Earning that first dollar is incredibly special and a moment many never forget. We asked some very talented creatives from the community to tell us the story of the first dollar they earned from their creative works.

Peter Ngqibs

When I was 16 years old, I was working at a seafood restaurant during the weekends to make extra money. I would save up my tips each month and go book sessions at a local recording studio I had found in the yellow pages. Read more>>

James Bearhart

I am a full-time designer and, during the pandemic, decided to apply to film school – a dream I have had for decades. A few months after completing my MFA at the American Film Institute, Read more>>

Erik Werner

I was hired out of school to work for Videmart, a Knoxville-based company that was one of the first to sell homes via television. It was only a part-time job, but I took it to be able to say I was working in the television industry. Read more>>

Jayda Symone

In 2022, I was offered a few hundred dollars by a hair company to create an Instagram reel for their custom shampoo and conditioner, specifically designed for my hair needs. Read more>>

Caroline Lee

My career would not be possible without the Kindle Revolution, which led to independent publishing. At the beginning, indie authors had a bit of a bad reputation, stemming from the fact that ANYone could publish a book. Read more>>

Nicki Dydak

I have made many attempts to sell my artwork over the years. I had had a few commissions here and there, but nothing with any staying power. That is until just before Valentines Day 2022, when several unrelated things led me to start my business overnight. Read more>>

Joaquin Villarino

My first dollar earned as a creative was at San Diego State University. At the time I was studying Graphic Design and one of my classes was Oil Painting. Read more>>

Maicol Osorio

This is my first time doing Headshots, and I earned my first dollar. I had just joined the Peter Hurley HeadshotCrew and had worked on my color and formatting for the Headshots. Read more>>

Lauren Lyons

My first dollar earned as a creative and my first job EVER was being a recording session vocalist for Universal Studios Japan Theme Park at 12 years old! Read more>>

Michael Coleman

My first earning as a creative is when I didn’t believe in myself and my friends pushed me to go outside and show my work to strangers. Read more>>

Jenn Yu

It certainly feels magical when some people do not know you personally but willing to spend their hard-earned money to purchase products designed and created by my own hands. Read more>>

Caron Greenblatt

During my third year of University, an arts agency visited and bought some paintings. I only knew after it happened that they’d bought a painting of mine. Read more>>

Nneka Samuel

I used to write for a website called Comediva (comedy + diva = Comediva). I wrote articles and funny, silly listicles about any and everything, from a blockbuster case study on Keanu Reeves and his fine *ss, to ’90s tv shows that lied to us about life. Read more>>

Kitami Safiya

I started out singing in a group with my friends in High School. Being from New York the hustle was instilled in us early. Read more>>

Adrienne Smith

It’s hard to recall but I believe my first dollar earned as a musician was on the boardwalk in Ocean City MD. I was 15 years old, had learned a few songs on guitar and had waited all year to get a chance to go busk on the boardwalk. Read more>>