We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mandi Sabourin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mandi below.
Hi Mandi , great to have you with us today and excited to have you share your wisdom with our readers. Over the years, after speaking with countless do-ers, makers, builders, entrepreneurs, artists and more we’ve noticed that the ability to take risks is central to almost all stories of triumph and so we’re really interested in hearing about your journey with risk and how you developed your risk-taking ability.
The ability to take a risk came to me first through honest to goodness stubbornness. I was about to take the biggest risk of my life so far and I was way too stubborn to give up without a fight. I knew that continuing to pour myself into a business that was all but failing was absolute insanity in the eyes of everyone around me. Not only continuing to pour myself into it, but also leaving the perceived safety of full time employment. I had taken a risk starting the business in the beginning, but I was still working full time then. So although it was risky, it wasn’t nearly as risky as quitting my job to focus on growing the business exclusively.
From taking that risk early on I learned it’s not a cliché that with greater risk comes greater rewards. It’s not cliché that you can only really learn when you fail spectacularly. With every failure comes lessons and the risk muscle grows stronger through repeated failures.
Every single day that I don’t give in to the thought that maybe I should just find a good steady job and secure my future that way, I take a risk. Every day that I keep moving forward on nothing more than faith in myself alone, I take a risk. It’s a risk that the next idea might fail, too. That I might struggle to pay the bills yet another month.
I do have faith in myself, however, and an understanding that this is what it’s all about. Risking, failing, learning and growing and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I started my small business in 2018 with the purpose of bringing mindfulness to as many people as I can reach through art and yoga. I’m a teaching artist and yoga instructor. I’ve gone from leased studio space to 100% mobile to a hybrid mobile/home studio model currently. Being flexible and adapting to changing environments has been a big challenge but it has also allowed me to continue doing what I love to do. I love being creative and finding ways to bring people together helping them discover the joys that come with opening up to their breath, their inner voice and their creativity. I’ve recently begun shifting some of my focus on myself as an artist and exploring the idea of selling my work. I’ve started with a gallery on Etsy.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I think the most important skills for entrepreneurship take time and experience to build. Going into it with a basic understanding that there will be challenges, and a mindset that you can overcome any challenge, will get you through the most difficult times. A willingness to pivot as the environment changes, being open to learning new skills and accepting guidance from peers and those who have experience and are willing to help are invaluable qualities that will take you far on your journey.
I think an independent spirit is a (wonderful) quality that most entrepreneurs have. So accepting help and guidance is one of our greatest challenges. I know it’s definitely mine and an area where I know I can improve!
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
There has definitely been a downturn in interest in my painting class business recently. It’s very difficult to pinpoint the exact cause so I’m left wondering if it’s temporary or if I need to pivot once again to keep the business viable. The struggling economy might be playing a role along with the fact that I live in a relatively small, rural area and have been offering step-by-step acrylic painting classes for six years now. So the next steps in my journey will be deciding whether to expand my offerings beyond acrylic on canvas to other materials and get creative that way or to possibly expanding outside of the area where I live into other more populated areas.
This has also been a driving force behind me starting my Etsy gallery and shifting my focus to painting not just for two hour classes to guide others, but to make art with the intention of making a living selling originals and prints.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.createandconnectstudio.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/createandconnectstudio
- Facebook: Facebook.com/createandconnectstudio
- Other: https://mandimariegallery.etsy.com/ www.instagram.com/mandimariegallery facebook.com/mandimariegallery
Image Credits
Nicole Spangler Photography