Nico Bean was 12 years old when his grandmother accidentally helped him discover he had a business. It was in 2021, and he showed her some paintings he was particularly proud of.

“Without me realising, she sent the images of my paintings to her church WhatsApp group chat. Shortly after, she told me that someone wanted to buy one of my pieces,” said Mr Bean, now 18.

He had been drawing and painting for as long as he could remember, but making money from his creativity had never occurred to him until that first sale changed the way he looked at his work.

“That made me realise that there was value in my work and people wanted to buy it. I didn’t hesitate and capitalised on this new-found value.”

He created an Instagram account and Flow by Nico was born.

Today, the business takes Mr Bean’s original acrylic poured paintings beyond the canvas, transforming them into prints and products including phone cases, notebooks, tote bags and beach towels.

“I offer a variety of colours and designs to ensure there’s something for everybody,” he says.

The abstract nature of his paintings is central to their appeal. Unlike artists who begin with a specific subject, Mr Bean usually starts with only a colour scheme in mind and allows the work to develop from there.

“The beauty with my artwork is that it is open for interpretation. I have had hundreds of interesting conversations with people about my work. Everyone sees something different in my pieces.”

He has watched people find animals, objects and other familiar forms within his abstract compositions, interpretations he hadn't necessarily seen himself.

More recently, Mr Bean has been experimenting with combining abstraction with realistic landscape painting. His favourite result so far is Abstract Current, a small but complex piece that took longer to complete than any of his other paintings.

“The colours work together and complement each other rather than conflicting with one another,” he said. “The contrast and highlights are strong in this piece and look great from afar. It’s one of my most complex pieces and one of my favourites.”

While his age could easily have been viewed as an obstacle when he began selling his work, Mr Bean discovered the opposite.

“No one ever batted an eye when seeing me represent my business. In fact, I felt that at vendor markets, customers were attracted to me because they saw a young boy making art and selling it at a public event.”

For a while, being a young entrepreneur became one of Flow by Nico’s unique selling points.

It is an experience that has shaped the advice he gives other young people: start before you feel completely ready.

“Starting young, you will be vulnerable and make mistakes, but it will set you far ahead of the game. Don’t worry about not being taken seriously when being a young entrepreneur. Use your age to your advantage.”

Another lesson has been learning not to undervalue his creativity.

“The biggest thing I’ve learnt about turning my creativity into something people pay for is to not undersell your work.”

For emerging creatives in particular, he believes setting prices too low at the beginning can make it harder to raise them later.

“Whatever price you choose for your work, make sure you do not undervalue your work.”

Now, Flow by Nico is entering another chapter.

Mr Bean launched a Shopify website nearly a year ago, allowing him to accept and fulfil international orders. He is also working on retail partnerships in Bermuda while continuing to develop the blend of realism and abstraction in his paintings.

Next comes the United Kingdom, where he is heading to university to study business and entrepreneurship. He intends to take Flow by Nico with him.

“I’m looking to establish meaningful connections and grow my retail partnerships overseas.”