--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every artist is a walking business. Your…" description: "\"Every artist is a walking business. Your marketing tools are your headshots and your reel. That's what people see that's what your out there pushing tr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/jay-ellis-15463_art_every-artist-is-a-walking-business-your_1511857.jpg" --- # Every artist is a walking business. Your marketing tools… ![“Every artist is a walking business. Your marketing tools are your headshots and your reel. That's what people see that's what your out there pushing trying to get a rep and that isn't easy.” quote by Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/jay-ellis-15463_art_every-artist-is-a-walking-business-your_1511857.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/jay-ellis-15463_art_every-artist-is-a-walking-business-your_1511857.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/jay-ellis-15463_art_every-artist-is-a-walking-business-your_1511857.jpg) > “Every artist is a walking business. Your marketing tools are your headshots and your reel. That's what people see that's what your out there pushing trying to get a rep and that isn't easy.” [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists must treat personal branding as a business, using visual tools to attract opportunities. **In simple terms:** Artists need strong personal branding. Key Takeaway Focus on creating compelling headshots and reels. Themes branding marketing career development Mood motivational practical Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - auditions - freelance gigs - agency representation Key Concepts personal branding visual identity networking Questions to Reflect On - How can you maximize impact with a modest budget? - Which visual element best reflects your artistic identity? A Different Perspective Limited resources can hinder high‑quality material production. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Headshots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/headshots/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) ## Related quotes > [The corporations have all their marketing tools, but it's so much better to go in and find out what's going on and what people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-morley/the-corporations-have-all-their-marketing-tools-but-it-s-so-much/) [Paul Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-morley/) > [I didn't have an agent, I didn't have a headshot. I didn't even know if anyone would know where to find me. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/i-didn-t-have-an-agent-i-didn-t-have-a-headshot-i-didn-t-even-know-if/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I have a bunch of headshots that I like to throw at people - with some backups. I give them like three copies just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jeong/i-have-a-bunch-of-headshots-that-i-like-to-throw-at-people-with-some/) [Ken Jeong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jeong/) > [Many casting directors won't hire aspiring actors because you might be burning some chick's headshot under the table so she doesn't get the part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/many-casting-directors-won-t-hire-aspiring-actors-because-you-might/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [My grandfather told me that I should have a series of headshots, one with a tennis racket, one dressed as a naval officer, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-lloyd-hughes/my-grandfather-told-me-that-i-should-have-a-series-of-headshots-one/) [Henry Lloyd-Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-lloyd-hughes/) > [For one year, I was Keith Mitchell Coogan on my headshots. The next year, I was just Keith Coogan. And I have gone by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-coogan/for-one-year-i-was-keith-mitchell-coogan-on-my-headshots-the-next/) [Keith Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-coogan/) > [When I got my headshots done, there was this woman screaming at me to blow my lips out. She kept saying, 'You want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-cave/when-i-got-my-headshots-done-there-was-this-woman-screaming-at-me-to/) [Jessie Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-cave/) > [I think what makes so many other actors miserable is focusing completely on making other plans. They're obsessed with their haircut and their headshot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-think-what-makes-so-many-other-actors-miserable-is-focusing/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [I'm not ambitious when it comes to my acting career. I'm not breaking down my agency's doors or sending out headshots. Even when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/i-m-not-ambitious-when-it-comes-to-my-acting-career-i-m-not-breaking/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [I feel more comfortable when I'm somebody else, I think. When I'm taking a picture as myself, the whole idea of taking a headshot,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missi-pyle/i-feel-more-comfortable-when-i-m-somebody-else-i-think-when-i-m/) [Missi Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missi-pyle/) > [I saw a headshot with the name 'Emilio Sheen' printed under it and it looked terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilio-estevez/i-saw-a-headshot-with-the-name-emilio-sheen-printed-under-it-and-it/) [Emilio Estevez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilio-estevez/) > [I didn't want to be a headshot and get a chance to go compete to sing-that's not me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-headshot-and-get-a-chance-to-go-compete-to-sing/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [Everything in The Room, we did it the same way the big studios do it. The only difference is the budget and the actors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-wiseau/everything-in-the-room-we-did-it-the-same-way-the-big-studios-do-it/) [Tommy Wiseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-wiseau/) > [That's Becks. Always ready to offer a helping headshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/that-s-becks-always-ready-to-offer-a-helping-headshot/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [My headshot is a scratch and sniff, it smells like failure and onions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/my-headshot-is-a-scratch-and-sniff-it-smells-like-failure-and-onions/) [Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/) ## More by Jay Ellis > [I'm insanely curious about life and everyone's story and where they come from and how they got to be who they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/i-m-insanely-curious-about-life-and-everyone-s-story-and-where-they/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, which is both settling and terrifying. The roller coaster is going, and there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/i-feel-like-i-m-exactly-where-i-m-supposed-to-be-which-is-both/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [At the end of the day, we're people and we should fight for each other and we should make sure the well-being of each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/at-the-end-of-the-day-we-re-people-and-we-should-fight-for-each-other/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [My dad was in the service, so I went to 12 schools in 13 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/my-dad-was-in-the-service-so-i-went-to-12-schools-in-13-years/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [As long as you're consistently working on your craft, your heart is in the right place, and you pair that with being smart on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/as-long-as-you-re-consistently-working-on-your-craft-your-heart-is-in/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [I had a journalist slap me, and it wasn't anyone that I had ever met before. I was at the airport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/i-had-a-journalist-slap-me-and-it-wasn-t-anyone-that-i-had-ever-met/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [I love to study people and pick apart what makes a person or character who they are. I never want to get complacent in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/i-love-to-study-people-and-pick-apart-what-makes-a-person-or/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [I think we still live in this era of hyper-masculinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/i-think-we-still-live-in-this-era-of-hyper-masculinity/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [If you have HIV, I don't think there's anything to be ashamed of. Get treatment and don't think that you're out of options or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/if-you-have-hiv-i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-to-be-ashamed-of-get/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [I want to create this pool of talent to draw from, and I hope that people get inspired to make more web series and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/i-want-to-create-this-pool-of-talent-to-draw-from-and-i-hope-that/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [I'm not a believer in 'what you don't know won't hurt you,' unless it's innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/i-m-not-a-believer-in-what-you-don-t-know-won-t-hurt-you-unless-it-s/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [You can try your passion for a while and see if it works and if it doesn't, at least you tried. I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/you-can-try-your-passion-for-a-while-and-see-if-it-works-and-if-it/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [Agents run a business, and their business is their talent; some are more general and broad and can rep a little bit of everything;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/agents-run-a-business-and-their-business-is-their-talent-some-are/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [I auditioned for Lamorne Morris' part, Winston, on 'New Girl.' In the scene, the character was eating a mayonnaise sandwich. I thought, 'Nobody else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/i-auditioned-for-lamorne-morris-part-winston-on-new-girl-in-the-scene/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [I try to be as realistic as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/i-try-to-be-as-realistic-as-possible/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) [Explore all 43 Jay Ellis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every artist is a walking business. 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