Episode 176: Why Cheap Art Doesn’t Sell: Miriam Schulman on Premium Pricing & High-Value Buyers
In this episode of The Pursuit of Badasserie, we sit down with Miriam Schulman, artist business coach and author of Artpreneur: The Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living from Your Creativity. Miriam shares her personal journey from Wall Street to full-time artist, and how she built a sustainable creative business through sales, strategy, and mindset.
We dive into Miriam’s Belief Triad — the idea that you must believe in yourself, your customer, and your audience. She explains why most creatives struggle with sales not because their work isn’t good enough, but because they don’t fully believe their customers are capable of making a purchase decision without fear.
Miriam also breaks down common mistakes artists and entrepreneurs make when selling, including focusing too much on features and “why” instead of the customer’s transformation. We talk about pricing, the “starving artist” mindset, and why cheap doesn’t make selling easier. We also explore how embracing your “inner weirdo” and being willing to polarize is actually a strength in business.
If you want to sell with confidence, price like a premium brand, and build a repeatable sales engine without feeling salesy — this episode gives you practical tools and a mindset shift that will change how you show up in your business.
Key Takeaways
- Customers don’t fear price — they fear making a mistake
- The “Belief Triad” is the missing link: self + customer + audience
- People buy transformation, not features
- Cheap isn’t easier to sell — premium positioning creates desire
- Scarcity mindset leads to underpricing; abundance mindset creates confident pricing
- You don’t need to be liked by everyone — polarizing attracts the right buyers
- Consistency + self-awareness + steady action is how you build sustainable income
Resources Mentioned
- Miriam’s Book: Artpreneur
- Free Pricing Guide: shulmanart.com/pricing
- Learn More: http://artpreneurbook.com
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