How many pieces of artwork do I need to have before I can start selling online?

You only need one piece to get started. The biggest mistake is playing the game of ‘I’ll just get started when…’ — when I have more work, when I figure out my niche, when I get my business license, etc. Those delays turn days into weeks, months, and years without progress. The most important thing is to start now. Create art, show it to people, get feedback, see if they’ll buy it. You can do that today without figuring out anything else. As Reid Hoffman said, ‘If you’re not embarrassed by your first version, you’ve launched too late.’ Get started with what you have and build from there.

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Asked by an artist asking about minimum inventory requirements · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-08-05