Arts & Business are Not an Unnatural Pair
Posting on behalf of Maria Blanco, Freshman at Babson College. Maria Blanco is one of the five 2017 Sorenson Scholars.
2017 Sorenson Scholars (left to right: Anneliese Glaubitz, Alexa Forgione, Lauren Nohelty, Maria Blanco, and Joseph Nash)
As a rite of passage for all first-year students, my FME experience began as soon as I set foot on campus. I was instantly bombarded with nostalgic stories from upperclassman and the anticipation of those destined to be entrepreneurs. At the end of my first semester, I learned I was going to be part of a women’s jewelry start-up, Charming Chokers.
A few winter break Google hangouts and one important meeting later, I would be taking on the role of Chief Marketing Officer for my group. This role would make me responsible for coordinating all of the business’s marketing and promotional activities as well as managing the marketing department made up of three other students.
This would be my first personal experience with the arts and business. My entrepreneurship professor, said “No one is going to that restaurant they’ve never heard of”. By this she meant most people tend to go to places with some name recognition. I feel that the arts, in this case as part of a well-orchestrated marketing campaign, can be strategic partner to make a business succeed or fail.
(left to right: Maria Blanco and Joseph Nash)
I realized that the arts and business are not an unnatural pair and found that my artistic skills in drawing and painting, were helpful to the business. An example of this was when trying to explain to a team member what my vision for an Instagram photo was; my ability to draw out what I envisioned made it easier for the team to work on the final desired product. There is a language in art that cannot be communicated with numbers but is necessary for ideas to develop in the business landscape.
The industry of my FME business, women’s accessories is certainly a competitive and creative one. My first experience with this venture, reaffirmed and redefined my view of how the business and the arts fit in together.