Why do artists fail at growing their businesses?

Most artists and photographers treat their creative work as a hobby rather than a business. There are a lot of talented artists and photographers out there who are hobbyists, and then there are those running actual art or photography businesses. You have to choose which one you want to be. It takes work and you have to suffer a little bit. In today’s world, you must learn how to tell stories, especially on mobile devices since everyone is glued to their phones 24/7. You must stay consistent in your marketing. Everyone wants a shortcut—they want to be discovered by a gallery, get into a magazine, or have an interior designer find them. But the reality is no one is going to come and find you. That’s not how luck works. Luck comes from doing the marketing and sales work, treating it like a business, and making that outward energy bring what you’re looking for.

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Asked by general teaching point · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-06-17