What's the biggest thing that holds artists back from building a successful business?

The biggest obstacle is lack of perspective and avoiding marketing. Most artists get hung up because they don’t understand they have decades ahead to build their business, and they avoid the one thing that will actually move the needle: regular, consistent marketing. Artists often try everything else—approaching galleries, uploading to marketplaces, exploring various options—but run away from marketing. Without addressing this, nothing fundamentally changes in the business, and years pass without progress.

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Asked by synthesized from teaching · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-07-15