Ask me anything: From First Event to Corporate Clients

My ‘ask me anything’ segment is where I take questions asked in my Insta Broadcast Channel and answer them, first and foremost, in my newsletter. Which, if you’re not on my emailing list, you’ll totally want to sign up to. 

Now, I love being able to answer your questions and support you on your journey as artists and this month, questions ranged from ‘starting out’ to ‘landing corporate clients’. So grab a cuppa and get comfy, this one’s a goodie.

"How to know when you're ready and not disappoint people with your drawings?”

Let me start with some reassurance. People love being drawn. Truly. In 7+ years, I've never had someone come back grumpy, and I wasn't great when I started - LOL. So if fear of disappointing guests is holding you back, take a breath. The bar is lower than you think, and the joy people get from a personalised illustration is higher than you expect.

Confidence is the answer to both parts of that question. But being “ready” isn’t about being the best artist in the room. It’s about being confident enough to handle the entire event experience. That includes:

• Chatting to guests

• Managing your setup and materials

• Staying calm when things don’t go perfectly

• Knowing how to pace yourself throughout the event

Even if it’s your very first live illustration booking, you’ll find that confidence comes from preparation. If you’re running around getting all flustered at the last minute, you’re setting yourself up for a tricky time.

This is the part my students hear me repeat constantly (and yes, I know you’re sick of it 😅). But confidence in your drawing skills comes from practice. Confidence in your ability to paint couples, singles, groups etc. The more familiar you are with different poses, faces, and compositions, the less likely you are to feel shaken on the day. 

The catch 22 is that confidence comes with experience, and if you can't take that first leap, the experience won't come. 

My short and sweet advice is, take the leap. As I used to tell myself in the car on my way to an event: It's not brain surgery, I won't kill anyone. I'm here for funsies. (Seriously, it made me feel better hahah.)

Another question that popped up in my broadcast channel was:

"How do you advertise for corporate events? Is it a different space to weddings, or do they just naturally come once you're more known?”

The honest answer is: yes to both.

Corporate is a different kettle of fish and client, and they do naturally come once you're more known - but you can do a few things to speed this up. 

1. Know Who Your Corporate Clients Are

‘Corporate’ isn’t one audience. Be sure to know who your ideal (and dream) corporate clients are - Beauty? Fashion? Real estate? When you know who you’re trying to attract, you can tailor your messaging, visuals, and examples to speak directly to them.

2. Show Up Where Corporate Clients Hang Out

LinkedIn is a powerful platform for corporate visibility, and a platform that I'd recommend showing up on (though a lot of my corporate clients come via Instagram because they're usually women and in my target demographic). 

3. Let Momentum Do Its Thing

As I mentioned earlier, everyone loves being drawn. And the more events you do, the more people see your work in action. That leads to conversations, referrals, and opportunities you couldn’t have planned for. Momentum is real, and it compounds faster than you think.

If you’re waiting to feel “ready,” here’s your permission slip: you’re probably more ready than you think. Practice builds confidence. Confidence builds experience. Experience builds opportunities.

And it all starts with saying yes, even when you’re a little bit scared.