Revamping Metal Art: How Vasilios Hatzigiannis Turned COVID-19 Restrictions Into a Business Opportunity
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a lot of changes in people’s lives worldwide. The enforced stay-at-home restrictions were challenging for many, but some individuals saw it as an opportunity to pursue their passions and start new ventures. Vasilios Hatzigiannis is one such person who seized the moment and brought his passion for metal art to life during the pandemic.
Background and Passion Projects
Hatzigiannis works as a solar panel installer, and he is a welder by trade. He started his passion project of making metal art during the COVID-19 pandemic and has been growing it ever since. Hatzigiannis lives in Golden Square, and he makes unique pieces of metal art ranging from cartoon figurines, cars, and even a turbo snail replica from a children’s movie.
In his shed, Hatzigiannis excitedly shows off various pieces he’s working on or has finished. He sources his materials locally, from online stores, and recycled pieces such as chains, nuts and bolts, and bearings. Generally, the cars he crafts are brand new steel. Hatzigiannis makes custom pieces for clients who send him photos of what they want him to do over his Facebook page “steel edge constructions.”
The Art of Crafting Metal Art
Hatzigiannis creates his pieces using various tools and techniques to bring out the best in every design. Some pieces come in straight forward designs that take less time to finish, while others involve intricate work, such as curves and different shapes, requiring more attention and time. He takes anywhere between 12 to 20 hours to complete a piece.
In his work, Hatzigiannis uses a range of shop tools and skills to shape his unique pieces, reflecting his many years of work experience in the industry. Though he has a side business in metal art, he still works in his main job during the week. However, weekends are his time to retouch and give finishing touches to his artwork.
The Business Side of Metal Art in Bendigo
Hatzigiannis business boomed a few years ago, but he hardly thinks people are as willing to invest the same amount in personal art pieces anymore. He says people may not have enough money to spend on models, considering the rising cost of living and the impact of the pandemic on the economy. Nevertheless, Hatzigiannis charges anywhere from $500 for a small piece to $1000 for custom-made complex designs.
Hatzigiannis says the pandemic played a significant role in moving his business forward. Everyone was on social media when the government implemented stay-at-home restrictions, making it an ideal space to showcase his designs. He adds that most of his works nevertheless go to New South Wales and Queensland, with only a few locals buying from him in Bendigo.
Looking Ahead
Despite reservations, Hatzigiannis plans to continue his passion for metal art, hoping to scale up and grow his business. However, he knows it’s not an easy task and believes that it will take time to reach his ultimate goal of doing it full-time. Though metal art is his passion, Hatzigiannis understands his time is restricted because he still works his main job part-time, and there are only so many weekends he can dedicate to crafting his designs.
The surge in online platforms and social media has provided Hatzigiannis with an excellent opportunity to sell his creations far and wide. However, he faces a challenge familiar to many businesses: reaching new customers. Not many people aware of his metal art pieces, and he is keen to make his name known in Bendigo and grow his customer base.
Additional Piece: The Art of Crafting Metal Art as a Potential Business Opportunity.
Crafting metal art is a great way to express one’s creativity and create beautiful pieces that are unique. Hatzigiannis’ case demonstrates how a person can turn their passion into a business opportunity even amidst difficult times. As businesses worldwide continue to experience challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people can consider exploring their passions and turning them into potential business ventures.
Here are some insights that may be useful to anyone interested in exploring metal art as a potential business venture through Hatzigiannis’ example:
– Learning basic welding techniques: Hatzigiannis is a welder, and his experience working in the industry provided him with the necessary skills needed to make metal art. Though it’s not a requirement to be a welder, learning basic welding techniques can go a long way in creating aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound art pieces.
– Finding unique designs: The market is flooded with many metal artwork designers, but what sets one apart is a unique design. Hatzigiannis has a niche in crafting exotic cars and cartoon figurines, and he prides himself on making unique pieces. As such, metal art entrepreneurs need to find a unique niche that can make their design stand out.
