Business of Art in Valparaiso, Chile (June 22, 2026)
Similar to coaches, most artists grapple with the challenges of growing an art-based business; specifically, selling their artwork. Today, I did a version of my “Only 4 Things Matter In Your Business” tailored to the artist community. Here is the original presentation given to the International Coaching Federation more than 2 years ago (April 23, 2024) during my tenure as the Chief Coaching Officer of Positive Intelligence. This was for designed for coaches and only in English:
But, when in South America, it’s best to provide support in the native Spanish language when possible. Thanks to my new friend, Loreto who translated my artist-focused talk into Spanish in real time. Here are the first 20 minutes:
And then, I ran into trouble because the second part of the talk is an hour long (this was about a 90 minute session today). I couldn’t find an editor that quickly and easily allowed me to convert audio to video, so (for now anyway), here’s the downloadable audio file for your listening pleasure:
Spanish Talk Part 2
Like many business owners, most artists suffer from an aversion to learning about the business of selling their art. This problem is further compounded by the more than 5,000 businesses that take advantage of a small business owner’s fears, uncertainties and doubts. Or, said differently, “When you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” And:
When you’re an email marketing company, every business problem can be solved with an email campaign.
Instagram believes all you need is their platform to succeed
Facebook swears that they can help you with their ads
Google thinks all your problems can be solved with paid search
Etc.
The truth is NONE of the more than 5,000 solutions available to you matter in the slightest until you can answer the core four:
Niche: WHO is you ideal customer to sell your art to?
Offer: WHAT does your customer want from you as an artist?
Generate: WHERE can you find your ideal customer? (Via Referrals, Direct Outreach, Networking, Speaking or Writing?)
Convert: WHEN is your customer ready to buy from you?
Here’s the GREAT NEWS: You can work on and solve ALL of these problems, for free on my artificial intelligence platform, AskBill.us
AND you can do all of this in Spanish (or your native language).
My artist hosts for today’s talk (minus Loreto who took the picture) with samples of their art below …
Thanks to Loreto, this was a wonderful and rich conversation that was held in Spanish. Someday soon, I would very much like to offer my book, Sage Business Development in a fully translated Spanish language. Here’s a sample in Spanish, using a clone of my voice from eleven labs. It’s not “perfect”, but I’m so impressed how great my Spanish is in this recording which I never did myself. This sounds like me, but totally a clone of my voice in Spanish. You can also listen in French. I love technology! (Even if it’s got a ways to go).
Loreto shows me San Francisco … I mean it’s clone, Valparaiso, Chile.
After my talk, Loreto took me to an amazing lunch and then showed me what I swear is San Francisco circa 1970’s — only it was Valparaiso, Chile today. The art community here is AMAZING. Check it:
Giant mural of a famous Chilean music artist: Aldo Enrique Asenjo Cubillos, widely known as “El Macha”
Walking around Valparaiso was one-part outdoor art exhibit, one-part “I swear I’m in San Francisco, California right now, and one-part, “Wait, I can buy this incredible art for HOW MUCH!?!”
Yes, sorry Elena, I acquired a few pieces of art that I simply couldn’t walk away from. I’ll keep it down in my basement for now until we move to our “Magic Water House” where we’ll divide up the rooms to “his” and “hers.” Specifically, to blend my deeply passionate desire for rich vibrant colors and artwork from around the world and your calm, peaceful tranquility spaces where we bring nature indoors. I’m sure we can make it work — especially when we find the right interior decorator ;-)
Steep hills. Crazy artwork everywhere. Tug boats with fog horns. Another city across the bay. Clock tower. Piers. Delicious food. SF, right?
I’m tempted to pull up pictures from when I was living in San Francisco and putting these pictures side-by-side with similar spaces in Valparaiso, Chile. I think native born San Franciscans would struggle to correctly identify which is from which city. It’s that similar. Okay, I’ll get off my soap box … in a minute.
Let me say that if you love SF, you’ll feel right at home here in Valparaiso, Chile. With one HUGE difference — the cost of living is about 10% of what it costs to live in San Francisco. Lunch for two? $21 USD. Tonight’s hotel room? $18 USD. You get the idea. This is SF in the 70s when it was a financially sensible decision to move and live here.
Once again, I have Jill to thank for today’s amazing experience (see related post). In a “SHOCKING” turn of events (by which I mean it’s not surprise at all), Jill is good friends with Loreto who:
picked me up from the central station terminal,
drove me to my talk,
organized the talk,
translated my talk,
took me to lunch,
introduced me to Valparaiso, Chile,
waited for me as I purchased artistic souvenirs,
drove me back to my hotel, and will
pick me up tomorrow to drive me back to central station
Once again, this day, like so many before it, has been fueled by the kindness of others. Until today, Loreto didn’t know me. We met as strangers and depart as friends. What an incredible way to live! If I’m not the luckiest man alive, I’d like to meet the person who is.
Today, I certainly feel blessed, guided and deeply supported by the many strangers who showed up to listen to some stranger from New York tell them about how to become financially free by paying attention to the business of art. What an incredible world we live in. I truly am Fueld By The Kindness of Others.
