Getting started sounds so easy – but for millions of aspiring artists and creatives, the uncertainty of the path forward presents a very real challenge. So, we wanted to gather some artists and creatives we admire to open up about their experience and how they think about whether they should have started sooner or waited for a better time.

Nina

If I could go back in time, I would have started much sooner. I think when I was younger my voice and self confidence was not yet fully developed, leading me down roads of self doubt which would always lead to my dream of being an artist fizzling out. I started singing when I was 7 years old, started writing my own music around 9 years old, and began recording my own music when I was 19. I didn’t release my own work until just this past year after I went through a major life shift personally. Career wise, I had just quit my full time job spontaneously. I was in no place to go for it, yet I am, and I continue to. I continue to have faith that eventually this will happen for me. I now have the self confidence I did not possess as a child. I now can say that I am giving this my all, and I can confidently say I am having the best time trying. Read more>>

Angie Lin

I started acting at age 24 after an existential crisis post college graduation. Like many others, I had the dream of becoming an actor when I was young. However, I grew up in a traditional environment where creative careers were looked down upon due to financial instability, especially acting – as it comes with invasion of privacy and public scrutiny which my overprotective, well-reputed family was extremely afraid of. I buried the dream as merely a fantasy. Read more>>

Megan Gill

If I could go back in time, yeah—I wish I had started my creative career sooner. I always knew I wanted to be an artist. I went to college for Graphic Design at the Art Institute of Atlanta and landed a job as a web designer. It paid the bills, but it was a lot of stress. At 28, my body basically said, “We’re done here.” I was exhausted, in pain, and constantly missing work. It forced me to reevaluate everything. Read more>>

Dr. Justin Pierce

If I could go back in time, I think I would have started my creative career earlier — not because I wasn’t involved in music, but because I didn’t fully own it as a core part of my identity until later. Read more>>

Jesse Warner

My whole life, I’ve been fascinated by photography, but it took years to pursue it even as a hobby. When I was a kid, I always had a Fisher Price 110 camera around my neck or a disposable camera on me for as long as I remember. Getting film back and recapturing memories felt like magic and always made me feel like I could get a piece of time back that I had forgotten. My dreams were, however, put on hold due to discouragement from people that thought they had the best interest for me. For me, money is not the main goal in life, rather following the path that makes me happy and provides me the most joy. Read more>>

Diana Liu

I wish I had started my creative career a lot sooner, especially on social media. Back then, I didn’t realize that social media could be such a powerful platform not just for sharing art, but for building a career. I used to think it was just a place to post for fun, not something that could lead to real opportunities or income. I didn’t know that so many artists were getting freelance work, selling products, or growing entire businesses through their online presence. If I had known earlier, I probably would’ve taken it more seriously and started building a community around my work much sooner. But I think that realization came with time and experience. Now I’m trying to make the most of it by being more consistent and intentional with how I share and connect online. Read more>>

D. Ringle

I started DJing at 16, always dreaming of being in a metal band. For years, I tried to get my friends together for practice, but it rarely worked out. The drummer would forget his sticks, the bassist would overdo it and forget how to play, and other mishaps would pop up. It was frustrating, so I turned to DJing—it was a solo gig, and if I failed, it was on me, not a mismanaged group. Read more>>

Isaac Martin

I think everyone when they begin ‘pursuing their dreams’, in some capacity and at some point, feels the “Why am I just getting started//I wish I had done it earlier//people are ahead of me/I’m behind//etc…” guilt. And while I don’t subscribe to the “everything happens for a reason” notion by any means, in my case at least things happened when they should’ve. I began standup and learned a lot as the bar for entry is so unbelievably low – say words into a microphone at one or more people (in many cases, the crew running the show didn’t know how to operate the sound equipment and the microphone became a set piece over a tool). Read more>>

Barbara Bova

As with many other things in life, as I’m sure many can relate to, emphatically YES! I do wish that things had been different. I do wish that I could have spent more of my life learning and growing skills and experiencing the incredible joy I feel when creating, however I was there for the whole thing and I know what happened. And what happened was that I chose to put a halt on things during my undergraduate college years. I chose to pursue studies that would lead me along a few different paths and which ultimately prepared me for now. Read more>>

Passion Diamond

Honestly, I wished I put all my eggs into my craft sooner. But as the years continued and the situations I’ve faced continued, I learned so much about myself, what I loved, and who I do this for. I had to realize that I needed to put myself first. I was always the one helping everyone else around me that I forgot how to help myself. I was trying to do for everyone around me and wasn’t doing for myself. I made my first own pair of custom sneakers about 2 years ago. Before hand I didn’t even get to really wear my own creations besides the hand painted hats. But even then, so many people started doing the same thing and even someone close to me copied from my art. So I had a lot of growth with my artwork, as well, to figure out different techniques and styles that’ll set me apart from everyone else. Read more>>

Kia Kamellia

I like to think that I don’t live with many regrets in life. I really believe in the philosophy that everything happens for a reason! I actually was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and moved to Louisville, Kentucky around 2012. Naturally as a kid I was always moving around, dancing, singing, wanting to be involved in my mom’s camcorder, having interest in cheer, drama etc,. I have always been passionate about the arts and was inspired by much of the music I listened to growing up through my Mom and Nana, and the sitcoms I watched. I loved how they could tell stories, and create music that would speak to so many people across generations. I knew I wanted to do that. Read more>>

Melissa Case

I started this journey much ‘later’ in life. While some know at very early stages that they want and know how to navigate the creative space, I was stuck between worlds. I knew I loved the stage – in any and every capacity (acting, singing, dancing) – but what I didn’t connect, was that it could be more than just a hobby…that you could make a life and living doing all the ‘things…’ Read more>>

Kathy Callahan

Every year I choose a cancer related cause or person battling cancer to donate to. Medical expenses and care for those fighting cancer can be overwhelming. I am a 2 time lymphoma survivor and it was through the help of others that kept me going and helped me throughout my battles. I serve a great deal of people in different areas and regularly run into guests who are battling or have battled cancer. It touches so many lives unfortunately and I want to give back. Read more>>