Company: mariART Art Education and Art Events (sole proprietorship)
Founder: Marion Schellenberg
Date of establishment: June 1, 2023
Industry and company: Art and culture

What drives you? What is your motto?
My motto is: "Art FROM art FOR," because I bring art from the artists' studios (FROM) to the world of buyers (FOR), collectors, and art enthusiasts. Art inspires me and makes my heart beat faster—especially when I discover a new artist and start imagining the next exhibition in my mind.

The special thing about art is that it teaches you to see in new ways and helps you understand people and the world better, bringing people together. In a world that is often characterized by hustle and bustle and fragmentation, art and creativity are the bridges that connect us. Music and dance are too, of course, but art is more accessible through the moment of seeing.

What is your company about and what makes it special?
I select regional, national, and international artists and curate exhibitions with the aim of selling art. I also offer my artists' art on my website. This allows art lovers to choose from a broad portfolio of all art styles online even after the exhibitions have ended. If desired, I also advise my customers on the art that would suit their spaces. Another special feature is that I have two exhibition spaces: 

a large showroom where I can present large works and a small room where I can hang smaller formats or exhibit works by artists who are exhibiting for the first time or are a little "different." It's basically an experimental space. 

But my showroom is also intended to be a place of encounter, between creative people and their audience, between artists and buyers. It should become a cultural meeting place where people can come in without feeling intimidated, get together, and feel comfortable. That's why I regularly offer events such as lectures or live artist interviews. 

The symbol for this is the blue sofa, which I had already envisioned before I even found the store at Wilhelmstraße 38, which is ideal as a gallery.

What are your first successes? After
founding the gallery, I first looked for a suitable space for a pop-up exhibition, but after a short time I came across the wonderful shop in the Arcade Passage, which is simply ideal for an art showroom; with a lot of wall and exhibition space on two floors and centrally located in the renowned Wilhelmstraße. 

After the renovation, the space looked sensational! Even the landlords hardly recognized it. I think I did a pretty good job with the renovation and design of the space. Many people who walk through the passage and come into my showroom say that it really enhances the passage and are very happy that there is now a gallery here.

My biggest success so far: 80 guests came to my first event and I sold eight works of art. Long may it continue!

What is your professional background?
I always worked as an employee in book publishing houses in Munich, Barcelona, and London, then in the music industry, and most recently in the art industry.

After returning from London, I took some time off to spend with my family and then started working again in my mid-forties. Fortunately, my return to work after a long break was very easy. I took a re-entry course at BerufsWege für Frauen e.V. (Career Paths for Women) and had already found a job at an online gallery before the course ended. Later, the online gallery merged with a "physical" gallery. There, over the last five years, I learned almost everything you need to know as a gallery owner and supplemented this with courses at the Sotheby's Institute of Art. Unfortunately, my employment there was not permanent. 

Since I could only work for my new employer at the trade fair on a freelance basis, I entered the world of freelancing for the first time in my life after many years as an employee—quite a change in mindset, but one that I found very exciting. 

After a few months with the trade fair organization, however, the idea of doing my "own thing" began to take shape. With so much experience, knowledge, and my own contacts and relationships in the art world, my self-confidence had grown and it was actually obvious – all that was missing was the leap!

A friend advised me to apply for a start-up grant from the Employment Agency. After drawing up a business plan, a financing plan, and a profitability forecast (which cost me a lot of sweat and nerves), I was immediately approved for six months. This further strengthened my belief in my business idea. When I found the store on Wilhelmstraße, it became increasingly clear that I wanted to stay there permanently to build my own art showroom.

What prompted you to start your own business?
When I left the gallery where I had previously worked, some of the artists I had worked closely with and "discovered" for the gallery suggested that I could start something of my own.

During many conversations with these artist friends, it became increasingly clear to me that I wanted to start something myself and that I was confident I could do it.

Who advised you, who are your helpers and mentors?
My husband and a close friend were the first to encourage me in my plans. Especially my friend, who is very interested in women taking the step into self-employment and being independent. 

However, as soon as I had formulated and expressed the idea, I received encouragement from many sides. I got a lot of help from BerufsWege für Frauen e.V., who had already guided me through my career re-entry course at the time. I can highly recommend this organization to all women who are planning to return to work after having children.

They also recommended a tax advisor who advised me specifically on viability planning. After I had worked out my business plan and viability planning, I was then granted a start-up subsidy from the employment office for six months. The Chamber of Industry and Commerce, especially Ms. Fäth, was also very helpful. 

How did you find your first days as a founder? At first
, the planning seemed incredibly difficult. I had never had anything to do with business and financing plans before and was extremely stressed at the beginning, but I kept going. Somehow, I found the idea of being self-employed much more exciting and promising than finding another job as an employee. Implementing my own ideas and no longer having to adapt! 

The encouragement I received from artist friends also strengthened my resolve to go my own way. But it was a long road from the initial registration with the trade office to the opening of my showroom. It took almost 10 months. 

A big moment—actually the moment when everything became "real"—was when I signed the three-year lease. That was the point of no return.

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
The business plan for the start-up grant was the biggest challenge. I worked on it for weeks. But I also had a lot of support from my husband, who is an entrepreneur himself, and of course from the team at BerufsWege für Frauen e.V. 

The good thing about the deadline for the start-up grant was that it forced me to stick to a strict schedule, otherwise everything would probably have taken much longer.

How do you promote your business? What is your best marketing idea?
I mainly invite my customer base directly by email. Many of them pass on the information. The network is growing rapidly through word of mouth. Friends often bring new friends who are interested in art to the exhibitions. There is a lot of interest in art. I also advertise on Instagram and LinkedIn and have distributed flyers individually. I recently decided to place an ad in a local city magazine. 

How did you finance your start-up?
I received a start-up grant from the Employment Agency for the first six months. After that, I financed it partly with my own funds and partly with an investor.

What dream would you still like to realize?
My dream is to one day have a successful, i.e., high-turnover and renowned gallery that people visit on their own because they know they will always find good art there. 

It's also important to me that my gallery is a meeting place for art and culture, where art enthusiasts and artists can exchange ideas. And, of course, I want to make my artists known and help them gain renown!

Since I also sing (UFA Schlager and chansons from the 1930s and 1940s), another big dream of mine would be to perform a concert with a big band.

Please complete the following sentence: If I had more time, I would... continue to perform concerts
with my pianist alongside my gallery work. But you can't do both at the same time.

What is your special tip: What would you recommend to female founders?
I would recommend that female founders seek advice from BerufsWege für Frauen e.V. (Career Paths for Women). They offer help with topics such as professional self-discovery, business plans, taxes, financing, social media, etc. What also helped me a lot was the services offered by BIEG (Beratungs- und Informationszentrum Elektronischer Geschäftsverkehr GbR) and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. 

If you want to make accounting easier for yourself, work with "lexoffice" from the start. Be organized from the outset and don't let chaos arise in your accounting, invoices, and receipts. Separate your private and business accounts. And use the time before you really get started to organize and structure your workflows.