SDH 036: Filling in the Blanks with Liz Lidgett

Liz Lidgett has had a passion for art ever since she received her first art lessons for Christmas around age 5. Although her love for art was incorporated in her corporate job for the Department of Cultural Affairs for the state of Iowa, her entrepreneurial tendencies - passed down from her parents - left her craving more. She started her own business called Liz Lidgett Fine Art, which expanded to an even larger audience online as Adore Your Walls. Today, Liz is able to help a variety of people, with varying budgets, finally fill that blank wall that has been bothering them forever with a piece that is uniquely molded to fit their personalities. Liz’s Pallet -Transforming her passion for art into a career -How she expanded her first business in order to reach a broader community online -The advantage of using technology, like Kickstarter, that helped build Adore Your Walls -Building relationships with other businesses, like ugallery, to develop mutual benefits -Staying on task in your corporate job, while also planning your own business -Knowing the risks, but taking a leap into your business anyway -Strategies to pursue your ideas, while still working in a corporate job -Tools like day designer, and goal setting post-its that keep Liz on track Colorful Quotes: “You are using art as a way to see the world in a different way, [...] It’s a really interesting way to problem solve.” “After a year in the corporate space, I decided that being in a desk job really wasn’t the path that I wanted to take.” “A lot of people would probably put a lot more time in between the initial idea and the launch than I do. When I started Liz Lidgett Fine Art it was like 2 months later that I knew I was doing Adore Your Walls and quit my job.” “I thought ‘I am not crazy wealthy; how am I going to build this website?’ I started to launch a kickstarter and use that to test if there was a need for it, and if people were excited about it, and then it would just help me create the site.” “I really think that if you have enough people talking to you about your ideas, their unique perspective and vantage point will lead you to that next thing.” “Be okay with failure.. I fail at least 3 times on a daily basis, but it just doesn’t get me sidetracked, and I keep going.” “You are going to be told no so many times, but after 72 no’s you will be told yes. And, that will be the most incredible moment, because it will make your idea viable.” [Connect with Liz: Twitter (@LizLidgett), Instagram (@lizlidgett & @adoreyourwalls) Website: Adore Your Walls, & Liz Lidgett] RESOURCES: South By SouthWest Kickstarter ugallery The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben Horowitz The Everygirl Day Designer