We love meeting the members of our Hatch Tribe Members Circle. Today we’re featuring Hayley Price of Straight to Art. She has built her company on passion, as well as a balance being appreciating the help that she has been given, and the drive to continue to help others.

Are you more of an introvert or extrovert?

Hm, I'd say I'm an introverted extrovert. I love getting to know new people, but I also definitely need my alone time.

Are you more of an Early Bird or Night Owl?

Definitely an Early Bird

What is the 1st thing you do when you wake up?

Making a cup of coffee is priority number one in the morning.

What are you reading now?

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.

What is your favorite podcast or YouTube channel?

How I Built This.

Favorite place to get away from it ALL?

The mountains. I love Asheville, NC!

If you could get 1 extra hour today, how would you use it?

I would take time to learn how to cook more elaborate meals.

What is your favorite food?

Pad Thai.

How did your awesome business come to be?

I have always been an artist, but I’ve also been interested in the business side of art. I worked at an art non-profit, developed an art program in school and wanted to find a way to make art, while also supporting other artists. It wasn't until I met Lauren Brandon and Jennifer Blackwell that I realized just how to do that. They started Straight to Art to help artists organize and sell more artwork on their online platform. When they decided to step down this year, they offered me the opportunity to take over the company. Straight to Art is only two years old, and in those two years the company has grown a ton, but there is still so much potential for me to further the growth even more and continue to make it my own. That is what I’m really excited about.

Who inspired you to pursue entrepreneurship?

I'd say my mother. She always worked when my sister and I were growing up and her end goal was to own her own interior design firm. I watched her work and work towards that dream until it ultimately became a reality and then ultimately a successful business.

I'm on a mission to...

Help more artists achieve their goals, whatever they decide those goals are.

Have you ever had a mentor? If so, how did they help you?

Jessica Blackwell at JK Designs has been a great mentor to me. I worked at her jewelry store for a few months when I first moved to Charleston. We talked about my goals and she always pushed me to try them. When I took over Straight to Art, she was immensely helpful with the business and logistic side of things. As an entrepreneur herself having started her jewelry business from the ground up, she offered me great advice and now we have a great partnership and are planning events together.

How do you define success for yourself?

Success for me is when the work I am doing each day challenges me, but also fulfills me. The moment I realized my work was my passion, but was simultaneously helping other artists continue to have their passion be their work was when I felt I had reached success.

We all love failure & flop stories! Tell us about something you tried in business that didn't work, and how you moved beyond it.

I tried to organize a big art sale at a University right before graduation thinking students would want to buy art for their new homes after graduating...turns out college kids have no money (who knew? haha). I was solely thinking of what I wanted when I graduated college, not that the majority of college kids who don't prioritize spending money on art.

What is a recent success that you're super proud of accomplishing?

This past month I have secured three awesome partnerships for recurring events and pop-up art shows.

What is your superpower?

Idea Fanatic. I fall asleep with a million ideas in my head every night and I try to pursue at least one each morning. I make lists and lists of the dreams and goals I have for the company and I try to take one small step to making one of those ideas happen each morning. That can be as simple as sending an email or devoting an hour to researching.

What is the least sexy part of your job?

Accounting and business paperwork.

What do you hope to learn from your community of peers inside the Hatch Tribe Members Circle?

I'm new to Charleston and the entrepreneurial circle, so I'm looking for friends and mentors. I genuinely just want to learn as much as I can about a variety of businesses because no bit of knowledge is wasted knowledge.

To connect with Hayley Price & Straight to Art:

Website

Instagram @straighttoart

Or connect with Hayley inside Members Circle by becoming a member at www.hatchtribe.com/memberscircle.

all photos courtesy of Hayley Price