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

Hi Neelu, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk taking is a part of running a business and for that matter a part of living life. Comfort zone is good but for personal or professional growth stepping out & taking a leap is important. Risk taking in my professional life has helped me grow and accomplish. It does get uncomfortable or scary for a bit, but turns into accomplishment once achieved!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I picked up my career as an artist/art teacher after trying many other careers. I did my MBA and almost went into healthcare, realizing mid way that it’s not something my heart wants. Deep inside, I always just wanted to paint. I owe it to my ex husband for letting me pursue this dream. Was it easy? No, it wasn’t easy stepping out of comfort zone and starting something from scratch was definitely tedious but so worth it. The lessons I learnt along the way are : nothing comes easy, there is no substitute for hard work, doing what you love is a great decision, learning business accounting is no fun, hire the right people & hang out with people who motivate & inspire you. ART Z is an Art Studio where kids have the freedom to express themselves. The goal is to keep environment so positive & happy that everyone is inspired to create.. We are not creating Monets (with all due respect to the great artist), we are creating artists who are the best version of themselves with their own unique style

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had a friend visiting me, I would take them to my favorite places like, Dallas Arboretum (especially in fall), Magnolia in Waco, Sprinkles bakery in Dallas for amazing cupcakes, Uchi restaurant in Dallas for the best sushi, dinner at 560 at Reunion Tower, Addison Improv Comedy Club, Grapevine Main Street hidden stores and french bakery and of course end it with a private Paint Party at ART Z!!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I owe it to my Art teachers right from elementary school all the way up to college. They nourished my love for art and taught me the skills while giving me freedom to experiment. Another person who i owe this to is my Dad, who taught me to never be afraid of anything. He taught me to be bold and speak my mind. My mom, who taught me to be kind, compassionate towards people around me and never be afraid of hard work. How can i forget my beautiful daughters who critique my work and give me input for any new ideas i have. My amazing friends who stand by me in my tough times All this gives me a balance to believe in myself & improve everyday

Website: www.artzstudiotx.com
Instagram: art_z_studio
Facebook: artztrophyclub

Image Credits
Credit: Sarah Marie Photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.