Why is having support and community so important for artists trying to build a business?

The number one reason artists fail is lack of support—they’re working alone, the road gets tough, and they check out. Artists often face what can be called the ‘Hotel California problem’: you try doing everything on your own as a one-person operation, inevitably hit a rough patch, and decide to take a break. But the creative drive never leaves you—you can check out anytime you like, but you can never truly leave. You just lose time. Whatever it takes to keep you motivated and moving forward through the inevitable funks and challenges is critical. As long as you keep taking painful steps forward, you’ll eventually get there. Having a community of other artists shows you that everyone faces the same struggles, which normalizes the grind and helps you give yourself permission to be on a longer timeline.

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Asked by a fabric artist discussing business challenges · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2025-08-29