Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kaylin Janiczek. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Kaylin, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Earning a livable income; how the heck do you do that?! It IS achievable for anybody, but it takes consistency and tenacity! I will highlight the key points and aspects from my own personal experience and journey here.

I started face painting when I was 14, people hired and paid me for their birthdays or parties and my parents drove me to each event. My parents taught me the basics of business expenses, such as buying supplies, paying them for milage, or printing my own business cards at home (I still do that to this day and I’m 27). I did not make a grand amount of money of course being that young and new, but I had a great foundation to start.

Once I graduated college (with a non-art degree) I worked full time as a Dental Assistant while still pursuing my innate visceral passion of the arts on the weekends. I face painted as much as I could, but I also made balloon animals and walked on stilts. I did what people in sales refer to as “cold-calls” in the beginning – and some of these cold-call clients still have me at their events every year! This method of sale started in 2019 for me, I didn’t know any other avenues or ways to get booked for events other than to… just ask. But it worked! Thus, 2019 was the first year I ever made enough money with my arts (face painting, balloon animals, stilt walking) to report it as income – over $10,000! I also connected with other performers, artists, and agents that I would meet or run into at these gigs, which is very import for the following years.

Ah, 2020, no, I did not perform, paint faces, or even get to leave the house. Most other people in the industry pivoted, they did something called yard-cards, or door deliveries of balloons and other creative ventures, I didn’t’ personally take that route, I discovered audiobooks and lectures which very much influenced my positive mindset about business and money to this day, but otherwise I still worked part time as a dental assistant through the thick of it.

When 2021 rolled around, some events started taking place again, either outside or with masks. Although I did not book myself a ton that year, other performers or agencies DID book me, and in 2021 I made enough money to report as income again. Wait – I made even more than I did in 2019 – WHAT?? That’s right! I couldn’t believe it myself either, but this showcased the importance of networking. All relationships and interactions matter. Now I really felt the fire burning for the arts, I knew if I could apply myself even more and work even harder, I could really make this a career.

At the beginning of 2022 I started picking up new skills such as flowing with poi, performing with leviwand, and spinning plates, these skills made me more marketable for the year to come. As 2022 went on, because of my established relationships with clients and booking agents, my calendar was off the charts, I had to make a decision and leave my dental office all together. It was both exciting and terrifying! 2022 was the first year I filed taxes and was classified as self-employed – WHOA!

Now that 2023 has passed, I know I have made even more than I did in 2022, and I still continue to grow, market, and learn new skills (like juggling)! I am very much looking forward to what 2024 has to offer, but I did not get here without consistency, that’s what it’s all about, sticking with it even when it’s hard, scary, or dismal. “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” -Zig Ziglar

Kaylin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The finer details – who am I? This will be a more in-depth answer and will give even more detail to how I was able to do this full time, the full journey.

The one single natural talent I was born with was the ability to draw, anyone from elementary school can tell you I was the art kid. When I was 14 though, I met a woman who face painted. She said she would teach me how, and I was eager to learn, as far I was concerned this was a cool fun way to make money that I had no idea existed. This woman did teach me some designs that we, in the industry, refer to as “cheek-art” like smiley faces or stars on people’s cheeks, which was fine for beginning, she also gifted me some of her old face paints to practice with. After working with her only 2 to 3 times, we didn’t see each other again, and unfortunately, I found out the paints she gave me were NOT body safe, they were tempera paints! I found this out when I was 17, so when I turned 18, I reinvested in myself and bought an entirely new face painting set up.

From 18 to 20 years old I practiced a lot of painting mostly from my imagination but sometimes reference photos I would see; I also did start making more balloon animals as well (I started those around 16). At 20 I met a person who wanted to teach me how to walk on stilts because they did that for a living. So, I learned. From 20 to 23 those were my 3 mains skills that I marketed as best as I could to pursue this as a career, but when I was going to turn 24, COVID hit.

I relied on my job of being a dental assistant, during that time, to stay afloat, and although it was a tough year, I did use my time rather wisely and focused on finance, business, money, marketing, and health. I got really into audiobooks from age 23 to 25, this is what I focused on since I couldn’t be out performing. At the beginning of 2022, although I loved my 3 main skills, I felt I was ready and wanting to expand. I started learning how to spin poi and silk poi (a ball on a string essentially if you don’t know what it is). But after some months of that, I discovered leviwand (levitationwand, what looks like a baton with a string attached) it is still one of my favorite props to perform with. I also learned more dancing with silk fans, and even how to spin plates. I had extra time to learn and focus all of these things because I working part time. However, when I started getting more and more calls in the spring, I knew I had to make a decision.

I was fortunate enough to have a doctor that let me take a leave of absence for about 6 months to perform, then when my schedule was slow and they needed an extra hand at the office I could always help contingently. So, 2022 went off without a hitch! It was the first year I was classified as self-employed. Learning those new skills made me more marketable and added value to my performing. In 2023, I continued to learn and polish my existing skills, and had an even better and more successful year than 2022, I eventually did end up leaving my dental office altogether too. As of 2024 I am still working on new skills like juggling, rola bola, and diabolo. It’s only up from here.

I love learning, teaching, and being able to perform or lead workshops, it is such an inspirational job. All I have wanted was to ignite imagination in everyone I meet, and this career allows me to do exactly that. Because of the growth of my company, I often contract other performers to work for me as well, they are my friends, colleagues, and role models. Clients want entertainment and we deliver the best we can. “Success is not measured by what you do compared to what somebody else does. Success is measured by what you do compared to what you are capable of doing.” – Zig Ziglar

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I glossed over this specifically in my previous questions, but in 2020 and 2021 I didn’t face paint or entertain – so what did I do? No one could pay me enough money to NOT create, and while most other artists or performs made the pivot to providing yard cards, balloon décor, or other ‘hands-off” entertainment services, I actually did something totally different; I started a cake business. I seriously was in my house just baking and baking, at first because of boredom because I could not be out in the world creating, so I just created in my kitchen, but as I posted photos people noticed and people hired me to make their cakes for birthdays, parties, and even weddings. It was fun for the 2 years I did it, but I knew ultimately where my heart was, so at the beginning of 2022 I sold the company because I knew deep in my soul it was going to be a big year for my performing career – and it was. Believe it or not I used a lot of my face painting skills to decorate cakes, so I pivoted away, but pivoted back when the time was right. “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” -Henry Ford

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

During COVID we all had a budget, and what a scary time not knowing if we could afford our bills or not. Fortunately, I did discover audiobooks and they all really helped me keep my ground. They also gave me new perspectives (especially with money) but with other things like mindset, goal setting, and more. I will list some of my favorites here, in no particular order. You are a Bad*ss by Jen Sincero, You are a Bad*ss at Making Money by Jen Sincero, 48 Days to the Work and Life you Love by Dan Miller, Secrets of a Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, Who Moved my Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson, EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey, The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, See You at the Top Zig Ziglar, Start by Jon Acuff. I could give essays on how all of these have helped me, but I recommend reading or listening to them on your own, I would start with Jen Sincero, her books are easy to digest, funny, inspirational, and great for newer readers in this genre. “In order to kick *ss, you must first lift your foot.” -Jen Sincero

Contact Info:

• Website: www.KJArtsEntertainment.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kjart.official.page/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KJArt.Official.Page
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KJArt.Official
• Other: [email protected]