Kristi Kohut left her advertising job to stay at home with her young son and started making art. “The moment I picked up that brush, something in me sparked. I felt a joy, a contentment, that I had never known before. That moment was such magic, I decided to start my business, Kristi Kohut Studio, and voila here I am, creating my own pieces, transitioning my art to a home line, and helping collectors new and experienced all over the world access art in a way that maybe they couldn’t before,” she says. Now she makes stunning, colorful art and home goods. (Editors Note: One of each, please!) We chatted about her career path and advice.
What has been the biggest challenge and, on the flip side, the biggest reward of starting Kristi Kohut Studio?
My biggest challenge is time, especially for my original work. There’s so much I want to create. I feel I can’t get my work out fast enough, and I am so limited in how many I can create. My originals often sell out within moments of posting to my Instagram or website and there is a waitlist until late next year for my commissioned work. I really hate turning away collectors and wish there were more hours in the day to keep up with the demand.
The biggest reward has been connecting directly with so many collectors. I have forged relationships with them through Instagram, email, and one-on-one conversations, allowing them to see behind the scenes into my studio and to purchase art from all over the world. (Just recently I shipped original work to Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia!)
What advice do you have for other women who hope to start their own businesses?
Do it! If it is something you are passionate about, there is nothing better. Don’t wait for the perfect time. There is no perfect time. Just start. It’s okay to start small and build from there. I began with just $1 and the art supplies I had on-hand. And since it was established in 2014, it’s doubled in growth every year. In fact, I just passed the million-dollar mark in sales by continually reinvesting back into my company.
What is a workday as Kristi like? Please walk me through a day!
One of the things I love most about what I do is that no two days are alike, every day is different. But a typical day looks like this:
Wake up, first thing I do is meditate, check emails while I have my coffee, and once my son is up, it’s a race to get him ready and off to school. Then I’m in my studio, while I’m feeling the freshest. Breaks in my studio may be filled with anything from hopping on a call to discuss a new collaboration, meeting with designers to discuss art for an upcoming project, and taking my bulldog Shafer for a nice long walk. I’ll sneak in a workout or some yoga. Then I’m back to work on a recent commission and planning the art I will create for an upcoming pop-up gallery in the Hamptons with One Kings Lane. Out of the studio, I’m responding to collectors and checking in on the operation of my business. Then after taking my son to hockey practice, if my husband isn’t traveling for work, we’ll sit down for dinner. (I’m lucky here, my husband is an amazing cook!) I’ll read with my son Owen and once he is in bed, have a glass of wine with my husband, then I wrap up any loose threads, and then it’s time to dream up new things (in my sleep, literally). It’s amazing how my subconscious can keep creating, even while my body rests! I often wake up in the middle of the night with a new idea for a piece I want to create.
What are your responsibilities as founder and CEO of Kristi Kohut Studio?
Where to begin?! This one is constantly changing and evolving as my business grows. And this is something I’m constantly working to figure out. There is no road map. First and foremost, I’m the one creating and making all of the art and designs. This is the core of what I do and where I spend the most time. But being an entrepreneur, the studio is my vision so I’m responsible for creating the big picture and overseeing and leading my amazing team — financing and accounting, order fulfillment and customer service, graphic design, and copywriting. I’m also overseeing production — how it’s made, who we partner with, pricing, and quality control. Customer relationship management is a big one too, both with my collectors as well as trade and wholesale partners. Also collaborations, brand strategy, marketing, public relations, content creation, and social media. And…making my coffee.
What are the most important characteristics someone needs to have to be successful in your role?
You absolutely have to love what you do, hands down. Being an entrepreneur is amazing and so much fun, but it is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work, grit, toughness, and energy. You really have to be so passionate about what you’re doing or it’s just not worth it. I love what I do so much. I live and breathe it. I’m constantly working and creating and dreaming. And I think when you are doing what you love and what you are meant to do, success will just follow.
What are three characteristics you look for when you’re hiring a new team member?
Passion. This is the number one character trait I look for. If you are passionate and enthusiastic, the hard work will just come naturally. Self-reliance. Someone who can take the ball and run with it, who just figures things out. And of course, talent. Each member of my team is incredibly good and passionate about what they do. I have a hard time handing off pieces of my business because I have such high standards, but they are all so talented at what they do, it makes it so easy!
What’s the biggest lesson you learned at work and how did you learn it?
Not trying to be right for everyone. And it’s actually a really good thing when you are not. In business and in art, this holds true. Art is very subjective, some people are going to respond to my work and some people are not. There is no way you are going to please everybody and you can’t take it personally. In the beginning, I tried so hard to be “right” for so many, it ended up watering down what I was doing and I wasn’t staying true to myself. I quickly learned that the more I could focus on my authenticity and align my business with what felt true to me, the more that success would naturally follow.
What is one thing that you wish you had known when you were starting out your career?
That the very thing that I believed was my biggest crutch would be the very thing that triggered my success. In the past, galleries have been the gatekeepers to the art world and when I first started, my attempts didn’t even warrant a “thanks, but no thanks” response from galleries. I went my own way sharing my work on Instagram and my site and it all just took off…no gallery needed. Oh yeah, did I mention now those same galleries are now reaching out to me?
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
One of my biggest internal battles I have is having so many ideas and visions for what I want to create and not being able to get them out fast enough. When I was just starting I remember my husband telling me an incredible piece of advice…focus on doing one thing and doing it really well and then expand into other things. I of course didn’t listen at first. I launched with so many different products. I quickly found out that to do this and do it right, would involve a lot more time and effort than I initially planned. Recalling his advice, I took a step back, pulled everything, and focused on just the art. And then once that was robust and where I wanted it to be, I started to diversify. This made all the difference.
What is your business advice for other young professional women?
Be careful who you share your vision with, especially in the beginning. When you are creating something that doesn’t yet exist, I think people just have a hard time visualizing it. Show them what you’ve got instead. You’re going to have people saying it can’t be done and when they do, just use that fuel to fire you up even more and prove them wrong.
Photo courtesy of Kristi Kohut.
