Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Francis.
Renee, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
One day, I started to think about the engineering behind the YETI cup and how great they are to use and REUSE every single day. Not only are they beneficial to our environment they also help keep your beverages incredibly cold OR warm for long hours throughout the day. I have even woke up to chucks of ice still being in my cup from the day before! So, I decided to use stainless steel tumblers as my canvas of choice.
I love the ocean so the first cup I ever made was SEAspired! I began painting the cup an ombre sea of aqua, turquoise and blue. The bottom half of the cup was covered in a 360’ coral reef habitat. For the top half of the cup, I floated a Sargassum weed line. Underneath it swam a bull and cow dolphin “Mahi” chasing around a school of flying fish.
Once my friends saw my cup they wanted one and then their friends wanted one and then people they worked with wanted one. So on and so on. This web just kept growing and before I knew it over half of my following was from people I didn’t even know. My passion for making art turned into profit and my hobby grew into a business. I am where I am today thanks to word of mouth and return customers. Art Minded, Inc. was established in August of 2017.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been smooth sailing. I was not handed down ownership or born into the fortune of a well-structured business. Art Minded has solely been built up from the ground up. I worked a part-time job just to fuel the investment costs it would take for me to start a business of my own. Trial and error has also played another significant role in my growth. Over time, you make mistakes and then there is the time it takes to learn from them. Funny enough, some of the mistakes I made in the studio led me to some of my best work. Trial and error is costly and very time consuming but somebody once told me it is called “growing pains.” Indeed.
Please tell us about Art Minded.
The purpose of Art Minded is to provide a unique line of Eco-friendly custom cup creations to you. Each and every cup is individually hand-crafted and made to order. Each cup is solely a unique original for no two cups will ever be identical. Art Minded Cups are perfectly sized to keep you hydrated all day long from your morning commute, to meetings, to work, or out biking, camping, fishing and boating. The list goes on, you name it, we highly recommend you bring your Art Minded Cup with you everywhere!
Art Minded does provide each client with a top of the line engineered cup that is available in a few different sizes. They are BPA free and constructed out of strong stainless steel. They are also double-wall vacuum insulated to keep beverages extra cold and hot for extremely long hours throughout the day. Every Art Minded Cup includes a Splash-Less lid that is also ECO straw friendly! The narrow and tall design ensures a better grip and fits into most cup holders. Also, there is no need for a coaster because of the no sweat exterior design.
All Art Minded Cups are individually hand-painted, customized and then sealed with a gloss FDA approved topcoat. If you can’t decide on exactly what you want no worries, we offer many different techniques and styles for you to choose from.
Art Minded is foremost known for QUALITY and the HANDMADE customization of each and every cup. I individually take time with customers one on one to capture and create just the right cup for you. We offer a large verity of colors, designs, fonts and techniques to choose from. You may also add your name, monogram, a favorite quote or photograph of a pet or loved one to any cup. If you are a business owner, then I highly recommend advertising your logo on an Art Minded Cup. I absolutely love the hand sprinkled GLITTER cups! They are beautiful whether you are indoors or out. They sparkle so pretty in the sunshine and because of the quality they glisten at night too! Other signature Art Minded techniques are Hydro Dipped and WOODGRAIN. Woodgrain is a stain that I paint on by hand to create a natural classy wood grain effect. In fact, in 2018, I made Jimmy Buffett a wood grain Metro Parrot Head Club cup! Also very popular, is considering getting your cup HYDRO DIPPED. A lot of people ask me to make them a cup resembling their favorite sports team. Hydro Dipping is a great option to pick from for this. Your entire cup will be submerged into a pool of your favorite colors and to top it off add your name!
I am most proud of the response I get from new and return customers. It is so rewarding to receive such a high demand for a product that I can create with my own two hands. It is satisfying to know that people are choosing Art Minded to be more ECO-friendly conscious. I feel like Art minded Cups are not just a cup they are a keepsake, a memory, a work of art.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Success is many things but I feel like authentic success is derived from a combination of skills and the personality traits of a person. When you are honest, people will believe in you and if you have good morals than you can trust yourself and your own success. Here are a few characteristics that drive me to succeed on a day to day basis. Ambition, Courage, Commitment, Willpower, Integrity, Drive, Patience, Imagination, Creativity, Passion, Communication, Connection, Purpose, Focus, Respect, Authenticity. Success is a journey, not a destination. I love what I do and I love being able to share my passion with you.
Contact Info:
- Website: artmindedshop.com
- Email: artmindedrenee@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/artmindedcups
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/artsearenee
Image Credit:
Lindsay Mays
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