– Sourcing for materials: Hatzigiannis sources his materials both locally and online. Recruitment is a crucial factor in driving up overhead costs. Metal artwork designers can look for low-cost suppliers, including recycling yards, as Hatzigiannis does.
– Creating a community: Hatzigiannis started his business during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he attributes his success to social media. He interacts with customers over his Facebook page and shares his artwork over various social media platforms. Entrepreneurs can create online communities that share and appreciate their artwork.
– Managing time: Hatzigiannis still works his regular job, and this limits time spent working on metal pieces to the weekends. Managing time is crucial for entrepreneurs playing multiple roles, and it is necessary to ensure that they meet customer demands while not compromising on their primary job’s quality.
Conclusion:
COVID-19 restrictions have had a significant impact on different aspects of life worldwide. Hatzigiannis’ story demonstrates how limitations can be opportunities to pursue one’s passions and turn them into businesses. Through his passion for metal, art Hatzigiannis has been able to tap into a unique niche market and create artwork that people appreciate. Entrepreneurs can learn from his example and build a business that aligns with their unique passions.
Summary:
Vasilios Hatzigiannis, a solar panel installer and welder by trade, turned to crafting metal art during the COVID-19 pandemic. He creates unique pieces of metal art ranging from cars, cartoon figurines, and even a turbo snail replica from a children’s movie. His work takes 12 to 20 hours to complete, with prices ranging from $500 to $1000 for custom-made designs. Hatzigiannis sources his materials from both local stores and online and operates his business through his Facebook page, where clients send photos of what they want him to create. Though Hatzigiannis still works his regular job, he plans to grow his passion for metal art into a full-time business and grow his customer base. entrepreneurs can learn from his example by mastering the basics, creating unique designs, managing time, sourcing for low-cost suppliers, and building communities.
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FOR some people, the stay-at-home restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic were an opportunity to start small businesses.
While it may have been a while since people hunkered down and worked from home at Mass, that hasn’t stopped Vasilios Hatzigiannis from growing his passion projects that he began during that time.
Based in Golden Square, Mr. Hatzigiannis sells metal art.
Working as a solar panel installer and with a background as a welder, he knows shop tools and has skills that inevitably helped him in his side job.
Moving around his shed, he excitedly shows off various pieces he’s working on or has finished, including cars, cartoon figurines, and his version of the Turbo snail from the children’s movie of the same name.
“It’s actually a turbo from a car, and the rest is just recycled,” he said. “This is actually properly powder coated.”
Mr. Hatzigiannis sources his wide variety of materials from both local stores and online.
“Chains, whatever you can get your hands on, nuts and bolts, bearings,” he said. “While all the cars are brand new steel.”
Below Facebook page steel edge constructionspeople send Mr. Hatzigiannis photos of what they want him to do, and he goes from there.
“COVID put everyone on social media and it was moving forward,” he said. “I make them, I shape them, I clean them. I do a lot of exotic cars.”
While business was booming a few years ago, Hatzigiannis said he thinks people might not be as willing to invest as much in personal art pieces with the rising cost of living.
“I have been reserved for six months. That was during COVID, I couldn’t keep up,” she said. “Now, I am six weeks old.
“Depending on the car, I can make anywhere from $500 and I think the most expensive I’ve ever done is $1000. It was a truck, a trailer, and a house to go on the trailer.
“But as soon as the war started abroad and inflation went up, people didn’t have enough money to spend $600 on a model.”
Hatzigiannis said his creations typically take between 12 and 20 hours from start to finish, and while he works his main job during the week, weekends are spent retouching them.
“I would love for him to take over so I can do it full time, but I’ve been told that when you die is when your art is really valuable,” he said.
“A lot of my work actually goes to NSW and Queensland.
“Don’t get me wrong, some locals have bought things from me, but not many people in Bendigo know I exist.
“I just want to be found out. Not many people know that I do it.”
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