Goods meant to be enjoyed offline often most need an online marketplace. Art is the perfect example. Nothing compares to taking in great work in person, which limits the art anyone can see or own – and also slows artists from receiving recognition and financial support.
An online marketplace for art eliminates these problems, giving artists a place to share their work and grow a following while giving consumers more opportunities to both encounter and purchase art. Cupick is one such platform looking to create a meeting place more straightforward, beautiful, and accessible than the rest.
Minimal design offers an attractive online space for artists to share their portfolio – they have full control over the pricing. At the same time, Cupick handles the selling process, which means artists are free to create more. A community of art lovers can discover, share, and become more engaged with art on a more regular basis. Everyone wins with more art in their days.
Cupick Co-founder, Justin Alva, paints an even better picture of how it all works:
Who are your target customers?
We have 2 sets of customers:
- Artists who adopt our platform to showcase and sell their artwork.
- End customers who’d be interested in buying art on various mediums such as prints, posters, etc.
Why do people need Cupick?
There is a dearth of platforms targeting emerging markets. Artists cannot reach out to customers in these markets, and enthusiasts cannot buy artwork easily. Cupick’s goal is to make art accessible by connecting artists with people who appreciate and would like to own beautiful work.
When do your best ideas come to you?
At night. Although, I’ve also had random moments when I get a brainwave. Beers help too!
A lot of people have big ideas. What gave you the confidence to actually go after yours?
My dreams are more important than slaving away for someone else’s.
Got any great bootstrapping tips for the lean startups out there?
Well, I’m on my journey now, so I don’t have too many tips. One thing I’ve learnt pertains to team-building. You don’t have a lot of money to hire, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find good people to work with. If you have the right pitch and the right opportunity, you’ll find that people are willing to give up short-term benefits and join you in building a company.
What other advice do you have for entrepreneurs struggling to get started?
Let go of your inhibitions. Throw yourself into the deep side of the pool and learn to swim. If you do, good for you! If you don’t, you can always go back to working and getting a stable income before you try again.
What are 5 websites you can’t live without and why?
- Techcrunch, Venture Beat – keep abreast of the startup scene internationally
- Nextbigwhat, Yourstory – covers the startup scene in India
- LinkedIn, Quora, Facebook, Twitter – when used for work, they can be great sources for discovery and information
Top 3 mobile apps you’re in love with and why?
Not really a heavy mobile user…
- Tinder – great way to connect with people socially
- WhatsApp – a very easy way to keep in touch
- Evernote – great for note-taking; jotting down ideas
Three people we should follow on Twitter and why?
Smart folks these are!
Please share some specific numbers that highlight your growth.
We are now 3 weeks into our closed beta and we have 140 artists using our platform and have 600+ unique pieces of art uploaded.
What’s your favorite productivity hack?
Good old writing down tasks for the day and checking them off. Listening to upbeat music while going about the day’s tasks.
Skip over to cupick.com to find more great, affordable art like the pieces by Alyssa Monks, Thomas Saliot, and wisesnail featured here or to put your work on display besides these rising stars. Find Cupick on Facebook and Twitter to learn more.
