Creative Entrepreneurs, Ariane and Alexia Share How To Make a Living Doing What You Love
When Alexia and Ariane chose Austin, Texas as their hometown, they brought with them the rich cultural heritage of France where they had grown up.
On the other hand, in Texas, while we are inspired by the impeccable French taste in fashion and revere the Old Masters of Art – as Texans, we are also very proud of our own visions of creativity. It is for this passion that Austin has been crowned as the “Music Capital of the World”. Texas is a place where rustic old world charm fuses with contemporary arts and geeky technology.
Kudos then to the two sisters Alexia & Ariane for founding Authenticaa which brings together the best of the two worlds for Austonians.
Fuelled by a passion for creative authenticity and eco-friendly living, Authenticaa brings French and European touch to home décor. Created with earth friendly reclaimed wood and other natural products, each piece offered by Authenticaa has a unique blend of beauty, delicacy and elegance.
The beautiful frames, mirrors and wall decorations have such a fascinating appeal to them – the European spirit is present together with the tranquil, earthy Texan style – a mingling of contemporary art with traditional elegance.
When we are choosing a home décor piece we so much yearn for something which is special, and is truly a work of art which we can cherish for a long time – and is yet affordable. It’s really admirable that Authenticaa manages to make this possible.
One reason why we chose to highlight the story of Authenticaa for you, our reader, in this career focused blog is that both the sisters Alexia and Ariane are able to run a successful business while remaining true to their authentic self.
In this short interview Ariane and Alexia share with us their love for creativity which inspire Authenticaa’s nature friendly, beautiful home décor designs.
Shannon: How do you find inspiration for new beautiful designs we see on your website?
Ariane: Most of our art is inspired by nature. Our first collection was predominantly focused on wildlife in Kenya. Our African Heads became an alternative to real animal trophies.
We wanted our art to be as authentic as possible and were drawn to the combination of reclaimed wood and steel. Each material is unique and versatile and a huge source of inspiration as well.
Shannon: Obviously both you and your sister are creative souls. Are there things in your creative work that you enjoy doing more and other things where your sister helps more?
Alexia: We usually work on a piece together from the design to the assembly to the delivery. We pretty much do everything together and feed on each other for ideas. Ariane is better at the website and Autocad design and Alexia handles the CNC plasma cutter and the dreaded calls…
Shannon: What advice would you give to someone who wants to be an entrepreneur?
Ariane: It is important to know that you will not be making any money for the first few years. You do not need a huge investment to start with, we started with less than $10,000 but you have to be prepared to not earn much at the beginning.
Also it is important to not lose yourself and get swayed by others, primarily in an artistic job. Many people will recommend you to make art that is different from what you envision. You will see what sells and might be tempted to imitate it to make money but in the end, you will realize that the art you have made doesn’t represent you or your artistic vision.
Finally there will be obstacles along your way but for us it was always easier to surmount them because we were two. Find a support system to help you along tough times.
There is no greater sense of accomplishment than starting your own business and receiving positive responses from the outside.
Please visit Authenticaa to view beautiful home decor collections by Alexia and Ariane.
In conclusion I invite you, as Joseph Campbell said, to “Follow Your Bliss”.
Creativity is very closely linked to authenticity; and people who realize this feel inspired every day and never run out of ideas – just let your heart and mind work in tandem. Your works will speak to your viewers because they will stand out as something real and rare – works of integrity, passion and creativity.
These are the best times to be a creative entrepreneur. There are many programs from the government to support entrepreneurship, and moreover the technology advances have levelled the playing field for both large corporations as well as solopreneurs. Today you have many of the advantages which in the past were available to only the deep pocket large corporations.
As Authenticaa shows us, success is inevitable when you stay true to yourself, capitalize on your strengths – and mingle everything together with a dash of common sense and a practical business plan.
Visit Authenticaa to view beautiful home decor collections by Alexia and Ariane.
