I'm Sophie,
Professional Artist, Art Business Coach, Educator & Entrepreneur.
I left behind being a single parent on the benefit system, worked hard, got educated, stayed focused and made a heap of mistakes. Many years on I’ve combined my two core passions ‘Art’ and ‘Entrepreneurship’ and so this business was born. In 2019 I asked my eldest daughter to join me and now feel blessed every day.
How I got to where I am today. The good. The Bad. The Ugly.
I haven’t created all this good stuff overnight...
I am not going to lie to you. It’s taken many years, different phases, ever-evolving businesses, thousands of dollars in mentoring and courses, till I was able to pull all my strings together and be totally ‘in flow’.
As a single child, I was brought up in the country-side, preferred time alone to being with others or joining in. I always felt like an outsider, hoping to find a place to fit in; trying one community after another – until I just created my own and I’ve been doing so wherever I am in the world.
The beginning...
I accidentally started my own knitwear business at just 18, with 4 ladies knitting my designs. Of course I loved the flexibility this gave and was about to scale up, when I made a rookie error lending my business capital to someone in need and never saw it again.
I then ticked the ‘employed box’ for 8 years, teaching art at The Brighton Steiner School back in the UK, where I am originally from. Needless to say, that had its limits and I soon found myself giving in my notice and moving on in late 2003.
The decision to step back into entrepreneurship was the best decision I made and despite being a single parent (yes I’ve spared you the section of my story where that all happened!), I launched myself finally as a full-time artist.
I Finally got to paint every day...
I got to exhibit in galleries, art fairs and solo shows via my agent, run open studios, set up an arts organisation and art trail, fulfil my goals and so much more.
I couldn’t have achieved any of this without business help; firstly some courses and then a 1-2-1 mentor. I discovered my love of entrepreneurship again and even became an Ambassador for Women’s Enterprise, which meant I got to help others starting up their businesses locally. A seed was sown.
I also took a journey through personal development, which completely changed my life, perspective on what I wanted to achieve and of course what could be possible for me.
Things were great, until I totally burnt out.
Eventually, I made another big decision:
I was going to stop painting.
I knew I loved helping people, so I set out to gain Coaching qualifications and set up as a Business Start-up Coach. I knew how to market myself so this grew steadily and before I knew it I was moving into a nice big office in a near-by business centre. I grew a successful business, loved my clients and often ran workshops as well.
The money was coming in, but I was still searching for something. I made another big decision, possibly the largest one so far in my life. In 2013 I sold my house, packed up our belongings, filled a suitcase, and booked a flight to Australia, where my youngest daughter was settling. Sunshine and warmth hit me and I knew then I had found something special.
I was having so much fun I took my eye off the ball.
I discovered that I actually knew nothing about running a business online...
… and I made one mistake after another. Gradually, I lost clients and realised that things were slipping away.
I decided to focus on the personal journey and time alone (Oh yes, I did a year on the east coast), until I eventually had to leave gorgeous Cairns and return to the UK totally broke.
Life was at an all-time low. I had to give myself a good talking to.
I knew I needed the right mindset.
On a Visa Break I flew into Perth to see my youngest daughter and had my bag stolen at the train station a few days later. If you know anything about Digital Nomading, you’ll appreciate the tech equipment I had in that bag, not to mention my passport etc…
Life had other plans for me evidently. Perhaps I’d learnt my lesson too. I met my partner Nigel, fell in love and am relocating to Australia permanently.
Nigel asked me what I wanted to do. I made the decision to stay and start up my dream business. Everyday I get to either paint or work in our training business – or take the beautiful doggos for a walk… Life is good.
Sophie x
Make YOUR change.
What's your dream?
I would truly love to help YOU create that now.