We’re profiling each of the students from the June program of the Orbital 1Kand their amazing projects. If their stories resonate with you, sign up for our mailing list so that you can be notified of future 1K programs.
Tara Reed is the founder of Kollecto, an art purchasing startup that launched out of the first Orbital Boot Camp in summer 2014. In the 1K program, Tara launched Everyday Art Collectors, a blog about how ordinary people collect art.
Hi Tara! What are you most excited about with regards to your project?
Kollecto started as my side project, but eventually became my 9-5 job. So to be honest, I was excited about Orbital $1k and my Everyday Art Collectors blog because I was in need of a new side project! My blog was tied to Kollecto but was definitely a tangential project. There's something really therapeutic about having a passion project on the side so I was excited to launch something again. When I started the program, I was also really struggling with the fact that, as Kollecto becomes more of a revenue-focused business, I needed a place to tell the narrative of my mission to empower people to buy & collect affordable art. So I was excited to have a less transactional format to tell that story.
What was the hardest part of launching for you? Just making time for my project, since I’m currently participating in the 500 Startups accelerator.
What’s your biggest takeaway from the 1K program? I learned how important it is for me to have accountability structures and positive peer pressure in my life. This wasn't a new concept for me, but it was really helpful to have someone checking in with me every morning on my project statuses and pain points. I've been finding ways to continue this structure even after the program.
Read stories about art buying at Everyday Art Collectors, or sign up for Kollecto!
