Interview Series: Roshni Shah
I am excited to launch a new weekly series where I feature a client, strategic partner, or fellow BNI or Catalyst Club network partner!
In this blog and newsletter series we will get “up close and personal” with business owners who are doing great things. We will explore what inspires them and how they overcome daily challenges as they grow financially, emotionally, physically, spiritually and socially.
My intention is that you will be able to see your greatness in their stories and find inspiration and hope to never, ever give up. Your light is needed to heal our world whether you are a butcher, baker, or candlestick maker.
me_ff
Roshni Shah | Founder & CEO – ImpArt, NYC
This week we interviewed Roshni Shah, Founder & CEO of ImpArt, NYC. Visit ImpArt’s website, HERE.
“Turn your art into an original experience.”
Read on to discover how her parents’ distillation of integrity and sensibility have paid big dividends in her life.
Q: When was the first time in your life that you knew you had to be a woman business owner?
A: A couple of years ago, I moved from a private to public sector consulting role in New York City. Initially, I was excited to go from 80-hour to 40-hour work weeks. Yet, a couple months into my first project, I was working late nights again. This time, my colleagues were telling me to go home. But I couldn’t relent when I saw potential for a greater impact. Furthermore, my project was supposed to end after delivering recommendations, but after building client trust and a promising solution, I couldn’t stand the chance of poor implementation. It was this intrinsic ownership and responsibility to solve problems from start (a big idea) to finish (a big impact) that told me I had to be a business owner. This is my first woman-owned enterprise.
Q: What aspect has been the most rewarding and the most challenging?
A: I’ll start with the most challenging. There’s an incredible pressure to give into attractive, short-term opportunities that may deteriorate Impart’s value over the long-term. As an example, I’ve been asked to allow anyone to post their art on our website. While this would dramatically increase our art supply and enables us to more quickly grow our client base, it would also reduce our service quality. As CEO, it’s up to me to stay true to our vision and do what’s best for the company long-term.
The most rewarding moments come from these challenges. After refusing to sacrifice art quality for quantity, I am so proud to hear the praise we get for our curated art library. It makes talented artists and new customers excited to join Impart.
Q: Why did you decide to create a business for the art world?
A: Creating art has been an important part of my life since I was a toddler. I studied both Art and Economics at Washington University in St. Louis. This unique combination led to my passion for the value art adds to the economy. After years of management consulting, I realized my business skills could help resolve the art market’s inefficiency – many talented artists lacking exposure to many art enthusiasts.
Q: Why did you choose this particular model or way of executing on your passion for art?
A: Art and commerce are inextricably related. You often see the greatest art created in economic centers, like NYC. Conversely, business innovation is often fueled by inspirational art. Despite this inherent relationship, art and commerce are largely separate worlds today. Business people spend long hours in the office with little art exposure. Or they relegate art interactions to the time outside of work. Simultaneously, the art scene can feel exclusive with stuffy galleries and ultra-wealthy circles. Why not unite art & commerce – by bringing new art into offices – thereby building company culture? Impart is the art of company culture.
Q: What do you want entrepreneurs to know that will encourage them in their pursuits?
A: To be an entrepreneur, you must endure an unimaginable amount of grueling work, despair, and rejection. Yet, as an entrepreneur you must also understand this is all required for delayed gratification. Gratification that is much greater than anything you could achieve today, tomorrow, or even in a couple of years. The long-term happiness and victories reaped from 5 years, a decade, or more is accumulated joy – joy that transcends you and impacts whole communities.
Q: What do you want your mom and dad to know about their contribution to your life and this dream?
A: I know with 100% certainty I could not have gotten here – or continue moving forward – without my parents. Their support has been much greater than any amount of money. It’s love. Trust me, you need love to run a business, because the low points can feel really low. And when I get carried away during high points, my parents play the fun role of ego-checker. My parents keep me grounded. Specifically, my mom taught me integrity, which is essential to promoting artists. And my dad taught me sensibility – that there are no shortcuts to success – it takes work.
Connect with Roshni Shah and make your work space curated with ImpArt! Click below.
