Award-winning artist and commercial gallery owner Shazia Imran knows about the challenges of running a small business.
After taking home multiple international art awards and selling her work to buyers around the world, Shazia took the leap and opened Shazia Imran Gallery in The Rocks.
With the help of some government grants, Shazia weathered the pandemic and moved into a new gallery space in the Old Coroner’s Courthouse on George Street. She was ready to start the next chapter of her life as Sydney opened up again.
“2022 came and we didn’t have that much foot traffic, people’s confidence wasn’t back, so I was kind of thinking, what can I do to improve the situation?” Shazia said.
For Shazia, signing up to the City of Sydney’s free business innovation program was an opportunity to reset and grow her business.
The power of the network
The free business innovation program is run in partnership with digital and business strategy consultancy Disruptors Co. Over 12 weeks, participants get one-to-one mentoring, business audits and bootcamp style workshops. It brings together 20 small business owners, from retail and hospitality vendors to artists and designers like Shazia. Despite their diverse backgrounds, they all had something in common: they were all eager to find new ways to pivot, grow and transform their businesses.
“I noticed there were a lot of people who are in the same boat as I am,” Shazia said. “We’re all energetic, we all want to do something.”
“The program not only gives you skills and tools to enhance your business, but it also gives you a feeling of you’re not alone, that you’re connected.”
Shazia is regularly in touch with the other small business owners who were part of the program – and when we caught up she was getting ready to host them at the gallery for some end-of-year drinks.
“The connections are really important. It helped me collaborate with more and more people.”
Reaching new audiences
Since completing the business innovation program Shazia has set up a stall at the popular weekend markets in The Rocks. It’s an idea others had suggested to her before, but she always had her doubts.
“I was thinking, ‘oh, I’m an award-winning artist. Is this going to dilute my brand? What’s going to happen?’”
But after discussing the idea with her mentors in the business innovation program, Shazia took on a different perspective. The program facilitators from Disruptors Co guided Shazia to focus on brand awareness, and outline her objectives and goals for taking her art to the markets.
“It’s been amazing so far,” Shazia said. “We’re using it as an extension of the main business, and we’re sending people from the public from the markets to the gallery.”
For many people, the friendly atmosphere of the weekend markets in The Rocks makes it easier to connect with Shazia and her work. It can feel less intimidating than entering a small gallery.
“A lot of people stop outside,” Shazia said. “I placed a free entry sign because there’s this misconception that people have to pay to enter the gallery.”
Diversifying the business offering
Making her artworks more accessible to purchase were some of the challenges Shazia faced as a small business owner.
“Most people don’t come to The Rocks to buy art,” Shazia said. “They’re just visiting and they come to have a look around.”
If you’re walking down George Street in The Rocks, you may just see Shazia painting in her gallery. This often attracts attention from passersby and adds to the experience of the art and the gallery space.
Shazia has also been selling more prints and smaller pieces that are more affordable.
Her time in the business innovation program also gave Shazia the push she needed to finish her website and start selling her work online.
“I was working as a web manager for 23 years but I did not focus on my website!” Shazia said. “I was thinking about it for ages and the program gave me a kick.”
Shazia took the skills, training and feedback she received from the course and applied it to her business needs. By diversifying her artworks and the way she sold them, Shazia was able to reach more customers.
“You have to take all that knowledge and think, ‘what is useful to me?’” Shazia said.
3 ways to grow your business
Gavin Heaton from Disruptors Co, and facilitator of the business innovation program, has these 3 tips to help small businesses grow.
1. Work on the business instead of in the business
Too often we’re caught up in the day-to-day tasks of running a business without spending enough time on the overall strategy of the business.
“By signing up to the business innovation program, you’re setting aside one day a fortnight to devote to growing your business,” Gavin said.
2. Understand your audience
Listen to what your customers and audience have to say and think about how you can add value to the way they connect to your business.
“There’s the fabulousness of having a great piece of art hanging in your living room and then there’s the selfie you took with Shazia when you bought it. It’s that human connection, that story you can tell,” Gavin said.
3. Innovate your business on purpose
Many people find themselves being a business owner because they have a passion they want to share with others first, and starting a business comes second. When you start a business ‘by accident’, you learn and make decisions as you go.
“At Disruptors Co, we talk about innovation on purpose,” Gavin said.
“This is a chance to go, ‘if I want to do this right and make it long term, what would really make it successful?’”
Take your business to the next level
Join our free 12-week business innovation program starting Monday 4 March. Upskill, reset and take on an entrepreneur mindset with a group of dedicated local small business owners. Applications close Thursday 25 January.
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Published 19 December 2023, updated 14 February 2024
