I started making money from art since I was a child, and I’ve spent much of my adult life building a career as a professional artist – the past 15 years in watercolor. Along the way, I saw opportunities to create things I wished already existed.

I founded North American Watercolor because I wanted to build something that offered watercolor artists more opportunities for recognition, education, and exhibition. So many societies support the society. I wanted an organization that supports the artist first and foremost. The Postmarked Heart grew from an idea I’ve carried around for nearly 30 years: telling stories, sending them in the mail, rather than on a book shelf. It is the simple excitement of receiving something wonderful in the mail.

What makes my businesses different is that I approach them as both an artist and an entrepreneur. I’m not just selling a product or providing a service. I’m creating experiences I believe are missing, whether that’s helping artists gain recognition or making original watercolor art and storytelling accessible to someone for $14.95 a month. I believe that art should be attainable by the common man.

When I launched North American Watercolor, I already had years of experience and relationships in the watercolor community. I introduced the organization through my existing network and social media, offering charter memberships to artists who wanted to be part of something new. In turn those initial members that supported us, got extra perks that keep them motivated to remain a member.

The Postmarked Heart is a newer venture with a different audience, so I’m still working on building its visibility. Social media, personal connections, and introducing people to the actual artwork and letters are all part of that process. I’m also focusing on media outreach, product reviews, and opportunities to put the actual letters and artwork into people’s hands. Once people see and experience it, the concept becomes much easier to understand. I’m still building that audience, but I’m approaching it much more deliberately.

One of the biggest decisions I made was to stop thinking of myself solely as a watercolor artist and start thinking of myself as someone who could build businesses around creativity. That led to founding North American Watercolor and, more recently, creating The Postmarked Heart. Both grew out of seeing something I thought was missing and deciding to create it myself.

One mistake I’ve made is trying to do too much myself. When you’re creative and entrepreneurial, it’s easy to believe you can handle every part of a business, especially when you’re capable of doing most of it. I’ve learned that just because I can do something doesn’t necessarily mean I should be the one doing it. Not micro mananging others gains you a lot of time and much less stress.

Over the last few years, art and publishing have become increasingly digital, and people have grown accustomed to having everything available instantly. But I’ve also noticed a growing appreciation for things that feel personal, tangible, and thoughtfully made.

I’ve adapted in two different ways. With North American Watercolor, I’ve embraced technology to connect artists, provide educational opportunities, and make exhibitions and publishing accessible to people regardless of where they live. With The Postmarked Heart, I’ve gone in almost the opposite direction, creating something physical that arrives in the mailbox and gives people a reason to step away from their screens for a few minutes.

In both businesses, I believe personal connections and genuine customer service still matter, regardless of how much technology changes.

First, learn your craft and learn to listen. I spent 30 years working in customer service, and one of the most valuable things I learned was to listen carefully enough to understand what someone actually needs before trying to give them an answer. That skill has served me just as well as an entrepreneur as it did in customer service. I’d also encourage anyone starting out to learn the business side of their craft, because being good at what you create doesn’t automatically mean you know how to sell it.

As for what to ignore, I’d say stop chasing every trend and trying to duplicate someone else’s success. Pay attention to what others are doing, but don’t confuse their path with yours. Find something you genuinely love, figure out what makes your approach different, and build from there.