Conversations with the Inspiring Lisa Mason

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Mason.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was crafty all my life. I played with paint, clay, paper, whatever I could find. I went into business with my father, doing craft shows selling mostly painted wood items. The problem with that was that you had to anticipate what would sell and make multiples of the same items. I got bored with that and quit for a while. Safroni Art came and went over the years, painting clay pots and making crosses whenever there was a need. In 2014, I discovered social media. Yes, I was a late bloomer. I asked around if anyone on Facebook would be interested in some Christmas ornaments of their dogs made of clay. I took $800 in orders the first two days. I had found my niche. Sculpting people’s pets, and creating art and holiday pieces around different breeds, caught on like wildfire. I have more than doubled my sales every year since 2014. Every item is still handmade and hand painted by me.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been easy. I have to come up with new items, network, find better, quicker, and less expensive ways to create. I work hard. And I work a lot. I have to be forced to take time out for me. Being Safroni Art alone was a huge task. I recruited family members to help with things I could delegate. The first thing I gave up was shipping. There are other small things I gave away that made more room for me to do the creative stuff. If you are the only one working, try to find things other people can help you do. You don’t have to give all of yourself all of the time. Break things down in little tasks and see what you can give up. For me, someone else could make the armatures; someone else could ship, someone else could basecoat and varnish. It kept me sane. I don’t think you can grow your business if you hold on to every step in a death grip. No one’s making more hours in the day.

For women starting out, do something you love. Have a passion for it. Solve a problem, create something, help someone. You have to care about it. If you do it with the dollar in mind, it might work for a while, but soon it won’t be worth the paycheck.

What should we know about Safroni Art? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Safroni Art is about dogs. I started out exclusively Doberman but quickly branched out. I have six Dobermans, five of which are rescues, so I quickly got connected to rescue groups online. I believe if you have a gift, and you use it only for your own benefit, it will not grow. I feel I have to give back. I reach out to all kinds of rescue groups, and when they approach me for donations for fundraisers, I never say no. I have started holding rescue giveaways on my business page on Facebook. Groups get nominated, and then I hold a vote. I just finished one where I had over twenty-five thousand people see and participate in the voting post. I also had an anonymous donor buy triple the number of prizes I was giving away, so instead of giving items to the top three; I gave away to the top twelve. The groups then raffle or auction off these items to raise money for their rescue.

Most of Safroni Art’s work is sculpture. I use polymer clay and photos of the customer’s pet. I do memorials of pets that have passed. I create ink portraits and watercolor pieces. I find great satisfaction in the posts my customers make when they receive their items. I feel like I get to know the pet. It’s a kind of release for the customer because they pour their hearts out to me. They know me, and my dogs and they know I understand.

I pride myself on being affordable for most people. I see sculptors doing pieces for hundreds of dollars, and I’m not saying they aren’t worth it, but for the elderly woman on a fixed income who just lost her best friend, I can help her.

I am also proud to call myself a little quirky. I have done the cast of Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, and The Walking Dead, as Doberman pinschers. I dress dogs up for Easter, Halloween, Christmas and the 4th of July. I make Santa’s sleigh being pulled by Dobermans. I have wall hangings of dachshunds hanging on the moon. If it’s weird but cute, I’ll do it.

What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
Sometimes, I feel like we create what we expect. The self-fulfilling prophecy. I think often we expect it, we look for it, and we put that negativity out in the world, and it is created for us. I’m not saying there are no real barriers. There definitely are. I think though that a woman with a positive attitude who expects to take a certain path carries with her weapons other women may not have tapped into. I am a believer in not giving the negative thoughts life. I think having a positive attitude, seeing yourself succeed, gives you the core strength to take on any challenge.

Creating your own business is a huge, scary task. Don’t look at the whole picture. Take it in little steps. Show what you create. Ask questions. Make plans. Don’t listen to anyone who says you “can’t.” Women are marvelous beings. Take stock of what you can do. Go for it. A failure isn’t a failure if you learn from it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.safroniart.com
• Email: safroniart2014@yahoo.com
• Instagram: safroniart_lisa_
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/safroniart/

Image Credit:
Lisa Mason

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