Meet Ilgar Tali | Founder & Chief Vision Officer of Smartist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ilgar Tali and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ilgar, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’ve always been the kind of person who doesn’t shy away from taking a risk. I guess it’s just part of who I am. Born and raised in Baku, Azerbaijan, I made the daring move to the USA in 2014. Let me tell you, moving countries is no small feat. You’re essentially saying goodbye to everything familiar and hello to a whole new world. You’ve got to learn a new language, meet new people, and build your life up from scratch.

Doing it alone and resourceless? Now that’s quite the challenge. Sure, it provides an opportunity for personal growth, broadens your horizons, and might even open doors to exciting career opportunities. But it’s not without its hardships like culture shock, feelings of loneliness, and a bit of financial stress.

Then there’s starting a business, which is like playing poker with really high stakes, particularly when it comes to tech startups. You have to remember that most startups, about 90%, don’t hit the jackpot. So, there’ll be times when people, including investors, might not see your vision. It can be tough to raise the funds you need and find the right team. But that’s all part of the exciting journey of entrepreneurship!

What should our readers know about your business?
Smartist is an art visualization app that lets you create marketable art mockups in minutes. You just upload an artwork to Smartist, virtually place it in an interior, customize it, and share it. Studies show that artists who display their art in a realistic setting are more likely to sell it. That’s why Smartist’s exclusive content library includes hundreds of mockup-ready interiors, which are designed in-house and updated biweekly. Smartist mockups can help artists and collectors accurately visualize art in any context, including in their own space, inspiring excitement and confidence in a potential purchase. With a wide variety of relevant interior designs, endless customization options, and intuitive yet powerful smart tools, Smartist offers everything you need to quickly and easily showcase art at your fingertips. You don’t need complex calculations, Photoshop expertise, or access to expensive equipment or exhibition space to create a professional, photorealistic art mockup.

Smartist was thoughtfully designed by artists for artists—as well as collectors, curators, designers, advisors, and more. Our number one mission is to empower artists to succeed. We believe that every artist deserves not just for creative fulfillment, but a successful and sustainable career in the arts. Every member of our growing team of artists and art lovers is dedicated to this mission, including three developers who work on the mobile app and a machine-learning engineer who is developing artificial intelligence models. Since Smartist’s launch in 2021, we have remained independently funded so we can best serve the artist community. Currently, Smartist is run by an international team of artists and art lovers who are united in the aim to empower fellow artists to achieve career success and creative fulfillment. From Baku, Azerbaijan to Miami, Florida, Smartist’s current team represents seven countries.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Brimming with life, Miami is a diverse city, offering a rich blend of cultural, architectural, and culinary experiences. The Pérez Art Museum Miami, Rubell Museum, Vizcaya Museum, and the Wynwood Walls outdoor gallery are key attractions. The Miami Design District and Brickell Area are must-visit destinations for shopping and unique architectural views. The Art Deco Historic District also represents Miami’s historical charm.

The beaches on Key Biscayne, Everglades National Park, South Pointe Park, and Patch of Heaven Sanctuary provide serene escapes for nature lovers. On the culinary front, Miami’s restaurants, including Planta, Uchi, Mandolin, Suviche, and Seaspice, cater to various palates. The nightlife, with places like Space Club and diverse local music events, truly exemplifies Miami’s vibrant spirit.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to say a big thanks to my mom. She’s always there for me and teaches me to be patient and strong. Thank you to everyone around the world who uses Smartist. You’re all amazing!

Website: https://smartist.app/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartistapp/

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