It’s our 25th anniversary! To celebrate, we’re highlighting some of our past and present clients to showcase how their businesses have evolved over the years. We’re honored and grateful to have been a part of so many of our clients’ journeys these past 25 years and look forward to continuing to build business success in Alberta.
Art by Linda Finstad was started 4 years ago when Linda shifted from her photography business of 10 years to become a full-time artist and author. Through a 14 year journey of entrepreneurship and pivoting her business, Linda has experienced many milestones. We had the opportunity to chat with Linda Finstad, Owner of Art by Linda Finstad, to ask her a few questions about her entrepreneurial journey and see where she is now.
I first came to Business Link in 2000. I was new to Canada and had started a hat business, Hats By Emmanuel. I created hats and headwear for ladies going through chemotherapy. I had immigrated to Canada from the UK and needed guidance with Canadian business practices and ways to promote my new business to hospitals. Business Link was amazing. They really helped me feel at home in my new environment and prevented me from making very costly mistakes.
1. Tell us about yourself. What is your background?
I am a serial entrepreneur. Over the years I have started several different businesses, most of which were successful. In fact, I have never had a “real job” or the safety net of a guaranteed income, which is exactly the way I like it.
2. Tell us about your business and what it does.
My current business is Art by Linda Finstad. About 4 years ago I decided to move away from my photography business, of 10 years, to be a full-time artist and author. I have written and illustrated 24 books and created several collections of art in a variety of different styles and mediums. My most popular line is Everyday Angels. At the start of the pandemic, I began painting with coffee, instead of paint, and my subjects were sassy angels. I posted an angel every day on Facebook and their popularity grew in leaps and bounds. I have filled 2 books with their antics and have a third one in the works. I sell them as prints, greeting cards and magnets. My goal is to be the most prolific coffee artist in the world with over 500 paintings under my belt – I feel I am well underway to reaching that goal.
3. What motivated you to start your own business?
I can’t imagine not being self-employed. I love being able to create my own destiny and work as much or as little as I like.
4. What are you most proud of? What is your biggest success?
I received a letter of recognition from Her Majesty the Queen of England for the work I did on a book de-coding equine body language, this was a huge thrill.
5. What challenges has your business had to overcome?
I had to figure out how to reach a new customer base and create art and books that people would want to buy. When I first started my art business, I tried marketing it to my existing (equine photography clients), although some of them loved my work and became customers this was not where I needed to be. I realized very early on that people buy my work as gifts – which opened up a whole new arena of possible places to trade. I found that farmer’s markets and art walks were where my target audience shopped, but of course, COVID killed those opportunities so I had to look for other ways to sell my work. I approached several gift shops and galleries and was fortunate enough to get into 6 stores which really helped me through the pandemic.
6. When did you first come to Business Link? Why?
I first came to Business Link in 2000. I was new to Canada and had started a hat business, Hats By Emmanuel. I created hats and headwear for ladies going through chemotherapy. I had immigrated to Canada from the UK and needed guidance with Canadian business practices and ways to promote my new business to hospitals. Business Link was amazing they really helped me feel at home in my new environment and prevented me from making very costly mistakes.
7. How has Business Link helped you over the years? What kind of support did you receive?
I regularly came and used the reference library and chatted with business strategists. I also really enjoyed the mixers, they were a fabulous way to meet other like-minded people and it was very inspirational to hear their success stories.
8. What advice would you share with others who want to start or grow their own business?
I think my best advice would be to have a plan but hold it loosely in your hands. Very often as you start your journey, opportunities you may not have thought of present themselves and you should be open to exploring them even if they are not in your original plan. Don’t get stuck repeating the same thing over and over if it’s not working just because it’s comfortable.
9. What’s one thing you wish you knew when you started your business?
For my art business, I wish I had known right at the beginning that my niche is the gift market. I wasted a lot of time and effort trying to get into fine art galleries – It was depressing and soul-destroying. Once I changed my approach and focused on a different market segment everything just fell into place. Now instead of begging the galleries for representation, I am being sought after to put my work in gift shops.
10. Is there anything else you would like to share?
Be open to new possibilities because nothing stays the same. The past 18 months have certainly shown us that in order to survive you need to be able to pivot and shift gears and discover new opportunities.
Where you can find Art By Linda Finstad:
Find Linda’s Work here.
Linda Finstad on Facebook
