Sharod Holmes

We recently had a conversation with Sharod Holmes. He's the CEO and founder of Artis Community. Artis Community is a platform developed for creatives to find other creatives. We spoke about his background, balancing work and school, and what the vision for Artis Community is. Enjoy!

How did you get started on your entrepreneurial journey?

I started in middle school selling chips and juice. When I got to high school I worked at a shirt printing shop. I was also putting apparel together for sneakers. I had lots of sneakers at the time so it made sense. Around that time I knew I wanted to go to Indiana University school of business.

When did the idea for Artis Community come around?

Senior year in college when everyone was looking for jobs. I was at recruiting fairs and decided that wasn't for me. It felt so artificial. Thanksgiving break that year of college I had to figure out what I was gonna do. I'm a graphic designer. For service-based entrepreneurs, they have a problem of reach. I came up with Artis Community to solve that problem.

Was the decision to do your own thing a difficult decision?

It was pretty easy. Once I have my mind set, I give my all. When I knew I wanted to go to business school, I only applied to Indiana University. If I know what I want it will either work or it won't. If it doesn't, I'll learn a lesson and try something else. I had the support of my family and peers when I told them I wanted to do my own thing. That made it easy as well.

 How did you balance school and work during that senior year?

Senior year was stressful. I was in a lot of pitch competitions. I'm also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. I was the lead person in the chapter for planning events. Once I realized I was gonna do the entrepreneur thing I knew I just needed to pass and graduate. Kelly School of Business is a great school. That gave me the chance to network and talk to a lot of people. Most of my time was getting down the idea and talking to as many people as possible.

You could've easily just done your own thing. Why did you decide to share the keys as opposed to just figuring out how to network as a graphic designer on your own?

If I did it by myself, only I would've been good. It would've been fruitful for just me. As a graphic designer, I still need outside work when I'm working with clients. I may need a video or a website. I don't just want people to find me, I want to be able to find people. I have friends in the creative industry and they still are getting business through word of mouth. It should be much smoother. The resources that work for most groups may not work for African Americans. Some of the other platforms that are doing this have subliminal profiling for African Americans. I wanted to be able to find us.

 How important is it for black creatives to find black creatives?

Communication between freelancers and someone enlisting their services is already rough. Most people aren't proficient in the area they're trying to get a service from. Being able to talk to someone with a shared history and a shared background is important. You don't have to code-switch too much. You don't have to figure out what is understood and what's not. It can be more of a synchronous relationship if it is more culturally grounded.

Do you have any mentors?

Life is my number one mentor. I learned a lot from experience. This month I've focused on mindfulness. I went to the Boys and Girls Club a lot as a kid. They got me my first job when I was 14. I also have family members that own businesses that inspire me. I also try to mentor and give back. I became a counselor when I was 14 and I did that for about 6 years. I also currently work at a community center where I mentor and give back.

 Describe the platform Artis Community in a few words.

Artis Community is the spot to find a black creative. Photographers, DJs, graphic designers, or anyone else can come. We're trying to build up a directory aspect. There's no way to find a black creative unless you follow them on socials or you know someone who knows them. There are not as many opportunities for black-owned services. We want to have a searchable navigation page and filter by location or creative medium. They can have a full portfolio on Artis. Creatives will have full control of what is shown. We want to help creatives make better first impressions. They can aggregate their content from YouTube, IG, Soundcloud all in one place. It's like a virtual business card. It's not a social media network but it will be a social marketplace.

 Did you face any obstacles while building?

I have no technical background. I'd never built an app before. I don't know what needs to be done. I just did all the research and watched YouTube videos. It's just me on the team. Building a team for an app amid covid is hard to do. It would make sense to do as much as I can by myself. I do have mentors who help, but it's hard. I dedicate several hours a day to the platform but it's hard to do it alone.

Any words of advice you'd give to people reading this?

Talk your idea out with your friends. It's always replenishing. Be inspired by others. Turn on a Jay-Z or Kanye interview. See their work ethic. I heard Kanye say 5 beats a day for 3 summers. So always try to be better. Stay humble.