Meet Nataliya Rogachkina | Artist | HMVB Founder

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

Hi Nataliya Rogachkina, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
After 10+ years in a very corporate high burn career in management consulting & tech I really wanted to try and do something I love for living. I’d gotten really into ceramics and thought — why not turn something I love into an experience I can share with others?

I saw a need for accessible, community-centered creative experiences — something hands-on, local, and personal. My goal wasn’t just to sell a product, but to offer a space where people could reconnect with themselves and others through creating.

Hosting my events at local Venice Beach restaurants and gathering spaces adds to that magic. It makes the experience feel authentically tied to the neighborhood — supporting local businesses while giving people a taste of the creative energy that makes this community so special.

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 actually struggled a bit choosing between the Artist/Creative and Professional prompts to answer this question. While I am an artist and community builder today, my professional background has shaped both who I am and how I’ve built and run my business.

That blend is what sets me apart: 13 years of experience in strategy, process optimization, and product development have given me a deeply structured approach to most things — but also the confidence to embrace the unknown and navigate ambiguity.

Choosing to start a business instead of sliding into another familiar strategy role wasn’t easy. It was scary. I kept trying to map out all the scenarios, like I would in a consulting role — but I realized it doesn’t work when you are an entrepreneur – you have to stop analyzing and start doing. What helped me shift my mindset: conversations with fellow entrepreneurs, keeping structure where I could, and prioritizing my physical and mental health.

Someone once asked me, “Wow, what a cool job — how did you get it?” And in that question was a truth: often, the job that’s truly right for you isn’t something you get — it’s something you create. Whether you’re reshaping your role inside a company or starting something entirely new, it’s about designing a life that fits you. And you only get one, so why not go for it?

Running a business is hard work, and there’s no real “off” switch. So much happens behind the scenes while you make it seem effortless to your customers. What I learned along the way is that taking breaks is a must, especially in a creative and customer facing business where how you feel affects experience of others and your ability to create.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am the biggest fan of my neighborhood, Venice Beach but let’s talk about other things first.

1. Before the fires Will Rogers & Temescal in Palisades and Malibu beaches used to be high on my list. Hopefully very soon those communities and areas will be rebuilt ♥️
2. Ojai or Santa Barbara for a night with a stop for seafood lunch and cute shopping in Ventura
3. Griffith Observatory Hike
4. If summer, day trip to Laguna beach for a fun beach day
5. West Hollywood for dinner/drinks/vibes (i.e. Laurel Hardware)
6. Beverly Hills hotel for a weekend brunch
7. One of the many flea markets in LA (e.g. Rosebowl)
8. The Getty
9. Culver City stairs + brunch at destroyer. Maybe pop into Match Stoneware showroom

Ok let’s get to Venice 🌴

1. Morning walk on the beach (every day!) with a drink from Boulevard Coffee
2. Abbot Kinney ofc for shopping/people watching. I love weekend pop-ups at Owa with matcha, flowers & coffee
3. Venice Flea market Saturday
4. Felix for incredible Italian food
5. Some other fav dinner spots: Dudley Market, Owa, Market
6. Penmar Summer Sessions Friday
7. Hinanos for a game of pool and a burger
8. Zinque for a morning/afternoon coworking sesh
9. Canal market for coffee/floral arrangement workshop by Sofaisy Designs
10. LA Louver Gallery for the latest art exibit
11. Fav lunch spots: Gjusta, Great White, Zinque

+ so many fun new happenings every week. I have to stop myself – Venice is at the core of my brand & art and I love the community here 🤍

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m so grateful to the friends who showed up at my very first craft markets, bought some of my earliest pieces (probably as pure acts of encouragement 😂), and supported me in more ways than I can count.

To my family — who were initially a little confused by this career pivot but quickly embraced it — thank you for your unwavering virtual support from afar, across Russia and Europe.

To my hospitality partners: thank you for believing in the magic of bringing people together through art, and for letting me borrow your beautiful spaces to share that experience with others.

To my entrepreneur friends around the world — thank you for being my sounding board, my brainstorm buddies, my cheerleaders, and my venting space.

And a special shoutout to communities like Camber App, who are doing the important work of helping small businesses get discovered and grow!

Website: https://handmadeinvenicebeach.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliya-rogachkina-49806128/

Image Credits
Clara Mokri