The small things make a big difference
Being good to work with will take you further than you think.
Clear communication. Meeting deadlines. Responding quickly. Being kind. Following through.
These are small things, but they make a huge difference when it comes to landing and keeping clients.
Art directors aren’t just looking for great art. They’re looking for great people to work with.
Every time you make their job easier, you’re helping yourself too.
What I learned at the agency
Right out of college, I worked for a small branding agency in Kansas City.
Because it was a small team, I got to touch every part of a project, from concepting and design to client meetings, presentations, revisions, and production.
That job drilled a few key lessons into me:
✨ Be adaptable. Ask questions, listen carefully, and don’t get defensive when someone gives feedback.
✨ Be clear and concise. Don’t overwhelm people with walls of text or extra details they don’t need. (If an email makes me groan when I open it, I know it’s too long.)
✨ Be reliable. Deliver what you promise, when you promise it.
Those lessons became the foundation of how I run my art business today.
Why my agents give me the big projects
Fast forward to now, my agents at Jewel Branding often send me the most complex, high-touch client work.
Right now, I’m working with one of the biggest stationery brands in the U.S. on planners, journals, and calendars that’ll hit shelves in Target, Walmart, and Office Depot in 2027-2028.
It’s an enormous project with tons of back-and-forth. Picking Pantone colors, aligning spiral metals, designing inside fills… We're working out every little detail that will make the product perfect.
And I’m pretty sure that the reason I get projects like this is because they trust me.
My agents know I’m professional, communicative, and collaborative. I meet deadlines. I do my best to make life easier for everyone involved.
That trust translates directly into more (and bigger) opportunities.
You don’t have to be the best artist in the room
Here's the deal. There are plenty of artists out there whose work could sell just as well (or better) than mine on certain products.
But that’s not the only thing that matters when it comes to selling your art.
Success in art licensing isn’t just about having the best art. It’s about being the kind of person brands want to work with again and again.
Over half of my current licensing income doesn’t come from new clients at all. It comes from renewals and recurring projects with brands I’ve built long-term relationships with.
And that all comes down to professionalism.
The trick to landing repeat work
If a client sends me a trend sheet with upcoming themes they’re sourcing for, I don’t just file it away.
I’ll take the time to pull related art from my portfolio or even create a few new pieces to show them I’m paying attention. And once it's done, I'll send a short, thoughtful email letting them know I have some new work that I think fits their vision.
Little touches like that go a long way.
Because when you make their job easier, they’ll come back again and again.
