Timothy Michael PackerFounder of Tim Packer Fine Arts Published On: Saturday, August 06, 2016 Views 2526

"75% of the Secret to Success is Showing Up."

Old habits die hard; which turned out to be a pretty good thing for Canadian Landscape artist Timothy Michael Packer. The artistic instincts and passion to put in on canvas was inborn in Timothy.

After working for 18 years as police officer in Canada, Timothy finally decided to turn his passion into a full-time career. Today, he is a successful Canadian landscape painter whose work can be found in public, private and corporate collections around the world. He is also an avid teacher and has launched his own YouTube channel to help aspiring artists achieve their dreams. Tim also publishes Giclée reproductions of his work on canvas and paper.

Please provide a brief overview of your product/ service.

We sell original oil paintings done by me as well as Giclée reproductions of my work on canvas and paper.

What inspired you to build the above product/ service?

I have dreamed of being a professional artist since I was a child.

What is your life mantra?

I don’t believe successful people are “lucky”, or have a “gift”. I believe it is all about hard work and patience.

What was the most challenging part of your journey till now?

Finding my own unique artistic voice.

How did you overcome those challenges?

I was patient and never made a major investment in the business until I had the cash on hand.

Share some details about the investments that you have been able to fetch for the business till now.

I have funded every capital expenditure for the business through previous profits.

How do you protect yourself from the problem of Brain Drain?

Not an issue for me since I am the “brain”.

According to you, what are the three qualities an individual must have to achieve success?

You must have a passion for what it is you want to do. You must be willing to work as hard as it takes and be willing to do the things you don’t want to do but know you should. You must be patient… Overnight success is a myth.

Which online tools/ services/ apps do you use the most and would like to recommend as well?

We use, Aweber for CRM, Shopify for online retail sales. The adobe creative cloud full suite of graphics programs for all of our imaging and video compositing, for social media Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook, and are thinking about getting on Twitter.

Share any one habit which you think makes you more productive.

Even on the days I don’t feel like painting, I force myself to go into the studio for 1/2 hour with the understanding that if I still don’t feel like painting after doing it for 1/2 hour… I can quit. I have never yet quit. It’s like going to the gym to workout… if you miss a workout that decision happens before you get to the gym. Nobody gets changed, drives to the gym, starts working out and then decides to quit.

Share any one habit which you wish to change in yourself.

I tend to be all in on the things I am doing, whatever they may be… a little moderation might be good.

Answer in less than 50 words

One tip to success:

Know that it is all about hard work. Every successful person you see who you think is “so lucky” worked their butt off to get there.

One mistake you believe every individual must avoid:

Impatience. You have to have your eyes on the long term success and continue to work towards that despite setbacks.

One most important lesson that you have learnt till now:

No one will care about your business or products as much as you. Nor will they work as hard for your business as you and it is unrealistic to expect that they will.

What are your plans for next 3 years?

We are looking to scale the publishing / reproduction side of the business and gain footholds in foreign markets.

If you get a chance to start your career again what would you do differently this time?

I would have gone all in on painting right at the start. I worked for 18 years as a police officer in Toronto while painting in my spare time. While I was growing up, the thought that you could make a very good living through painting was not even on the table.

What are your top three getaway destinations?

Mont Tremblant, Quebec. Palm Desert California and the Mediterranean.

Share a quote that inspires you the most.

“75% of the Secret to Success is Showing Up.”

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