What drove your decision to apply for a Sotheby’s Institute MA program?

After six years working with global industrial market leaders, I wanted to explore a field where business, culture, and creativity intersect, and where my professional experience could connect with my passion for the arts.

Sotheby’s Institute stood out because it combines academic depth with practical exposure, proximity to the art world, and space for entrepreneurial thinking. I was also struck early on by its open and generous culture.

While I was still deciding whether to apply, one professor took the time during a trip to speak with me and answer my questions. That level of individual support continued throughout my studies.

The Enterprise Studio and mentorship sealed the decision, as they connected learning with practical, creative, and entrepreneurial work.

How is the MA Art Business program at Sotheby’s Institute equipping you with the tools and knowledge to navigate the art industry?

The program provided invaluable, holistic insight into the full art market value chain: artists, galleries, institutions, intermediaries, collectors, and the operational businesses that support them.

That breadth matters because it highlights that art transactions are not only about objects and prices. They also depend on documentation, relationships, trust, and the systems working behind the scenes.

The Enterprise Studio offers Master’s students training and support for new business ventures, culminating in a startup pitch competition, The Gavel. What were some of the most valuable lessons or skills you gained from the Enterprise Studio experience?

Clarity. ArtComply is a complex idea, but the Gavel process required a simple explanation: what is the problem, why does it matter now, and why is this the right moment to build?

Brendan and Jeffrey helped me move beyond explaining the product and focus on the opportunity ArtComply is addressing.

The process also taught precision. When a jury can test every claim, you become much clearer about what you know, what you assume, and what still needs validation.

Having won the Gavel competition, what is next for your art business, ArtComply?

The next phase is about moving from a validated concept to an operational product. Winning the Gavel opened valuable doors; now the goal is to use that momentum carefully and build something that genuinely works for the people it is designed to serve.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind ArtComply?

ArtComply grew out of a question I kept returning to during the program: how can art market professionals manage rising legal expectations without losing focus on the work they actually came here to do?

The idea became clearer through the art logistics and operations elective, where regulation, the movement of objects, documentation, and responsibility intersect very visibly.
It also connects to my previous professional experience. I know what it feels like when complex legal requirements sit across fragmented systems and create uncertainty.

ArtComply positions itself as “the missing layer” in the art world’s infrastructure. What systemic gap did you observe that made this feel urgent to solve?

The gap lies between responsibility and operational support. Art market professionals are facing a more demanding regulatory environment, while many businesses remain small, specialized, and resource-constrained. Compliance has been added to existing workloads, but the supporting systems have not always followed.

By studying at Sotheby’s Institute, you have become a lifelong member of a global network of over 8,000 alumni. How will you utilize this moving forward?

I am proud to join Sotheby’s Institute’s passionate and inspiring alumni community. Some of the most valuable early input I have received has already come through conversations connected to the Institute, from product direction to market positioning.

For me, that is the real value of the network—not just access, but dialogue. It is a way to test ideas, learn from different perspectives, and contribute back to the community that helped shape the project.

What advice or tips would you give to those wanting to compete in the Gavel competition?

Apply, even before you feel ready! If you wait until the idea feels perfect, you may miss the moment when the process could help shape it.

The coaching and jury feedback were invaluable, helping me expand my perspective on scope, positioning, and execution. Go in with a clear idea, but keep an open mind. You can only gain from the experience.

Photo credit: Klara Stangl