Supporting Artists Whilst Changing The Marketplace

In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent speaks with John Sewell, founder of Cosimo, an innovative online marketplace designed to help early-career and emerging artists showcase and sell their work. With over 1,200 artists already on the platform, Cosimo aims to make art more accessible and affordable while supporting artists through e-learning resources and strategic partnerships.

Key Discussion Points:

1. Cosimo’s Unique Business Model Cosimo is designed to support artists in their early careers, offering free listings for artists with the option of paid subscriptions for enhanced features. Unlike traditional art marketplaces, Cosimo doesn’t charge commission fees (which can range from 30% to 50% in the art industry). Instead, the revenue comes from artist subscriptions and corporate sponsorships. Buyers pay for shipping, which includes protection, similar to the Vinted model.
2. Overcoming Fundraising Challenges As a first-time founder, John shares the tough lessons learned from raising funds through the Seedrs crowdfunding platform. It took two years to secure his first funding round, gaining 150+ investors who now form a valuable network. He also highlights the setbacks caused by delays from a micro VC and stresses the importance of contingency planning for future fundraising.
3. Focusing on Marketplace Development While the platform initially concentrated on acquiring artists, the focus has shifted towards attracting buyers and proving market demand. John shares how content creation and social media are key to showcasing the artists' work, and discusses the development of e-learning resources to help artists improve their business skills. This shift is essential as Cosimo aims to create a sustainable and profitable business model before further investment.
4. Technology and the Future John also looks to the future, exploring how technologies like AR/VR and AI can enhance the art-buying experience and create new revenue streams for artists. He envisions a world where AI helps more people tap into their creativity, ultimately expanding the market for Cosimo.
5. John’s Personal Growth as a Founder A lifelong learner, John relies on podcasts and mentorship to inspire new ideas and solve business problems. He finds walking while listening to podcasts particularly helpful and leverages AI tools like ChatGPT, Bard, and Midjourney to streamline various tasks. The support of other startup founders has also been instrumental in his journey.

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Drawing on BizSmart’s own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.

More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/

 

John can be found here:

https://www.cosimo.art/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnedwardsewell/

 

Resources:

Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@tetragrammaton_now

Canva - canva.com

ChatGPT - https://openai.com/