Meet Cassie & Jake Greatens of CASS Contemporary

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassie & Jake Greatens

Hi Cassie & Jake, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Jake went to school for art and was a practicing artist, while I was studying education and government. So, our backgrounds are different, however, I was raised in a business world. Then about 15 years ago, we traveled to Europe and stayed for a little less than a month. Most of our trip consisted of visiting museums or galleries throughout Paris, Berlin, and London. When we got home, as cliché as it sounds, CASS was born over dinner. We came up with the idea of opening up a gallery in Tampa and making it something different than anything anyone had seen.

We had a wonderful and successful gallery in Tampa and then COVID happened. With Covid, we were able to dive into our consulting aspect of our company. We loved hosting exhibits and shows, however managing individual’s collections and providing art programming for large commercial developments or businesses, such as restaurants, hotels and other entities similar to those has been an incredible experience. It allows us to travel and put artwork in the hands of individuals all over.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Running your own business means the work never stops. Ever. Overall, we’ve been fortunate to experience a relatively smooth journey. When COVID hit, many expected the art world to suffer. Instead, we focused on brainstorming and redirecting our energy into fresh ideas. It was challenging but not overwhelming.
One of the biggest challenges in business is finding trustworthy and talented people to join you in your crazy ventures, as well as being able to always find inspiration in the things around you so you don’t fall flat. The idea of continuously evolving is both demanding and rewarding.

As you know, we’re big fans of CASS Contemporary. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We own an art consulting and collection management company, specializing in connecting clients with exceptional art and managing collections. In 2025, we’re very excited to launch CASS MRKT PLCE, an exclusive online platform designed to connect art enthusiasts with both emerging and established artists. This space will empower individuals to curate their own personal art collection from an array of stunning originals, limited editions, and unique art-inspired merchandise. We are cultivating a community where artists can showcase their work—from one-of-a-kind pieces to high-quality prints and accessories—providing art lovers with a unique opportunity to own inspiring, museum-quality art at a range of price points.

Beyond our newest online venture (CASS MRKT PLCE), CASS is a full-service art company. We assist commercial clients with art programming and manage residential art collections. We also help individual clients with buying, managing, and selling artwork, whether it’s helping build a collection or investing in pieces by masters like Basquiat and Warhol.

We’re known for fostering long-term relationships with artists, collectors, and industry leaders. Our goal has always been to be an artist-friendly gallery, just as much as a client-driven gallery. Many of our clients have become our friends and we pride ourselves on having great relationships with amazing people in the art industry.

What we’re most proud of are the milestones we’ve achieved over the last 15 years, including sold-out exhibits, world-renowned installations, and the privilege of managing masterpieces. We’re deeply grateful for the global support from communities and art lovers and look forward to what the future holds for CASS.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is often defined differently by society—some measure it by wealth, others by social connections or popularity. At CASS, we define success as pursuing our dreams. For us, it’s about working on projects we’re passionate about and having the freedom to pass on those that aren’t the right fit. Success is seeing our clients fall in love with their pieces and witnessing an artist’s joy when their work sells. These moments are what truly define success for us.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.casscontemporary.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casscontemporary/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casscontemporary
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/cassmrktplce/