Risk is a topic that comes up a lot in our conversations with entrepreneurs and creatives, but a related topic is investments. Investments come in many forms – investing your time, money, heart and soul, etc. So, with that broad definition of investment in mind, we asked rising stars in the community to tell us the stories of the best or worst investments they’ve made.

Paige King Johnson

The best investment I ever made (which really my parents made for me) was getting a college degree from Belmont University in Music Business. It taught me so much about the ins & outs of the music industry and afforded me multiple opportunities to help get y foot in the door of different companies within Nashville. Read more>>

Louie Bello

Looking back on my career, I’d say the worst investment I made was pouring too much time and energy into too many people who didn’t match my level of drive or commitment. It was draining, and I often found myself frustrated by the lack of other peoples effort. I sacrificed alot to get the little I have and it really is something that you don’t see in alot of creatives. That said, it wasn’t a total loss—through that experience, I gained a deeper understanding of my own values, resilience, and what I need from those I choose to invest in. It was a tough lesson, but one that ultimately helped me grow. Read more>>

Gaby Roy

The best investment I ever made was in myself. I have spent so many crucial years investing my time, energy, and finances into others. When you start to invest in yourself, others do the same. It all begins with you.

As I was working as a Special Education teacher, I almost turned down a huge artistic opportunity because I didn’t have enough money or time. This artistic opportunity ended up jumpstarting my film career. Read more>>

Steffani Christensen

The best investment that you can make for yourself is continuing your eduction and investing in learning, growing and improving your skill set . What this looks like for every creative can be vastly different, whether it’s in exploring new materials, online courses or in person classes. It’s so important to foster personal growth in our creative journeys, water your creative garden if you will. Unfortunately, for those of us creatives that work full time creating content and projects for clients/others, we often don’t make the time to do this enough. So take that time , invest in yourself and continue to foster that personal growth. Read more>>

Marina KOKUSH

Honestly, my best investment was signing up for The Other Art Fair in Los Angeles — even though it started out feeling like a mistake.

At the time, I was thinking a lot about how to take my art to the next level. I was browsing online art marketplaces and ended up on Saatchi Art’s site. Pure coincidence — I saw it was the very last day to apply for The Other Art Fair. I laughed to myself and thought, well, that would be a funny story if I actually did this. So I submitted an application with four of my sculptures. Read more>>

Kristin Wood

The best investment I made was my embroidery machine. When I started my online retail business, I was outsourcing 100% of my products, but sometimes I ran into issues with my supplier with shipping delays and a lack of quality control. Early last year I invested in an embroidery machine with no prior experience with one of these machines, the cost of the machine, the supplies needed for it, and the time commitment to learn this new skill was challenging at the time but has paid off greatly. Now that I embroidery many of my products, I can now offer expedited shipping, increase my profit margins, and offer more custom products. Read more>>

Gina Gaetz

The best investment I made last year was to take a month away from my regular life and live in Joshua Tree, California. I was accepted as an artist in residence at a small property in Yucca Valley and spent the month painting in an attached garage studio, exploring the National Park, writing in my journal, and paying attention to the world around me. The time alone and in the beautifully expansive space of the desert was truly life changing. I was inspired every day and really felt connected to myself and my art in ways I hadn’t been. It was an investment of time and money into myself and my art practice, but it was absolutely worth it. I hope to do it again someday. Read more>>

K Daphnae Koop

My worst – and best – investment was participating in four major fine art fairs in 2023. In addition to being a fine artist, I have had a small private practice doing Craniosacral Therapy for over 30 years. I retired and closed my office in April, and switched my focus to pursuing my art full time. One of my first steps was to apply to Superfine and The Other Art Fair to participate in their national shows. Read more>>

Lloyd “Bossy CandyBarz Parker

The Best Investment I Ever Made Was In Myself. if It Wasn’t For Me With The Help Of My Grandparents & Mother I Would Not Be Able To Pay For Anything I Need To Further My Career & Brand. Read more>>

Ryan MCCabe

There’s no better investment than in my relationships with friends and fellow creatives. Like they say, “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
Having people you can freely express yourself around, learn from, and grow alongside is as good as it gets. I could go more into the weeds on all the science-backed “we’re social creatures” talk, but honestly, sharing an experience with someone you love, whether a laugh or a cry, is more fulfilling than any material good. Read more>>

Danicah Waldo

For a long time, I struggled with how best to invest our two most valuable commodities; my time and money. For years, I ran in circles—researching for answers, juggling too many priorities, and trying to make sense of where to direct these prized resources. I invested in education that I thought would teach me everything I needed to know and took jobs that offered the salary I hoped for. I studied late into the night to earn A’s, believing that following the rules and learning exactly what I was told would lead to success. I worked countless late nights at my job, trying to prove my worth for a future raise or promotion. Yet despite all these investments, my anxiety soared. What was making me feel so unsettled? Read more>>