Ever felt like an outsider? Harness that power. Unfamiliarity breeds innovation, and industries are ripe for disruption by those who see things differently. Let's explore how being an outsider can be your secret weapon in shaking up the status quo.
Being an immigrant can be your greatest advantage
Reputation and “experience” allow businesses to charge insanely high fees or prices, even if their services or products are subpar
- Three advantages of being an immigrant in the art world
- No formal education, background, or experience in the arts
- Being an outsider can propel you to success
You continue to explore
Insiders are usually hard-wired for self-preservation
- Coming up with ideas that disrupt requires unlearning “how things are done”
- Leave all assumptions, hard knowledge, and biases at the door
- Why something has to be done in a specific way?
You find opportunity where others don’t
You go with your gut
- While putting together a business plan, draft a mission statement that is still valid today: to open a company that bridged the gap between collectors and artists
- Use all forms of social media to educate and enlighten my audience
You become a blank canvas for new ideas
Being out there with a distinct outlook from those who accepted “the way things were” helped you enter the art scene with a certain naivete and zero preconceptions
- This blank canvas allowed you to differentiate yourself and your business in an industry known for chaining itself to old ideas
