I’m Adele Smejkal, founder of Artistellar.

I studied both business and art history in school but I was always more creative and into arts than into numbers. After I finished my masters I did the gallery internship route before landing a full-time position at Sotheby’s. This was an incredible experience which not only exposed me to the greatest of artworks but also to understanding of the auction business.

During this full-time work, I maintained  side gigs like freelance writing, launching an art organization or hosting events. I also visited artists’ studios and became gradually more immersed in the scene. I guess that was my entrepreneurial gene telling me that one day I want to have my own business. So with this experience, a couple years later I launched Artistellar, an innovative art gallery and platform,,which will celebrate its 1st birthday in September. 

There’s always a lightbulb moment before the beginning of a new venture. What was that moment for you?

I was sitting at my desk at Sotheby’s and I was going through the auction calendar for the next season and I noticed a high number of online auctions. The whole company was already in the process of becoming more ‘digitized’ and this was the outcome. I knew that so many art businesses were being born online but if such a big and traditional business like Sotheby’s is taking the next step then I knew that the answer for me is to start an art tech business one day. 

How do you prepare for all the unknown obstacles when running your business?

It’s hard to predict what is going to happen. Being an entrepreneur is a never ending learning curve. Therefore, I try to stay calm and objective about problems that come up. My emotions always say act fast but my brain says slow down and take a minute. Things are always clearer when you think them through.  Asking for advice and opinions of other peers also helps a lot.

What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?

I’d  always dreamed of launching my own business but didn’t know when it was  going to happen and what the product would be. I knew it would be in the art industry but it took me quite some time to figure out that I want to launch an interactive art gallery. The goal now is to truly become an expert on scouting high calibre emerging artists and present their profiles and works in a nomadic way; mostly online but with some occasional offline presence. From the side of customers; the goal is to show millenials and Gen-Z that the way of buying art is changing the notion and that collecting art is not elitist. 

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?

There were so many! But I think the most crucial lesson was to realize that you don’t make any sales unless you know who your customer is. So, first go and figure out and define exactly who your customer is. 

What are your thoughts on failure?

I think failure is an integral part of being an entrepreneur. It is not a bad thing, it belongs to the process. You fail and you succeed and you learn. It might sound easier said than done. Sometimes emotions overtake us when we fail but it’s important to remind ourselves that failing is human and part of the process. 

Do you prioritise self-care as an entrepreneur?

I have to admit I am not the best at self-care. I always prioritize business and I find it hard to switch off completely even when on vacation. I know that I should work on that because it would reduce my stress. 

How do you believe the evolution of tech will impact your industry over the next 10 years?

The changes have been already happening, especially in the past two years. The pandemic has just accelerated everything. People who never viewed or bought art online were left with no other choice but browse online. Art organisations ramped up their digital development and offering to engage with clients in all sorts of possible ways. And then there is the whole NFT market boom. I think the coming years  will only continue and deepen these recent developments and the art market will become even crazier. The tech evolution is inevitable even for one of the most traditional industries like the arts.