Episode #420: Growing your Revenue and Mindset with Bethany Jo Mikelait

What happens when you take a highly specialized skill, turn it into a business, and learn to think like an entrepreneur along the way?

In this episode of The Business of Thinking Big, Lianne Kim sits down with her client Bethany Jo Mikelait, an accredited conservator and restorer of fine art and the owner of The Art Conservatory in Toronto. Bethany shares how she turned a career in art conservation into a thriving business after losing her job during the economic slowdown following the COVID pandemic.

Bethany opens up about the mindset challenges she faced as a first-time business owner, from imagining too small and thinking about revenue as an hourly wage to overcoming the fear of raising her rates. She also shares how building an online presence, letting go of perfection, and investing in support helped transform her business.

Now, nearly five years into her business, Bethany has reached her first six-figure revenue milestone and is preparing to move her business out of her home basement and into a commercial space.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Bethany turned a highly specialized skill into a successful business
• Why thinking like a business owner requires a different mindset than thinking like an employee
• How to recognize and overcome the mental roadblocks that can keep you playing small
• Why pricing your services based on your value and costs matters
• How raising her rates helped Bethany attract clients who valued her expertise
• Why being the cheapest option isn't always the best way to attract customers
• How social media became an unexpected marketing and portfolio tool
• Why letting go of perfection can make showing up online much easier
• How Bethany used a business grant to publish a book and grow her credibility
• Why reframing your career goals around the life you want can change how you build your business
• How outsourcing administrative work can create more time for your zone of genius
• Why saying no to projects outside your expertise can help your business grow
• The importance of protecting time that is strictly not work
• How investing in coaching and support early can help you navigate the steep learning curve of entrepreneurship

Whether you're a new business owner, a creative professional, or someone struggling with pricing, visibility, or perfectionism, Bethany's story is a powerful reminder that building a business isn't just about becoming better at what you do. It's also about learning how to think bigger, value your expertise, and create a business that supports the life you want.

Timestamps:‌ ‌

00:00 – Meet Bethany Jo Mikelait and The Art Conservatory

01:00 – How Bethany discovered art conservation

02:00 – Starting a business after losing her job

03:00 – Why Bethany sought out a business coach

04:00 – Identifying her business knowledge gaps

05:00 – What Bethany knew and where she needed support

06:00 – The challenge of finding clients in a niche market

07:00 – Marketing to a highly specific audience

08:00 – The mental roadblocks behind business growth

09:00 – Learning to think like a business owner

10:00 – Imagining bigger and overcoming limiting beliefs

11:00 – The fear of raising your rates

12:00 – Why creative professionals often undervalue their work

13:00 – How raising her rates changed Bethany's business

14:00 – Why being cheaper can send the wrong signal

15:00 – Pricing based on expertise, materials, and experience

16:00 – Building a business out of necessity

17:00 – Staying committed when the stakes are high

18:00 – Detaching emotionally from clients who say no

19:00 – Becoming more confident in the value of your work

20:00 – Moving out of the basement and into a commercial space

21:00 – Celebrating Bethany's first six-figure milestone

22:00 – Making smart investments in your business

23:00 – The coaching lessons that made the biggest difference

24:00 – Building your business around the life you want

25:00 – Why work shouldn't become your entire life

26:00 – Overcoming resistance to social media

27:00 – Using social media to build trust and credibility

28:00 – Why showing your work online matters

29:00 – How customers are discovering businesses differently

30:00 – Turning Instagram into a digital portfolio

31:00 – How an online presence can help AI recommend your business

32:00 – Doing things differently in a niche industry

33:00 – Moving through resistance and taking action

34:00 – Letting go of perfection on social media

35:00 – Creating content based on what your audience responds to

36:00 – The pressure of perfection in art conservation

37:00 – Balancing high standards with experimentation

38:00 – How coaching changed Bethany's mindset

39:00 – The importance of getting help early

40:00 – Using a business grant to invest in marketing

41:00 – Publishing a book to build credibility and educate clients

42:00 – Becoming the limiting factor in your own business

43:00 – Outsourcing bookkeeping and creating more capacity

44:00 – Learning to say no to the wrong projects

45:00 – Building a business that leaves room for life

46:00 – Protecting time that is strictly not work

47:00 – Bethany's advice for other entrepreneurs

48:00 – Where to find The Art Conservatory

Links mentioned:

Connect with me:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liannekimcoach
Instagram: @liannekimcoach

Join the Mamas & Co. community to get access to valuable resources and the support of likeminded mompreneurs and mentors: https://www.mamasandco.com
Instagram: @mamasandco

Connect with The Art Conservatory:

Website: https://www.theartconservatory.ca
Instagram: @theartconservatory