I feel like its been an eternity since my last post, and I checked the date and in paint years it has been at least a decade 
So much has been going on in the past 30 days. It has truly taken some serious quiet time to be able to gather my thoughts and share with you some good, bad, ugly, scary, fun and exciting news. Because after all, if you are an entrepreneur or aspiring to be one, then you should get comfortable with being uncomfortable because that’s what you are signed up for.
Where do I begin….. As many of you know I started school again. I LOVE learning and even though I have been a business owner for 11 years now, there’s always more to know , learn and think about. One of my lecturers spoke about the beauty in disrupting your business model. At the time it didn’t make sense, but the more he spoke the more it made sense. I started applying it to a bunch of areas in my life. As the saying goes, the definition of Insanity is repeating the same thing expecting different results. So, instead of thinking of change as a scary thing I decided to make the effort to disrupt my business and move from comfortable to the unknown. The beauty in the unknown is that it offers so many different possibilities.
So I begin with the FABAIC. Marcela and I will be posting a video later today explaining more in detail but for now let me explain. When Marcela began the convention 14 years ago her goal was to start a convention to educate and elevate the arts. The FABAIC grew into the Holy Grail of conventions for painters. In 2005 I joined as co producer and it has been the most exciting and stressful job I have on my plate. Over the past decade we have seen the FABAIC grow, shrink, expand and since then many amazing events have come to fruition with similar formats and goals as the FABAIC. So, in planning for our big 15th year anniversary I explained to FABAIC board its time to disrupt and make a change. So, I am excited and sad to say there will be NO FABAIC in 2016! Nothing is more certain than change, and while change can be scary its almost necessary in order to grow, change and improve. My goal has never been to blend in, its always been to work on the highest steepest road and pave it on the way up. So when we return in 2017 to celebrate 15 years its going to be something new, amazing and change the way FABAIC is produced.
The next area I felt the need to disrupt was my own brand. I have spent 11 years building and repping all brands. I believe variety is the spice of life and I LOVE being able to offer such great variety to painters around the globe. But as the market changes, more vendors are coming into the industry and new paints are being birthed daily I felt the need to work on my own brand. So on my way to EFABE I made a stop in Germany to visit a brush factory and design a line of brushes I LOVE and not just liked. I have received dozens of samples from overseas and the quality wasn’t what i was looking for. As a painter, our brushes are the most important tool besides paint. So I knew that if I was going to put my name on something I wanted to to be of the quality and standards I expect. I am so excited to be launching my new line of brushes at FABAIC – The Paint Pal line by Silly Farm – Helping you create the perfect lines
While at EFABE I also took some time to visit the Superstar factory. Superstar produces our line of FAB paint. I love being able to work one on one with the factory to design colors, make impro
vements and emphasize the importance of quality production. I love working with Superstar because of the commitment to a quality output. The paint makers really care about the paint they are producing. There are several quality control check points and we work closely with ever changing FDA guidelines to make sure the colors and ingredients are up to code. I also made a video tour of the factory to share with my fellow painters because you should care as much as I do about the products you are putting on the skin of our clients. I also brainstormed with Marco (the owner of Superstar) about eco friendly packaging, neon colors and new colors. Its easy to continue sailing on serene waters, its easy to go with the flow. It takes courage to go out on a limb and try something new. But regret lasts a lot longer than the fear of failure.
While in Holland I was honored to teach alongside some of the best teachers like Jinny, Wiser, Ronnie and Lea’. I found myself feeling a little overwhelmed and inferior because when comparing my art to theirs I just felt blah. But I have found that the best way to get yourself out of a funk is to focus on what makes you smile. I have always loved teaching because I love people. So, when I walked into my class I decided to focus on the people and not the art. I had to disrupt my normal teaching routine and change the direction to teaching what I know will make people smile versus me trying to impress someone. It allowed me energy to finish my classes with a good attitude and happy students.
Disrupting life doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. You can change the rules, the direction, improve, grow and move anytime you want because the key to success isn’t happiness… Happiness is the key to success. If you love the journey you will enjoy the outcome.
I encourage and challenge each of you to disrupt your life and make a change. Not because things aren’t working but because they stand to be better. I also want to personally invite everyone to join us this year as we say goodbye to an era of FABAIC and welcome a new one. I hope to see you all in May, and wish you a wonderful BUSY weekend.
