:18]: "I still felt the pressure to start making income because this was going to run out and also because I didn't want to be a failure after all these, like, people thinking like, oh, did you just throw away all your life's work?"

3. The Consequences of Overexpansion

Sandra reflects on the pitfalls of producing too many products simultaneously. Managing multiple manufacturers, dealing with inconsistent product quality, and grappling with various production processes consumed her time, energy, and finances without yielding substantial returns.

Sandra Mejia [13:33]: "I never gave it space to be that great, amazing thing, because I diluted my energy, my time, my money."

4. Regaining Focus Through Life Changes

Sandra's relocation to Canada was a turning point that compelled her to reassess and streamline her business. Settling in British Columbia, she identified her most successful product—cosmetic pouches—and concentrated her efforts on that niche. This strategic focus significantly improved her business outcomes.

Sandra Mejia [15:46]: "I had found my perfect product, which was little cosmetic pouches. And I was focusing just on that because they were selling like hotcakes."

5. The Role of Time Management and Tracking

Emphasizing the importance of time management, Sandra discusses how tracking her daily activities using tools like Clockify revealed inefficiencies and unproductive habits. This awareness enabled her to allocate her time more effectively towards activities that directly contributed to her business goals.

Sandra Mejia [18:28]: "I realized it's crazy the amount of time you wasting things that are not conductive to making profits in your business."

6. Embracing Failure and the Importance of Resilience

Sandra highlights that failure is an inherent part of the entrepreneurial journey. Instead of viewing setbacks as detrimental, she encourages artists to see them as learning opportunities. Resilience and the willingness to pivot are crucial for long-term success in the art business.

Sandra Mejia [26:39]: "Failure doesn't mean you're bad or you don't know what you're doing. Well, probably a bit. You don't know what you're doing, you're experimenting."

7. Building Multiple Income Streams Strategically

While advocating for multiple income streams to mitigate risks, Sandra advises starting with one or two solid foundations before expanding. Gradual growth allows artists to build expertise and ensure each revenue stream is sustainable and well-managed.

Sandra Mejia [24:55]: "So having multiple income streams just protects you from. If one fails, then you have a backup."

8. Final Advice: Define Your Success and Stay Flexible

Sandra advises artists to define their personal version of success rather than comparing themselves to others. Clear goal-setting and strategic planning are essential, but so is the flexibility to adapt and pivot when necessary.

Sandra Mejia [26:39]: "Determine what you want to do. Determine what, like, your version of success is... Then you have to assess objectively everything and be open to shifting."

9. Overcoming Excess Inventory and Learning from Mistakes

Addressing the issue of unsold inventory, Sandra recounts donating excess products to family and friends, viewing the experience as educational despite the financial loss. She underscores the importance of moving forward and learning from such mistakes to refine business strategies.

Sandra Mejia [28:28]: "I donated a bunch of stuff. And my mom has her personal stash... So yeah, that was, like, money that was wasted, but I feel like it was education, so."

10. Where to Find Sandra and Continue Learning

Sandra invites listeners to connect with her through her website Art by Sandra Mejia, where she offers classes, mentorship, and upcoming programs focused on finding creative focus. She emphasizes her commitment to helping fellow artists navigate their careers with less pain and more clarity.

Sandra Mejia [33:38]: "I have everything clear in my mind because I've been recording lately. So yeah, just join me. I have a newsletter that sends creative briefs every month for free and I have free procreate brushes."

Conclusion

In this episode of Art + Audience, Sandra Mejia provides valuable insights into the importance of strategic focus in the art business. Her candid discussion on the challenges of overexpansion, the necessity of time management, and the resilience required to navigate failures serves as a guiding framework for artists striving to build sustainable and fulfilling careers. By sharing her personal experiences and lessons learned, Sandra empowers fellow artists to find clarity and cultivate a business that truly supports their creative passions.

Notable Quotes:

• Sandra Mejia [07:15]: "You can't start out having 10 different strategies for 10 different products. Because first of all, if you're a beginner, you are learning as you go, and like you said, you're diluting your energy."

• Sandra Mejia [20:56]: "If that's your strategy and you say, oh, I'm going to put it there for exposure because somebody might actually find me... Then it's okay."

• Sandra Mejia [31:05]: "You have to assess objectively everything and be open to."

For more insights and to connect with Sandra Mejia, visit her website and join her growing community of artists dedicated to achieving focused and profitable art businesses.