Every business starts with an entrepreneur who has an idea. In this blog, we are shining a spotlight on inspiring entrepreneurs and the stories behind their ventures. The second to answer our questions is artist and entrepreneur Rando Freiberg, who believes that variety in entrepreneurship keeps motivation high and the mind fresh.
What made you decide to become an entrepreneur?
In the art world, it is actually quite difficult to find a ‘real job’, even if you have a degree. You also have to generate experience on your own before anyone starts taking you seriously. I studied 12 years at Tallinn Art Gymnasium in Kopli and by the end of basic school, I was already drawing designs on T-shirts for friends to earn pocket money. Fun fact – Tommy Cash was my schoolmate, one year above me. After spending years doing art and graphic design as a hobby and alongside university studies, I needed to issue an invoice for a large mural project. I created a nine-metre-long wall mural at the newly renovated conference centre of the Olympia Hotel. That gave me the push to start my own company, which in turn led to more similar projects and opportunities. Why not become a full-time ‘boss of myself’ in the future and actually make a living from entrepreneurship?
What does entrepreneurship give you?
Entrepreneurship gave me, above all, the chance to turn my hobbies into income or earn some extra money on the side of a main job through various creative projects. There are also different art fairs, Christmas markets, company events, workshops, and other things where having a micro-business really pays off. For example, I have been organising international T-shirt art exhibitions (Tallinn T-shirt Art Biennale) for 10 years, and this year it is open at the ArtDepoo Gallery from 9 May to 21 June. This year, the exhibition is also part of the Ukrainian Art Festival program, so there is more activity than usual. Four Ukrainian street artists came to Tallinn a week before the opening to create amazing large-scale pieces on the gallery walls, blending their work with T-shirt art. I definitely recommend going to see it: to my knowledge, nothing like this has ever been done in an Estonian art gallery before!
What does your company do?
It all started with my very diverse hobbies at the time, i.e. designing T-shirts and restoring old bicycles, totally different kinds of projects.
But today, ARTSHI OÜ primarily offers a wide range of graphic design services, both for web and print. I also really enjoy more specific, creative art projects like organising art exhibitions, creating wall murals, art workshops, and so on. I keep my scope fairly broad and, thanks to entrepreneurship, I can serve a client who wants their logo on a pen or even wrap an entire van. I do not advertise it much anymore, but if someone really needs it, I can still restore a bike as well. This kind of variety keeps my own motivation high and my mind fresh – something a regular nine-to-five job often fails to do.
What are the three most important things to consider before starting a business?
- Passion. You need to have a real interest and passion for your field and your (business) activity, as it is very hard to succeed by forcing yourself to learn or do something. You genuinely have to enjoy what you are doing, and then the obstacles do not seem so insurmountable.
- Know your client! Or learn to know them by asking the right questions right from the start. That way you save both your and the client’s time, and the whole process is smoother and more positive.
- Be prepared for setbacks. Success does not come overnight and you need to be ready for disappointments. Adaptability and time management need to be your strengths from day one.
Why did you choose LHV as your business banking partner?
Since I am more of an art person and the IT field is somewhat foreign to me, a big factor in choosing a bank was simplicity, user-friendliness, flexibility, and, of course, excellent service.
Investing is also made really easy and logical – you do not need to be an economist or constantly visit the bank office to get your idle money growing.
