Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Ibey.
Hi Michael, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I come from a family of artists and creative business owners and started designing and building one-of-a-kind frames as a teenager. I eventually got into art commissioning, buying, and publishing for Michael’s Gallery and have been in the art business for over 50 years now. I’ve loved every minute of it, even in some of the more trying moments of my career. I can’t imagine doing anything else but this.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There are always peaks and valleys. Michael’s Gallery has taken on many shapes and sizes over the years. I had to significantly downsize due to the financial crisis in 2008 and that was a difficult time in my career. But I stayed focused and had to adapt in a lot of ways as a small business. Little by little, I built the business back up and brought in a new revenue stream as a result. I always think of Mike Tyson’s quote, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” You have to learn to get creative and roll with the punches.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Michael’s Gallery is an art gallery in Costa Mesa, CA that specializes in selling original art and custom framing. We also hold weekly online auctions for the art we buy, curate, and breathe new life into. In addition, we offer consignment to our clients with special pieces of art they’d like to sell on our weekly auctions. Our goal is to offer a wide array of artwork that resonates with each of our customers’ unique tastes, no matter what their style/home decor preferences are. We’re all about self-expression and helping customers fill their homes with art that makes them happy. We’re a small, family-owned operation that aims to treat our customers like family and ultimately make the process of buying art more fun and approachable. That’s what I’m the most proud of.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice to those starting any kind of creative business is to make sure you absolutely love what you do before you start your own business. Because when things get hard, the passion you have for your work is what will end up driving you to put one foot in front of the other.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/auctioneer/7684/michael-s-gallery/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaels_gallery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelsGallery.Co
