We’ve seen way too many talented creatives quit because they couldn’t make it work financially. No doubt, the financial challenges of pursuing a creative or artistic career are daunting, but we felt there wasn’t enough discussion around how to make it work. So, we connected with artists and creatives who’ve been able to earn a full time living from their creative work and asked them to share their stories with our readers.

Bob Elliott

Created a Music Facility that catered to advocational musicians along with professional and aspiring musicians.
Long slow climb to get a steady paycheck but 22 years later amazing journey
Covid was not our friend along with many of my clients and Broadway performers along with upcoming musicians careers.

2 studio complex’s later and here we are today with 5 employees and 10 or so contract teachers and techs
With hundreds of shows and thousands of newly trained musicians out there now and continuing to make music
We are the number one avocational music studio and and performance facility in the US and probably the world
That’s a dream realized Bob. Read more>>

Shannon Rae

I have! (Finally!) It’s been years of careful planning, baby steps, determination, and overtime.

I’ve always worked two jobs at a time. While in college, I did my time in retail and restaurants, lifeguarding, IT and advertising for a local Re/Max office, while also freelancing my artistic hobbies (drawing, graphic design, and photography) on the side. One of my professors linked me up with a product design internship at a home fragrance company, which became my full-time job for 10 years after graduation. Read more>>

Teresa Stewart-meli

I am able to make a living through music although, the process was down a rocky path. Initially, I saw my career in music in academia so naturally lots of degrees were the answer, right? Not so. the answer was diversification.

When I began my undergrad degree, approximately eighty percent of faculty members on staff at universities were full-time with benefits and twenty percent were adjunct faculty without contracts or benefits. During the course of my graduate and doctoral training, the percentages of full-time and adjunct switched and have maintained this dynamic. Twenty percent of faculty have benefits and contract worth eighty percent as adjunct without contracts and making a pittance. Read more>>

Aidan Wilde

For the past several years, I’ve been incredibly blessed and grateful to make a full-time living from my art and creative work. My freelance business has been my sole career, with the exception of a brief stint as a busboy and waiter for a few months in high school. When I started my production company, it became my only source of income, which meant I had to rely entirely on my skillset and determination to make it work. Read more>>

Diann Mills

I earn a full-time living as a writer, speaker, mentor, and freelance editor. I learned over two decades of writing and publishing, that other areas within my profession are enjoyable and help add to my income. Speaking to writer’s groups and other community and church opportunities, helping writers learn the craft, and editing produce an income that is satisfying and helps others. I’m service-minded, but I do need to pay the bills! Read more>>

Sarah Wagner

While many stumble into the world of photography, my entry was intentional and driven by purpose.

In October 2020, I moved to Southwest Florida and transitioned into corporate marketing, managing social media and influencer partnerships at Chico’s FAS. It didn’t take long for me to realize that achieving true work-life balance meant becoming my own boss. Photography, though still a relatively new passion, felt like the perfect path forward. In May 2021, I officially launched Chasing Creative and began building it as a side hustle with the goal of going full-time as soon as possible. Read more>>

Richie Deegan

For years after college I was a freelance graphic designer specializing in logos and websites for businesses. Because I was told I could not make a living doing paintings, I believed it and decided to settle on graphic design. One day in 2013 my friend and former bandmate, Bill Brimer, who had recently started a church in the Dallas area, asked me if I could do some art for his new church. I thought that was an amazing idea and got so excited that he wanted me to do some paintings. He was one of a handful of people that knew that I had loved painting as a hobby so this made sense that he would ask me.  Read more>>

Johnny Fentry Jr

As of 2025, yes. I am able to earn a full-time living from my creative work. Not just camera work though, I work on a lot of independently contracted production events from setting up drapery and lighting for high end weddings (specifically with Atmosphere Events Group in Chicago) and also film high production events across the country for a variety of companies. So it depends on what one would consider “creative” work. I myself would consider all of this in the creative field even though it’s not always necessarily “pretty cinematic” creative work 24/7. No, it was not like this from day one. I’ve expanded my skillset to a broader range of options which is how I was able to transition into full time. 2020 was a wake up call for me as it was for many others. It was the first time I had zero income coming in for months. Read more>>

Vishaal Desai

I am fortunate enough to say yes I have, but this journey has been a bit of a rollercoaster — thrilling, occasionally terrifying, and far from a straight shot to success. It started over 15 years ago in the U.K., where I first went to film school. After cutting my teeth as a writer and videographer, and making short films, I quickly realized that passion, doesn’t pay the rent. So, I headed back to India, determined to build something from the ground up. Read more>>

