Is there ever a “right” time to start a creative career? Our goal has always been help people pursuing their passion. Helping those people often means helping them think through important decisions such as when to start, when to take the leap. Below, you’ll find our conversations with successful creatives reflecting back on when they had to decide whether to start or wait.

Victoria P Gill

I actually did not know what conceptual or performance art was for a long time. Despite being an highly creative as a child, I studied an academic university degree and mainly focused on writing in my late teens to early 20’s. I was the first one in my family to go university and started a magazine with my two uni friends, from there I went into writing and got an in-house role at a fashion magazine when graduating as a writer. I got to interview directors I admired, and right tips on skincare etc but that is when I cracked and I realised I wanted to be doing my own thing- so I really came to it later. I also didn’t know what the hell I was doing- it did not make sense that i had left this begins of a career behind as a magazine writer – when surely it would help me contact wise. Read more>>

Megan Skinner

Absolutely! I’d probably be way further in my journey by now. I’m not currently monetized so it’s been difficult to do this. I do often wish I started in 2014 when I first started having this idea and wanting to do it but I figured it was better for me to get a full time job and work my way up. And for a while, it did work. I got a job at a news station, then taught English in Japan, came back and got a job at a local production company, and then eventually Warner Bros Discovery. I never imagined that almost ten years into my career I’d be getting laid off and have such a difficult time finding a job. The only thing keeping me afloat right now besides my husband is doordash, and even that is dwindling. Read more>>

Cheryl Shanahan

I’m a firm believer that everything happens at exactly the right time, and I’m grateful that I didn’t come to the easel until I was in my early 50s.

When I started painting in 2020, I was working in a fast-paced, high-pressure business development role in commercial construction. I was seeking a creative outlet: something that I could control in an otherwise uncontrollable existence – an activity for me to enjoy as a means of self-expression. Read more>>

Brian Cox

Absolutely. I wish my creative path would’ve been encouraged and celebrated as a viable career. I was always told to make sure I have a “guaranteed job” and to put my creative things on the back burner because it is hard to make a living as an artist. I completely agree that it is difficult to make it as an artist, but I wish I would’ve had a better fighting chance from the start instead of heading straight into college to pursue a life somewhat chosen for me. I wish I would’ve taken a gap year after high school to figure out what I wanted for my own future and attended some sort of musical production school. I have been playing guitar for about 29 years now, and I would’ve loved to attend a school where those talents could’ve blossomed more. A lot of my paths were chosen for me. Read more>>

Pattie Shmayo

If I could go back in time, I would definitely wish I had started my creative career sooner, but not necessarily a lot sooner. Let me break it down for you:

When I started: I began developing my skills in drawing and design in my late 20s, around 24-25 years old. I had always been creative, but I never considered it a viable career path until then. I was working a 9-to-5 job and feeling unfulfilled. I started experimenting with drawing and designing as a hobby, and it eventually grew into a passion. Read more>>

Bex Riehm

I started marching band in middle school, inspired by my older brother, who was two years ahead of me. The first instrument I picked up was the French horn, but I later switched to trumpet. In 8th grade, I even joined choir, expanding my love for music beyond just instrumental performance. Music has always been my greatest love. Its my drive, my passion, my favorite part of life. I only wish I had started sooner. Imagine how many instruments I could play well instead of feeling mediocre at most of them. Read more>>

Marie Ramos

I often wish I had started my formal creative journey earlier in life, as it would have provided me with many more opportunities to develop my talents further. Perhaps I could have made this line of work my own at a younger age. However, I remain open to the wonderful paths I am exploring now as a mature creator, dancer, and performer. Read more>>

Sharyon Culberson

I starred in my first short film when I was 12. A year later, a friend of mine was cast in “The Mickey Mouse Club”. Her mother offered my mother the chance to link me with her agent, and my mother declined. I was upset at her for saying no for years, but the more I see of the abuse that the majority of child actors endured in the industry during that time, the more I’m grateful for her decision. It wasn’t just the film industry, either. As a singer and rapper in high school, I was approached by a number of people in the music industry looking to “recruit” me – including the now infamous R Kelly. Once my mother let him know she wasn’t open to my touring without her accompaniment, he passed on the deal. I needn’t go into the hindsight around that topic. Read more>>

