What happens when you take a highly specialized skill, turn it into a business, and learn to think like an entrepreneur along the way?
In this episode of The Business of Thinking Big, Lianne Kim sits down with her client Bethany Joe Michalait, an accredited conservator and restorer of fine art and the owner of The Art Conservatory in Toronto. Bethany shares how she turned a career in art conservation into a thriving business after losing her job during the economic slowdown following the COVID pandemic.
Bethany opens up about the mindset challenges she faced as a first-time business owner, from imagining too small and thinking about revenue as an hourly wage to overcoming the fear of raising her rates. She also shares how building an online presence, letting go of perfection, and investing in support helped transform her business.
Now, nearly five years into her business, Bethany has reached her first six-figure revenue milestone and is preparing to move her business out of her home basement and into a commercial space.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- How Bethany turned a highly specialized skill into a successful business
- Why thinking like a business owner requires a different mindset than thinking like an employee
- How to recognize and overcome the mental roadblocks that can keep you playing small
- Why pricing your services based on your value and costs matters
- How raising her rates helped Bethany attract clients who valued her expertise
- Why being the cheapest option isn't always the best way to attract customers
- How social media became an unexpected marketing and portfolio tool
- Why letting go of perfection can make showing up online much easier
- How Bethany used a business grant to publish a book and grow her credibility
- Why reframing your career goals around the life you want can change how you build your business
- How outsourcing administrative work can create more time for your zone of genius
- Why saying no to projects outside your expertise can help your business grow
- The importance of protecting time that is strictly not work
- How investing in coaching and support early can help you navigate the steep learning curve of entrepreneurship
Whether you're a new business owner, a creative professional, or someone struggling with pricing, visibility, or perfectionism, Bethany's story is a powerful reminder that building a business isn't just about becoming better at what you do. It's also about learning how to think bigger, value your expertise, and create a business that supports the life you want.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Meet Bethany Joe Michalait and The Art Conservatory
01:00 – How Bethany discovered art conservation
02:00 – Starting a business after losing her job
03:00 – Why Bethany sought out a business coach
04:00 – Identifying her business knowledge gaps
05:00 – What Bethany knew and where she needed support
06:00 – The challenge of finding clients in a niche market
07:00 – Marketing to a highly specific audience
08:00 – The mental roadblocks behind business growth
09:00 – Learning to think like a business owner
10:00 – Imagining bigger and overcoming limiting beliefs
11:00 – The fear of raising your rates
12:00 – Why creative professionals often undervalue their work
13:00 – How raising her rates changed Bethany's business
14:00 – Why being cheaper can send the wrong signal
15:00 – Pricing based on expertise, materials, and experience
16:00 – Building a business out of necessity
17:00 – Staying committed when the stakes are high
18:00 – Detaching emotionally from clients who say no
19:00 – Becoming more confident in the value of your work
20:00 – Moving out of the basement and into a commercial space
21:00 – Celebrating Bethany's first six-figure milestone
22:00 – Making smart investments in your business
23:00 – The coaching lessons that made the biggest difference
24:00 – Building your business around the life you want
25:00 – Why work shouldn't become your entire life
26:00 – Overcoming resistance to social media
27:00 – Using social media to build trust and credibility
28:00 – Why showing your work online matters
29:00 – How customers are discovering businesses differently
30:00 – Turning Instagram into a digital portfolio
31:00 – How an online presence can help AI recommend your business
32:00 – Doing things differently in a niche industry
33:00 – Moving through resistance and taking action
34:00 – Letting go of perfection on social media
35:00 – Creating content based on what your audience responds to
36:00 – The pressure of perfection in art conservation
37:00 – Balancing high standards with experimentation
38:00 – How coaching changed Bethany's mindset
39:00 – The importance of getting help early
40:00 – Using a business grant to invest in marketing
41:00 – Publishing a book to build credibility and educate clients
42:00 – Becoming the limiting factor in your own business
43:00 – Outsourcing bookkeeping and creating more capacity
44:00 – Learning to say no to the wrong projects
45:00 – Building a business that leaves room for life
46:00 – Protecting time that is strictly not work
47:00 – Bethany's advice for other entrepreneurs
48:00 – Where to find The Art Conservatory
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