I’ve always had an angel following me from the beginning, from a small country town playing and hunting in the middle of corn fields., to the strange collage life at Western Illinois University. Days were spent finding my way through the new surroundings always relying on Art to open the way. Drawing, painting, impressed people I realized this at an early age, so all my thoughts were focused on increasing these abilities along with exploring the new collage culture. I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art, with a Minor in Sculpture in 1979 and was led to LA. by one of my Angels. Upon arrival in LA again an Angel led me to my first job LACMA, unbelievable to see everything on the wall I had studied in Collage wow. Read more>>

Abbie Flanagan

I found my passion for photography in high school in my digital arts class in 2007. I started gaining recognition from friends and family who hired me to take senior portraits, family photos, etc. Although I loved it, I didn’t really put myself out there as I preferred it as a hobby and didn’t feel confident enough to charge for my services. At one point in my early twenties, I even sold my camera and figured it was a hobby long gone. Read more>>

Ryan Sarakul

Earning a full-time living from my creative work has been a deeply transformative journey, far from an easy or straightforward path. Leaving behind the stability of a seven-year career as a kindergarten teacher to pursue the arts was a leap into the unknown, one that demanded unshakable faith. In the early days, I struggled to make ends meet, earning as little as $50 per shoot and often working for free just to prove my worth. The real battle wasn’t just financial—it was internal. Every day, I had to confront the question: “Is this all life has to offer?” That moment of reckoning led me to redefine success, not as a dollar amount but as the alignment of my values, purpose, and creative passions. Read more>>

Papia Chakraborty

Yes, I am earning a full-time living from my creative work as a Kathak (Indian classical dance form) contemporary dance practitioner. My journey with Kathak began in childhood, and there is a story behind why my parent chose the kathak dance form. I was born with a critical bone condition in my right leg, which made it difficult for me to stand straight or walk long distances. Doctors recommended heavy leg workouts and physiotherapy. As a solution, my parents enrolled me in a Kathak dance school, as this form involves wearing heavy ghungroos (a chain of small bells) on the legs, which help strengthen them through movement. Read more>>

Cécile Demers

I think like most creatives, I only started part-time, with a side job, before launching my entrepreneurship project full-time and profitably.

For me, I started by doing what I loved and for fun. Whether it was sewing, dancing or teaching, I did it out of passion and people asked for my services afterwards.

The biggest challenges for me were stability, the house and workshop moves followed one another over several years keeping my roots fragile for a long time. Maintaining paperwork remains a challenge. I have never had any subvention or any class on how to start a business. Everything was learned on the spot and this was clearly a minus. Read more>>

Jenna Miller

My path to creative entrepreneurship has been more of a gradual evolution than an overnight success story. I actually started my career in sales at Here Comes The Guide, a wedding website, back in 2009. Rather than immediately jumping into full-time creative work, I took a more strategic approach that allowed me to develop my skills while maintaining financial stability. Since we were a bootstrapped small business, I could wear many hats as I fulfilled my sales duties and learned everything I could about digital marketing—from brand strategy and website design to SEO, email marketing, and more. Read more>>

Austin Jay

It definitely wasn’t easy. The biggest first step for me would have to be moving across the entire country from the east coast to LA. I knew no one, so it was a pretty big move for me. After that, it was just about getting out there and meeting people as well as getting better and better at my craft: writing, recording, and performing music. The more I did it, the better I became, the more opportunities I got, and I just pushed on and committed to growing and learning until I could reasonable support myself doing it! I also think a key thing that has kept me going is passion: aside from work ethic, I really do love what I do! Read more>>

Tristan Ortiz

I’ve been extremely blessed with being able to make a full-time living doing film production. I work as a Producer for an in-house ad agency through Spectrum Cable as my day job. It was a bit of a journey to get to this point and the journey is far from over but its a job that places me in the thick of production every day. It’s far from glamorous though and I think a lot of filmmakers get discouraged when they’re not directing an A-list celebrity in their first feature film right out of college (and if you are, kudos to you!!). The journey to getting to the good and meatier things starts with a simple step of faith. What does that step look like? Well, that first step can be a lot of different things. That first step can be reaching out to that local film group and asking if they would like any help for free.  Read more>>

Satesh Toolsie

Yes, I transitioned to full-time Photography/Videography just 3-4 months after starting my business. I took a leap of faith, believed in myself, and fully committed. I started my photo/video journey in May 2022 and went full-time by late August of that same year.

How did I make it happen?
First and foremost, I credit my success to God. I believe we can make plans for ourselves, but ultimately, we are led to what we are meant to do.

For most of my academic career, I thought I wanted to become a Physician Assistant (PA), but deep down, my passion was always in creative work. Read more>>