It’s been a while since I shared an inspiring ‘Your Own Boss‘ interview with you guys. This is also going to be the last one for the year 2017. As I only bring you people that can inspire you to be your own boss someday, you can guess that it’s going to be another great one.
She’s a mother to a very happy little girl, a wife to Italian engineer/designer and has made waves on her own with her work on the island and in the Netherlands. I’ve met her this year at a networking event. It was a short introduction but a day later went to the opening of their pop-up shop, Isola Design Atelier. There we got a chance to talk more and I just love the confident, but goodhearted vibe that she reflects. Lets take a closer look.
Who is Christy Beaujon and what is your business all about?
As a visual artist, I use photography and moving image to create narratives. Telling my own stories and helping others to tell theirs by offering my skills as communications specialist and visual artist. I create customized and limited edition works of photographic art for private collectors and corporations.
Next to my work as visual artist I provide companies with photography, consultancy and project management on corporate communication and copy writing and blogging services. I also offer translation services, translating from Dutch to English and from English to Dutch. I have extensive experience in bid management and bid writing, specifically for public tenders.
I’m currently working on creating more visibility of my art work and I’m focusing on companies and people who want to add something special to their interiors.
My company is part of Creative Lab Curacao, located in the beautiful and historical city quarter of Scharloo. If you need your story to be told, whether it’s with words or with images, that’s what I can help companies with
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| part of the series ‘Isla’ |
Why did you start a business of your own?
Because I felt I could bring an interesting edge for customers since I’m educated in both visual and written communication. I have a masters degree in Communication & Media studies and I finished art school, at the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague, where I got my bachelor in design. Combining my abilities in what I can do for customers. Most importantly, I started my own business so I can have full control of over whom I work for and what I do and under what conditions. I’m terrible at 9 tot 5 and fixed hours and I noticed that working like that felt like being in a straight-jacket and that didn’t do any good things for my creativity and motivation. I just really like the flexibility of creating my own work schedule, especially since I became a mother.
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| part of the series ‘Resurface’ |
What are some high and low points of starting your business?
The low is definitely the insecurity of it all. It’s a constant hunt for new assignments and customers. I carry more responsibility since I have my own family, so that adds to the pressure of performing. I never stop working.
The high points are when you finish an assignment and the customer is happy and knowing that all my effort are being paid off with recognition for what I do. I also love that I am able to create my own schedule. I have to write a lot of work and it happens sometimes that I’m out of ideas. So I have the freedom to do something else or take a walk to make pictures to get some inspiration again. That’s a lot harder when you work in a 9 to 5 environment. Even though I think that’s silly, because I don’t believe that making people work in fixed hours increases productivity. Sometimes you just don’t feel like it and you need to reset your mind in order to produce, right?! Basically, I like to move freely and that’s the best part having my own business.
What is your greatest achievement until now?
That would be selling my photos to the House of Representatives of the Netherlands. They purchased 5 of my works in a large format to hang in some of the meeting rooms.
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| part of the Tweede Kamer Art Collection (House of Representatives of the Netherlands) |
Where do you get your inspiration?
From life and reading. From everything that happens on a daily basis. I see a lot of details and I can be totally fascinated by looking on how a leaf moves when rain falls on it or what the light looks like at 18.20 in the afternoon. It’s a cliche, but everything around us is so beautiful. Even the raw stuff. And I read a lot so I keep myself up to speed on what’s going on. Not so much news, but more depth articles and art blogs and marketing magazines.
Also, I’m always inspired by water and by the sea. Whenever I see water, I will stop to photograph it. I also have huge amounts of footage of the sea. A nice detail is that almost half of my work is still shot on analogue film.
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| part of the series ‘Resurface’ |
What advice can you give to those that would like to be part of the ‘Your Own Boss’ club?
It’s okay to be scared, but let the fear for doing something that involves a lot of insecurity work for you and fuel your motivation. Don’t let it paralyze you. And be honest with yourself about why you do something.
Beside Christy having her own business, she shares a business with her husband Mateo. Isola Design Atelier (Isola means island in Italian) designs and makes some pretty awesome furniture, like stools and tables or anything custom made. Whatever you want, they can make it.
Thank you Christy for accepting my invitation and sharing your beautiful photographs with us. Taking a look inside your business venture, will surely inspires others. I wish you many more excitement on your creative business venture.
For more information about Christy Beaujon, please click below:
*Introduction photo taken by The New Tropic Miami
Truly Madly Sassy
I think being your own boss is a rather attractive option, even if it is scary. I like how Christy said that insecurity/fear is one of the challenges of starting one's own business because that's absolutely true. There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to running an operation and it really is just trial and error. Thanks for sharing! Great concept for a post!
Nayna Kanabar
Its lovely reading this post and knowing more about how the business came about and reading all those great tips too.