Ketuv

Microeconomics Inspire!

posted by Maya Joseph-Goteiner on November 8, 2011

A few weeks ago, I met with my microeconomics professor to discuss Ketuv. In class, we were studying perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, duopoly (and other opolies I won’t bore you with), and I wanted help in applying what I had learned to the ketubah market. I also wanted some assurance that Arielle and I were approaching our business in “the right way”.

My professor, James Forcier, a prominent business economist, explained that for now, as a new business, the most important value is flexibility. He likened starting a business to a puzzle, but one where you need to find the pieces. He told us to scavenge by listening, researching, and asking questions. I couldn´t have hoped for better advice.

Professor Forcier helped us to understand that rather than sizing up the current market, Arielle and should focus on our hope to re-define the market by responding directly to our customers’ needs. As a result of my conversation with Professor Forcier, Arielle and I have decided to do a bit more listening. While the custom ketubot offer ultimate personalization, we realize not everyone has the budget and time for the custom process. We’d love to hear from you about what kinds of editioned ketubot you would like to see added. This invitation to make suggestions applies to all the elements of the work, including size, colors schemes, styles, price, etc. You can offer your suggestions via our contact page or via email: info@ketuv.com. We realize this is only the beginning, and we want to grow into the company you want us to be.

Also, for those of you who would like to see the art in person, Arielle and I are are planning to have show and tell evenings at our apartments in Brooklyn and San Francisco every few weeks. If you are interested in the Brooklyn evening please email: Arielle@ketuv.com and if you are interested in the San Francisco evening please email maya@ketuv.com. Ketuv needs to hear your voices!

 

 

The Biz

posted by admin on August 2, 2011

It’s been a crazy year. We’ve done a lot of things we didn’t know we could do, a lot of things we didn’t know how to do before. But we’ve done it: we’ve launched a business.

 

As you can read in the About Us section of this site, the seed for this idea was planted in 2009, when a family friend asked Arielle to make them a ketubah. Maya recognized an opportunity in Angel’s budding business, and Ketuv was born.

A little about what has drawn us into this venture:

We are interested in exploring functional, sustainable roles for the artist in society. As funding for the arts diminishes, artists must find novel ways to enter the marketplace and support their passions. We believe that functional objects like the ketubah are revolutionary opportunities to launch artists into the business world. They have the potential to turn artists into entrepreneurs and consumers into art collectors.

Ketuv is a pro-artist business. It is central to our mission that artists not have to compromise their aesthetic in making a ketubah, but rather that they are able to translate their studio practice directly to the task.

We believe that this dynamic creates a special relationship between artist and patron—in this case, all you newlyweds out there. You get a high-quality piece of wedding artwork with which to commemorate your wedding day, and the artist receives not only the opportunity to support their studio practice, but to engage with it in a new and challenging way. We think it’s a win-win, and we hope you do too!