Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Kaplan.
Casey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
As a kid, I was always involved in the arts whether it be dance, gymnastics or creating my own drawings during class because that is all I cared about, so I always had the artistic bug in me. I went to college at Ohio University where I earned my BA degree in Printmaking and Graphic Design.
My mom and dad were supportive of this, but there was always the lingering question from my father, “What are you going to do with an art degree?” It never really struck me until a few weeks before graduation and I then started to get concerned my self. I started surfing the world wide web and I found this ad that said “travel the world while selling art!” It hit me like a ton of bricks! It wasn’t long before I knew that is what I am going to do after I graduate. And that is exactly what I did. I lived and worked on cruise ships selling and auctioning off Fine Art. It was the most exciting and eye-opening experience I had ever had. Through this experience, I learned so much about sales and came out as a Fine Art sales guru.
After two years of living in the tiniest cabin on the high seas I was ready to give up my sea legs and start my career and life on land. My best friend back home had just gotten back from Europe where she was studying abroad and had planned to move to California. It was perfect timing because I really had no idea what I was going to do when I got off ships. She asked if I wanted to take a road trip with her to move her across country, but then I thought why not move to California too? So a few weeks later, we packed up my car and drove across the country. We had no plans for ourselves but embraced the unknowns and the risks. The first year was rough, and just when I thought I had finally found my place and career, I was wrong. I worked at a gallery in the OC for a few months but eventually couldn’t make that long drive anymore so I left. I then got a job at a cold calling company selling social media to small businesses and realized that was definitely not for me. I did meet a guy at that job who I was very attracted to, but he had a girlfriend so I didn’t think anything of it at the time.
I gave up on that job and gave up on California. I was depressed and decided I was going to move back to Ohio. I packed up all my things leaving my friend behind and stayed at various friend’s places along the way back to the mid-west. My last stop was in Nashville where I received a call from a celebrity auction house that I applied to 6 months ago and they said they wanted to hire me. I was ecstatic! But also uneasy because I had just packed up my life and was only 4 hours away from Ohio. This was my dream job I wanted and the only job that would bring me back to California. I drove the rest of the way home and told my mom the news. She was so happy for me and said we will figure out how to get you back there if you really want the job. So I literally turned around and went back to California the next week. Meanwhile, this guy I liked from the cold calling job who had the girlfriend was so excited to hear that I was coming back. He was sending me links of job openings to apply to before I left California trying to get me to stay, so I knew he felt the connection too and was excited to tell him I would see him again soon.
Fast forward months later, that guy turned into my boyfriend, my husband and my business partner. He is my soulmate and I believe the universe brought me back to California to be with him and to start my dream job and career. I currently manage a team of incredible salespeople at a rock and roll photography gallery in West Hollywood called the Morrison Hotel Gallery and I also started my own mobile art app company with my husband, called Artmonious. I couldn’t be happier about my journey and how I got here today. I wouldn’t trade the stress, tears and joy for anything.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a company is so much harder than you could imagine. Especially a technology-based company when you or your partner have no background in tech! We have learned so much by working with incredibly intelligent and generous people that have guided us on this journey. Being patient and passionate about what you are doing is the biggest advice I could give to anyone starting a new company.
Artmonious – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Artmonious is on a mission to build mobile products for the art industry that solve problems. The direction of the art industry will continue to become more digital. With auction houses going online, e-commerce at an all-time high, and social media everywhere you look, the art world is already on its way. Since everyone has a smartphone, that’s what we focus on. And as businesses continue to transition into the online world, we will be the go-to place to help them do it and handle their needs. If we can improve the art industry with technology, then we can evolve with it and ultimately help connect people with more art.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Making it this far! Putting in the time and effort and risk to build something you never thought you could do.
Pricing:
- Free Download in the iTunes Store
Contact Info:
- Website: artmonious.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Other: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/morrison-hotel-gallery/id1332299775
Image Credit:
Scott Ritchie
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