"Stay focused and confident with your independent goals, while being aware of your surroundings in the marketplace" with Shanna Israel
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Courtesy of ArtXShanna
Shanna Israel is a professional artist and Creative Director for Art x Shanna & 10 Fold Entertainment. She’s also the founder of Art Fun Parties. Shanna’s worked with some of the biggest brands & celebrities in the world ranging from Madonna, Steven Tyler, Jamie Foxx, People Magazine, Target & Nike.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
It's a very colorful one! I'm a professional artist and Creative Director for Art x Shanna & 10 Fold Entertainment. I'm also the founder of Art Fun Parties. I've worked with some of the biggest brands & celebrities in the world ranging from Madonna, Steven Tyler, Jamie Foxx, People Magazine, Target & Nike.
My personal journey includes significant medical challenges that led to seeing over 100 doctors within a 15-year period. That journey has taught me a lot about patience, determination, and tenacity.
I have an out-of-the-box approach for everything I do in life and my appreciation for inventive and boundless thinking makes me an ideal art partner for vivid imaginations. Due to demand and the challenge to connect from COVID-19, I felt the need to create ART FUN PARTIES to expand outreach for people to share the ART FUN experience.
ART FUN PARTIES is about offering unique experiences that encourage celebration, mentoring, and a meditative outlet for children, adults, and brands. I believe art is truly therapeutic.
ART FUN PARTIES is an innovative concept developed in the midst of a pandemic, to help people find human connection, spark their creative spirits, and make fantasy become a reality.
What inspired you to start your business?
I love being able to create an idea that's not in the marketplace yet, having creative freedom as well as personal freedom. I was raised around entrepreneurs, so having my own business is very familiar to me. Every day is a new challenge and it keeps my mind sharp and focused. There are definite pros/cons to having your own business. You have to be ready for a non-stop rollercoaster ride.
Where is your business based?
ART FUN PARTIES are virtual parties, so everything is online - artfunparties.com.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
Well, the steps for creating ART FUN PARTIES came from coming up with unique ideas to celebrate my nieces’ and nephews’ birthdays, celebrations, etc... I strive to always think out of the box - my new challenge was to do it with young kids. It was easier in some ways, but logistically very different than what I was used to on the other side of my career. You have to account for the attention spans for different age groups, various interests, etc. I finally figured out the right combination. The ideas and parties were so popular, I decided to expand the vision and create ART FUN PARTIES. The concept was geared for in-person events, but I changed the model to online once quarantine/stay at home orders started. Due to this change, it forced me to come up with even more ideas and that's a perfect example of embracing change and finding creative solutions.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
Social media, word of mouth and PR
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
The pandemic and quarantine definitely were my biggest challenge at the beginning. I was just about to launch ART FUN PARTIES before the pandemic started. This new reality forced the option to either redirect my original plan or shut down the business. My business plan revolved around in-person events. I had to take a very sharp, unexpected turn and figure out how to transform the idea to 100% virtual experiences. I went into a tech only space without ever intending to... getting through that was rough. I consider myself a hard worker in general - those first 3 months I think I worked harder than ever before. I was up until midnight working every day.
How do you stay focused?
I've always been a goal-oriented, focused person, so it's not hard for me. I write lists down daily and just focus on accomplishing the items and keep moving forward. I feel lists are very important in general - they help organize thoughts and are one step closer to seeing your idea become a reality. They help with the visualization process.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
I try to pay attention to what's out in the market and then fine-tune my ideas to revolve around fresh, creative, and innovation options. My finalized goal with ART FUN PARTIES was to merge human connection + fantasy + virtual reality together. Once I saw we were going to be living in a Zoom world, I felt it was imperative to create something that felt like we were going beyond a box to a new and exciting reality - even if only for a short while.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
Social media outreach and word of mouth.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Stay focused and confident with your independent goals, while being aware of your surroundings in the marketplace. Know your worth, have a solid plan that makes financial sense, be open for change, and stay persistent - especially after getting knocked down because it will happen. Nothing ever goes as planned - embrace that and use the lessons to make something even better. Also, find trusted people who are smarter than you in areas you need help with. I love the phrase "teamwork makes the dream work" because it's 100% true.
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
Probably Instagram because I get to see what's happening all over the world within minutes. This helps me keep my finger on the pulse, see the latest trends, and get creative inspiration. It's especially important now since our options for traveling are very limited.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
I'm loving Canva right now. That platform has made a huge difference in creative business marketing. I'm really impressed with how they simplified something that was once very time consuming and complicated for a lot of people.
Who is your business role model? Why?
It's a mixture of various people. Mostly, the ones have been bold, remained authentic, and really transformed our culture with positive innovation. It takes a lot of ingredients to get to the top and turn a revolutionary idea into a profitable, operational business. I respect the journey, as well as the maintenance to stay stable once you reach your goal.
How do you balance work and life?
It's tough because a startup takes up an incredible amount of time, but as you get into a groove you realize how to manage your schedule. Sometimes the scale tips, as there are unexpected issues, so I take it day by day. As much as I love working, my health comes first. I'm very clear I need to prioritize various aspects in my life to be well rounded and successful.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
Listening to music, laughing with my friends, shopping, experiencing new cultures, and traveling.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
To stay on track with growing an innovative business within a pandemic. Nobody knows what the future holds right now, so my focus is to try and stay steady as best as I can. These are unprecedented times with no roadmap. We are all taking it day by day.
How can our readers connect with you?
They can head to my personal account @artxshanna and follow Art Fun Parties @artfunparties and visit us on the web at artfunparties.com.