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.

Allan Koikoi

Since November 2021, I’ve been fully self-employed, relying solely on my own business ventures for income. Under the mentorship of Derrick Faulcon, owner of Homemaid, I learned how to scale and manage a business effectively. Read More>>

Wanda Colón Hart

Yes, I’ve been able to make a full-time living from my creative work—but it definitely wasn’t overnight. Right out of college, I worked at a bank and eventually became an AVP. It was a great experience and taught me a lot about business and structure, but deep down I knew my creative side needed an outlet. Read More>>

Freddy B

Yes, I’ve been blessed to earn a full-time living from my creative work for the past 14 years, but it definitely wasn’t like that from day one. It’s been a long journey of growth, learning, and persistence. It really started back in high school. Once it stopped being cool to hang out at skating rinks, I found myself drawn to the energy of teen nightclubs. Read More>>

emily lozeron

One of my biggest pet peeves is the term ‘Starving artist’. I have always wanted to be an artist, but the term starving artist almost prevented me from achieving my dream. I grew up quite poor and knew that wasn’t what I wanted as an adult. so instead of persuing art I went into nursing and dabbled in art. Read More>>

Jenna Guillory

Yes, I’m so grateful to say that photography has become my full-time calling and career, but it certainly didn’t happen overnight. My journey began with a simple love for creating art from everyday beauty: the way a mother holds her baby, the light dancing across a child’s face outside, or the tender moments of family life. Read More>>

Cielito Fernandez

Yes, I’ve been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work. I’ve been working in different areas of music for many years now. That requires discipline, hard work and also constant learning. From the first day I had clear goals and the attitude to make it possible. Read More>>

Laura Sarlitto

I started my photography business right after graduating high school. I’d always had an eye for photography, but the skill itself was entirely self-taught, from the technical use of a camera to editing software and business development. I continued to build my business throughout college while working nearly full-time at a bakery. Read More>>

Zarina Majidova

Like most people, I went to college and got a degree in something I later realized I had no real interest in. I ended up working in jobs that didn’t excite me, and it took a while to admit I wanted to do something creative instead. Read More>>

Minin Arevalo-Parodi

When I turned fifty, I realized something that completely changed my life: I wasn’t done at all. As a child, I had always imagined that age as the end of the road. That’s what I had seen in the women of my family — fifty seemed like the threshold of resignation. But when my time came, the story unfolded differently. Read More>>