We think the world needs more artists, more creatives and more folks unwilling to spend their days as a cog in a giant corporate machine. We don’t necessarily dislike cogs or machines but we think the world clearly needs more artists and creatives and so we wanted to try to figure out how more artists can make it work financially since this is one of the major obstacles blocking so many artists and creatives from pursuing their art full time. So, we asked folks who have been able to make a full time living through their creative work, how they did it.

Lea Russeck

I consider my professional journey into product photography to be very organic and entirely self guided. It started small and has grown today to a healthy six figure business with a steady stream of clients who value my creative work. From day one I was shooting products and from day one I treated it like a job. For me treating a creative career like a job means there needs to be a sense of style, always. In the work, in the way you present yourself, show them why they should listen. Read more>>

Tyler Burdic

I’m so blessed to say that I’ve been making a living from my creative work since I was pretty young. As a kid, I always loved listening to pop music but started gravitating more towards music mixes/mashups and even though I didn’t have any idea what I was doing at the time, I knew I wanted to know more about that style of music. So after a few weeks of figuring out the basics and staring at my computer 24/7, I started getting the hang of it and honestly couldn’t get enough! Mixing different songs from different genres became my absolute favorite hobby so I decided to start a business. Read more>>

Kylee Firlit

For the last 3 years, I’ve been able to make a full-time living from my creative work and freelance career. It’s not always easy but I’m proud I’ve been able to make it work and find so much more satisfaction from what I’m doing now compared to being in an office working for someone else. It was intimidating taking the leap from a regular paycheck and office job to full-time freelance and there have been many challenges along the way. Sometimes they seem like just a bump in the road and sometimes they feel like a huge struggle but in the end every challenge has taught me something and helped me grow to where I am now. Read more>>

Ruby Herrera

It was 2010 when I realized that I had a passion for entrepreneurship. I’ve always known that I wanted to run my own business, but I never knew when that would happen. So, I did what I knew best – I went to work and built my business at night. For years, I worked hard and tirelessly, juggling my 9-5 job during the day and pouring my heart and soul into my business at night. It wasn’t always easy, but I knew that if I kept working towards my dream of becoming a full-time entrepreneur, eventually, I would be one. I remember staying up late at night, working on my business plans and perfecting my strategies. It was tough, but it was worth it. Read more>>

Jourdan Chinn

Working full-time has been a blessing but its was a challenge for a long time. I was working at Amazon just 2 years ago; at the time delivery driving but it wasn’t until I met a friend who introduced me to doing videos. Ever since that day, I started taking it more seriously. I took my two week notice and moved into a small office space to learn it all day every day. At first, i didn’t make any money from it at all. Honestly, for the next year I wasn’t making anything decent from shooting videos. It wasn’t until I moved to London when I realized how much I could really take it especially from the love I received out there from shooting content for friends & family. Read more>>

Monica Morones

I work in the cannabis industry and I went from being a General Manager and opening retail stores to getting a promotion to Director of Media and Marketing and being able to utilize my skills as a graphic designer and photographer into my new title is what I’ve been working towards my whole life as an artist. Read more>>

Sonja Midtune

I have! I just doesn’t look the way I thought it would. It took a long time, but after having some viral success on Tiktok, I’m able to make a living from a combination of streaming revenue, merch sales, and I teach songwriting at a university, which I count as creative work. I also pitch my music for TV. Read more>>

Michael Armstrong

I’ve been lucky enough to make a living from my creative work – though, notably, not always in the form I expected. Growing up, I didn’t understand that in the greater music industry there were occupational options in addition to the capital A “Artist,” and consistent ways to utilize portions of one’s skill set in service of others’ creative visions. For example, I’ve composed a lot of music for TV and film the past few years, an area I never thought I’d find myself. But using my abilities as a producer and musician to support another form of art has proven both creatively fulfilling and financially stabilizing. Read more>>

Jen Herrmann

Yes, I’ve successfully transitioned to earning a full-time living from creative work through three revenue streams and a well-planned approach. I prepared for 18 months by saving half of my corporate salary, which eased the initial transition. Initially, it was daunting, but I focused on immediate steps to combat overwhelm. Read more>>

Anna Karakalou

Being a scenic artist/set painter was never on my radar growing up. I have always known that I was an artist and that I wasn’t going to be doing a “normal” job, but I had no idea what that was. Being on set and painting was a dream come true. Making money with a paintbrush was more than ideal. Read more>>

Daniel Gross

I am incredibly lucky to be able to curate for a living! I moved to Los Angeles a few years ago and kinda fell into this job. When I say that last part, it basically was a quick conversation, and off to the races from there. I just dedicated myself to learning the process of the job, and I spent years mulling over and refining different programs. Read more>>

Tessa Young

I’ve been spinning since 2009, and it’s still hard to believe that my passion for music has become my full-time job. How did I transition into making a living from my creative work? Well, it’s been quite the journey, filled with successes, a few hiccups, plenty of valuable lessons, and growth. Before my DJing days, I spent 10 years as a paralegal. In the early stages of my DJ journey, I was still juggling part-time legal work to make ends meet. In 2017, I deliberately decided to leave the legal profession behind entirely. This choice allowed me to create space and concentrate on building a financially sustainable career in DJing. Read more>>

Timothy Roberts

Fortunately, I have. It’s been pretty rocky, but it always is with creative work. You have to do it to know what it is you want to “say” as a creative. It’s always changing and evolving. Day one was frightening and exciting. Then you settle in and realize just how hard it’s gonna be. There’s been many times I was depressed and more than a little hopeless, but you push through and keep creating and then things shift. I feel lucky to get to do what I do. There really is no substitute for putting in the hours. I could’ve done many things different over the years, but I wouldn’t have learned. The mistakes can be your best teachers. Read more>>

Becky ONeal

As a creative, I am drawn to creative projects and endeavors. I studied art and design in college and the basic design principles apply to many aspects in life. I have a history of fine art , landscape design, photography and marketing. One of the key things as a working creative is recognizing opportunities that you can apply your skills and talents. I think I have evolved and grown as an artist and use the mediums at hand to my best ability whether I am painting on a canvas, capturing with a camera or creating the space in nature. Read more>>

Katie Martin

The burning desire to live entirely on income from your creative work can feel like a pipe dream sometimes. Pie in the sky. But – it’s based on a few factors that I’ve learned throughout the 23 years I’ve been in business for myself.. Number one – decide how much you need to make in order for it to feel like FULL TIME INCOME. Until you are clear on your financial needs and budget – it’s hard to know how much you need to not just survive – but THRIVE. Read more>>