Andrea Serbonich wanted a career transition. She left 10+ years of experience in the art world to immerse herself in the wellness space. Through this career transition, Andrea is leveraging the skills she gained in the art business to make the transition.
Andrea is now a freelancer and works with brands that have a wellness focus, as well as a mission for social good. Read on to learn more about her and this big leap.
Interview with Andrea Serbonich on Making a Career Transition
Tell us a little bit about your background.
I worked in sales with high-net worth clientele for 11 years. Throughout my time I was a curator, art consultant, art dealer and director working in the art industry. I was responsible for driving sales, event production and business development for numerous high-profile New York City galleries.
After a deep exploration in various health and healing modalities that took me to ashrams in India, ceremonies in Peru as well as intuitive readings, spinal network care, juice cleanses, breath work, yoga retreats and sound therapy to name a few, I discovered a passion for wellness.
It is my hope to combine my business and sales experience with my love for well being.
What fears and roadblocks did you have to overcome to make the transition from your art background to a completely new field?
I was working in the art world for 11 years. It’s a very specific niche market. I have to convince myself and the companies I want to work with that my sales and business experience is transferable, and that the nature of the art business isn’t so different. There are many skills and expertise that overlap with what I’m doing now.
How do you convince clients the skills are transferrable? Can you share your story-telling techniques?
How is it going as a freelancer? What’s working for you?
There are pros and cons to everything of course. I really like that I get to choose who I’m working with and the types of companies I take on as clients. I also enjoy networking with very interesting people who are doing amazing things and seeing how we can potentially partner and work together.
I get to be very creative, I create my own schedule and I create my own boundaries. All of which I am working on and haven’t quite figured everything out yet, but the process is interesting.
There’s always challenges with change. Now that you’ve made the transition, what’s your biggest challenge, and how are you tackling it?
The biggest challenge is finding time for the other areas of my life. I don’t have much of a personal life right now and I’m struggling to find a work-life balance.
However, I think sometimes you just have to go through a lot of that in order to learn how to create it. I’m just beginning this new phase of my life so if a lot of energy is going to my career right now – I’m ok with it.
Eventually, finding time to play and have a balanced personal life will become more of a priority. and then I’ll take the steps to create that.
What’s the greatest skill or experience you’ve gained with this transition?
I’ve learned how to pitch and sell myself to clients by creating a bio, a legacy and a story about myself that is genuine, authentic, and passionate. It inspires people to take a chance on me and they want to work with someone who is passionate about their company and what they are trying to achieve.
How do you handle the financial insecurity that comes with pursuing a freelance career?
I’m much more austere with my budget and my money right now. I had a certain lifestyle that I became accustomed to, but I also saved and got myself ready to change a bit of that.
I also know that money can’t buy courage, strength and happiness. Most of what I truly want in life and what I find truly fulfilling now is not a new pair of shoes and an expensive dinner – ok, yes I love those things and I will have them again. I have faith in that. But, for now I’m working on a bigger dream and that takes discipline with my budget.
I think having that mindset makes it a lot easier to say no to things. I also don’t have children, a mortgage, car payments etc. I have to pay my rent and I have to eat, but that’s it.
Learn more about Andrea here.
