Class Spotlight: Business & Product Development

Apprentices Marcus Hall, 17, and Ayana Hall, 16, described their experience thus far in our Business and Product Development class.

What is something NEW you have learned in business and product development? 

MARCUS: Something new I learned is how to market items to a certain age demographic. I also learned what to consider when choosing colors, designs, and items when putting them up for sale.

AYANA: I’ve learned about the different ways that you could protect your artworks, for example copyrights and art contracts. One thing in particular was learning what to think about to specify the boundaries that a person using your art should follow.


What has been the most interesting conversation that has come out of the class?

M: The most interesting conversation we had in class was when we discussed the biggest art heist in history.

A: The most interesting conversation may have been the one at the beginning of the class about the art thief of the Barnes collection. I really liked this because of all of the things the collection had to go through and how, despite Barnes’s wishes, they were still used in a profitable way. 


What are you interested in learning more about? 

M: I’m interested in learning more about the back end of running a business. 

A: I am interested in learning about how to market to a certain demographic.


What kinds of products have you developed since working at BYA? What do you want to see more of in the store?

M: The products we developed since working at BYA are stickers, hats, and masks. What I would love to see at the store is hair scrunchies since they have made a big comeback. I also think it would be cool to see those rubber bracelets. 

A: We have developed the themes of the summer collection and four products for each group. My group is planning to develop hats, fanny packs, masks, and stickers. The things that I wanted to see more of were the stickers.


Favorite part of making products/learning about business?

M: My favorite part is working in a group and bouncing ideas off one another.

A: My favorite part about making the products so far, was figuring out the aesthetic we were going to use. I also really liked the conversation with a guest about an artists’ relationship with another person or organization.


Do you want to make products in the future? If so, what kind?

M: Yes I would like to make products. I would love to make rubber bracelets or even another board game like we did last summer for games group.

A: I think I would be interested in making a sticker or shirt design one day.


How will you use what you've learned in this class in the future?

M: I will take what I learned with me and apply if I should ever start my own business or help someone else start a business.

A: I will use the things I’ve learned to be able to create a contract and work with others in the future.

Design by Ayana Hall

Design by Ayana Hall

Design by Marcus Hall

Design by Marcus Hall