Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Johnson.
Hi Jesse, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
About five years ago, I had an idea for a clothing brand that filled a need in the market. My plan was to create a slimmer-fitting scalloped hem shirt that would fit better than the traditional tee, particularly for those with a taller figure. In addition, the shirt feeling premium and fitting just right, I wanted to have unique and original graphics on them that would make them really stand out. I had quite a few ideas in mind but wasn’t having much success with the designers that I was hiring so I started messing out with photoshop myself.
It didn’t take long before I began spending most of my free time learning and creating whatever came to my mind. It took about six months of very regular use and a lot of failing before I started to make anything that I would consider selling, but did eventually start printing my own tee shirts with some of my designs. I had a bit of success within my inner circles but didn’t really have a great long-term plan and far too many hurdles to overcome to keep it going.
That didn’t stop me from creating… and thinking of other ways I could build a business using what I was learning. I had seen other canvas brands’ advertisements and knew there was a market for the type of designs I was making, so I decided to start printing my work on canvases and seeing how they looked. It took a lot of trial and error, finding a good printer, and creating my own website and social media for art before I felt ready to sell anything.
In my first three months in business, I think I had about five sales. I’m sure I spent far more than I made, but it gave me the confidence that people were willing to pay for my artwork. Even though it was an incredibly long shot, I believed if I did things right and built up enough of a selection, maybe one day I could compete with them.
It took working almost every single day since then and as much as 80 hours in a week to get to where I’m at now. There were moments when I wanted to give up and just get a normal consistent job, but I’m glad I kept going. Two years since its launch, and with a big help from the popularity of NFT’s, I’ve sold over 10,000 pieces of my artwork.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not! Quitting my consistently paying jobs to start an art brand was probably not what a lot of people would consider a safe bet, and for a while, I was definitely concerned I had made the wrong decision as my credit card debt kept piling up… That being said, enough good things were happening along the way to give me the motivation and encouragement to keep going.
Advertising is probably the number one most difficult thing in my business. There are so many competitors, and ads are not cheap. It’s incredibly easy to end up paying more than you earn and wind up broke before you know it. The solution for me was mostly being creative about how I advertised my work on free platforms, and every now and then getting lucky with a post on social media that would get me enough exposure to get ahead.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a digital artist and creator of thedopeart.com
My style focuses mostly on surrealism, with my own unique entrepreneurial/hustler vibe.
I’m most proud of the collection of 9,224 Kings and Queens that I created for my “Eternal Royals” NFT project. https://eternalroyals.io – The collection sold out after just a few days and has been helping me grow the brand and my art following significantly.
I think what sets me apart from others is my drive and tunnel vision to complete what I’ve set out to do. It’s meant a lot of sacrifices with my time, social life, and relationships, but the payoff is I feel much more accomplished and purposeful in life than I ever did before pursuing this career.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
A high level of determination, as well as a vision for what I’ve wanted to achieve, have been crucial to the roadmap of my success.
Pricing:
- 30×40 Canvas Print – $220
- Eternal Royals NFT $200-30,000
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://thedopeart.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedopeart1
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/thedopeart
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedopeart
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOK6df16cqAy8iVRm3XblHA
- Other: https://eternalroyals.io
