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In this episode you’ll learn:
- Achieving a sustainable career as an artist
- How having focus will help you realise your creative dreams
- Marketing yourself as an artist
- Managing communications in a large community
Brianna Wettlaufer is CEO and co-founder of Stocksy United,
Stocksy United is an online artist-owned co-op that specialises in high-end curated stock photography.
They do creative business with a difference…
By creating sustainable employment opportunities for artists.
In this chat, recorded in March 2017, Brianna shares her view on recent trends in the creative, and stock, industries.
As an executive in the stock industry for over 10 years, she has mentored start-ups in Canada, Korea, Japan, and the US.
Her focus and passion is community, creativity and leading companies forward in photography, art, and music.
In 2012 she co-founded Stocksy.
In today’s episode you’ll hear why Stocksy is capped at 1000 members.
And the challenges of finding the right creative people to work with.
Hear how Brianna manages to maintain a balance between her responsibilities and her business community.
And why she believes community is important in creative business today.
Items mentioned in this episode (quick access):
Growing up with simplicity, science and creativity
[01:20] Introducing Brianna Wettläufer.
[02:08] Brianna shares how she shows up in the world today as a creative.
[03:23] Growing up amongst creatives. Graphic design. Nerdiness.
[04:30] Becoming pragmatic.
Photographic beginnings
[05:15] Collecting magazines.
[06:27] Discovering stock photography.
[07:25] Working for iStock.
[08:17] Growing the team.
Having a clear vision
[10:35] What integrity means to Brianna.
[11:30] Losing your ego.
[12:27] Why Stocksy exists.
Making a living as an artist
[13:36] Achieving a sustainable career as an artist.
[15:00] Marketing yourself as an artist.
[16:20] How co-op models support artists.
[17:30] Comparing the co-op of today vs. yesterday.
Shifting the power
[19:00] What Stocksy do differently.
[20:25] What Stocksy doesn’t want to do.
[21:15] Communicating as a large community.
[22:30] Brianna shares her view on recent bigger trends.
Nurturing talent
[25:00] Why Stocksy has a membership cap.
[27:25] How Brianna and her team has more focussed conversations.
[28:20] Managing churn and turnover within the community.
[29:30] Nurturing talent.
[30:27] Mentoring and conversations.
Sophisticated thinking
[31:44] How Brianna’s role has evolved.
[32:45] Democracy and dynamic hierarchies.
[34:21] How Brianna maintains balance in her role.
[36:20] How Stocksy decides who manages what.
Passion driven
[39:00] The power of strong opinions and challenging each other.
[39:40] The power of passion.
[40:55] Finding the right people.
[42:50] What type of people Stocksy look for.
21st century creative success
[45:20] What success looks like for Stocksy.
[46:00] What’s inspired Brianna recently.
[47:05] Why The Netherlands is impressing Brianna.
[48:08] What Brianna is grateful for today.
[49:40] Where to learn more about Stocksy.com
Links and Resources:
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