Who are you?

I am Euan Mclatchie CEO and founder of The Global Art Company.

What does your business do?

Working over the last four years we have produced an artists database of over 25,000 artists and with the unique IP of the art, we sell art into hotels. The Global Art Company provides these hotels with the ability to sell this art directly from the hotel wall, providing the hotel with an additional revenue stream as well as enriching the guest’s experience.

With everyone today using smart phones we have also introduced the Smart Suite, giving hotel guests the ability to actually engage with the art, and allowing the hotel to interact seamlessly with their guests.

Where are you based?

I am based in Entrepreneurial Spark at the Glasgow Hatchery.

How did you get started?

I started by building up a website where I thought I could help artists by exhibiting, promoting and selling their art.

What is your background?

I have a degree in Architecture and spent six years at The Duncan of Jordanstone Collage of Art in Dundee, this hopefully gives me a far greater insight into the hotels space as well as their art requirements.

What is your top tip?

My top tip would be to know your customer. You may have the best idea, service or product but if you are trying to sell it to the wrong people you will have an extremely tough time.

How long has your business been running?

As a company we have been going for four years, however as an actual business which is generating money I would say this has come to fruition in the last three months. The people who have helped me to get where I am today have been Entrepreneurial Spark. I was lucky to be accepted on to the business accelerator where, like all entrepreneurs or young business people, I thought I knew it all. How wrong I was.

In fact, I did have a good idea and concept but certainly not a business, and over the last nine months with the help of many mentors and my Enabler Kevin Walls, we are bringing The Global Art Company to market as a strong viable profitable company.

What was your first deal?

We have installed art into The Hilton London Metropole which with 24 floors, is one of the biggest hotels in the UK and one of the biggest business centres in Europe. This was the perfect start we were looking for and helped give us the validation we needed to prove our concept worked and, more importantly, that it worked well.

What was your biggest mistake/ or what would you do differently?

I think my biggest mistake was making assumptions. I thought the more artists I got on board the more people would buy the products, unfortunately I was completely wrong and we had to start again, finding out who would be our customer base and why.

Who was/ is your mentor or inspiration?

My inspiration has actually come from all the other start-up companies I have been working with in the Glasgow Entrepreneurial Spark offices. Before joining Entrepreneurial Spark I spent three years on my own working from home, with nobody to bounce ideas off or to get genuine feedback from – be that good or bad.

Where do you plan your business to be in 5 years time?

I believe we have a win-win opportunity for the hotels, their guests and our artists and it will be a real buzz to see The Global Art Company pushed out into hotels far and wide.

Useful contacts

Entrepreneurial Spark has been a real lifeline for my business, if you are wanting to start a business or accelerate your existing business these are definitely the guys to get in touch with.

Scottish Enterprise has been an amazing contact and helped me get to speak to the right people and not waste too much time chasing the wrong person.

Contact details

www.TheGlobalArtCompany.com

Euan@TheGlobalArtCompany.com