Jax Hnat

I actually talked with a friend about this very recently. I’ve always been an anxious person, and I think that limited me a lot as a kid when it came to creative pursuits. I remember signing up for my first elective in high school, and I chose Studio Art. I had been told by an art teacher in elementary school that I should keep a portfolio, and while I never seriously considered doing it, I was an obsessive doodler and kept sketch books that I never intended to share. I made it maybe two days in that class before I dropped it. I was so scared of showing people my work, and being vulnerable in that way, and I just couldn’t overcome it. I remember not eating or sleeping for those two days just absolutely sick with nerves. I didn’t draw much after that until I picked it back up in my 20’s and started taking it seriously. Read more>>

Eric Huskisson

When I was a young boy my father would always let me stay up late on Friday and Saturday nights to watch B-Horror movie shows. These shows were hosted by Elvira, Sammy Terry, and Svengoolie. My interest in the movies were the special F/X. I was fascinated how they made it all look so real. I made a make-up kit out of an old cigar box and would do make up F/X on friends and family members to scare their siblings and parents. Their wasn’t anything at the time in my hometown for me to use my F/X makeup so I quit practicing over time. Read more>>

Mario Official

I wish I would’ve started my creative music career as a music artist sooner. I always had a love for music and would take it serious as I was in 5th grade to middle school and as I was in middle school I stayed up most nights planning for this big music dream I had, preparing trackless for music that I had written even though I would never release it because I always thought that I needed a lot of money to accomplish this dream which lead me to do a lot of illegal things for money like sell drugs when I got in high school which actually pulled me away from the music until I had got arrested and it brought me back to my god’s gift of creating music and I wanted to start taking music as serious as I could like I did in my childhood. Read more>>

Leigh Kershner

Certainly not later! It would have been wonderful to have started this career sooner, but the timing was not right. I left my career at 40 to have a family. We have four children now by birth and adoption. Being present while your children are young is a gift that needs to be savored. I am grateful that I was able to do that. Also, we have had several health challenges that needed my attention, so I am happy I could be completely focused on the family during that time, but I kept drawing and painting as often as I could. It was a wonderful outlet for me to express myself. Honestly, I don’t know if I was ready to do this earlier than I did. It is a process and sharing your art is a very personal experience. No one can make art like you can, so it is a reflection of your thoughts and ideas. Read more>>

Miss Rae

If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t start sooner or later—I would start exactly when I did. Every part of my journey, including the struggles, the risks, and even the uncertainty, played a role in shaping the artist and business owner I am today.

Backstory—When I Started & Where I Was in Life/Career

I started Rae-alistic Creations in 2018, right in my kitchen. But not in the warm, cozy sense of a kitchen where meals are made—mine wasn’t a functioning kitchen at all. Every single cupboard, drawer, and even my pantry was packed with art supplies—except for one, which I kept for dishes. Read more>>

Tiffany Bethea

I wish I started sooner. I’ve always had a love for the beauty industry and a creative hand. During Covid I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. I worked a corporate 9-5 job, commuting to and from work daily Covid quickly changed my reality and I found myself home working from a laptop. On one hand I was glad to be home more often with family and not have to do that brutal commute everyday. On the other hand I found myself with plenty of free time. This is where my love and creativity for makeup took off. I watched YouTube videos of big influencers like James Charles and Nikki tutorials that taught me how to do makeup and blend and do cut creases. Read more>>

Michelle Colman

Looking back, I definitely wish I could’ve started sooner. Acting–and performing in general, have always been a huge part of my life! As a kid, I was always enrolled in dance, choir, and doing church or local plays.

I think I always thought of those things at hobbies, considering I always excelled at school and constantly obtained academic validation. Additionally, back in my small town in Venezuela, acting is never really seen as a viable career, so I never really explored it further. Read more>>

Stacey Lee Webber

I have always had a creative passion – ever since I was young – I loved art classes and making things out of nothing – personalized cards, ceramics, ornaments and popsicle stick boxes were all made in abundance as a kid. I had a very supportive family that knew I was a creative person. They always let me lean towards that side of my brain. I also had really fabulous art teachers – grade school, high school , undergraduate and graduate school there was a family of art teachers that were all instrumental in encouraging me to pursue my passion and continue making things. With all of this support I still did not know it was possible to become a full time artist. Read more>>