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

Howard Calvert

So the first time I got paid for my craft was on my very first project, Race War: The Remake. It was invigorating! I had heard of so many artist that said they never got paid until after some years, it felt great to come right in and make some money. I remember it like it was yesterday! I had just went thru a break up and I was looking for a change of scenery from everything! I remember laying across the bed browsing Craigslists,i saw this ad that said they were looking for a black guy,6 ft or taller, with tattoos and comfortable wearing a tank top and a durag. Read more>>

Orchestrate96

I made my first dollar from music in 2018 from a song called Dirty Dance. The song was a collaborative effort between me and a friend, Joseph. I remember it being both empowering and exciting. I vividly recall Joseph calling me on the phone, exhilarated about it as well. Joseph and I imagined how much money we could have made if we promoted the song even more. I would love to experience that feeling again if I could. Read more>>

Patrick Portilla

My first transaction was actually at the start of 2022. In 2021, I knew I wanted to get into sneaker reselling and I decided to take the time to actually learn how to do so. Sneakers are my passion so at the same time, I was creating content based on that passion. Through my YouTube channel I was able to create a community. That community that was built, is now the people who are buying from me directly. Read more>>

Jennifer Ayala

The memory is still gently etched into my memories. It was the Fourth of July weekend and I was asked to attend a pool gathering at the fabulous Hotel Zaza in Houston, Texas. The drinks were flowing and the people that I was surrounded with that day had this ambitous ambience about them. The day went on and as I was laying poolside in my little bikini that dubbed me as little sailor moon that day, my phone rang and the art curator’s name flashed across my phone. Read more>>

Ashia Sims

As a kid, I was an avid reader. Once I learned how to read, I always had a book nearby. I would devour whole series of books in a matter of months. I grew up during the Pizza Hut Book It! days, and I ate free personal pan pizzas regularly! Eventually, my love of reading stories expanded to include creating stories of my own. As a fan of horror and science fiction, most of my early writing involved groups of friends going on adventures and encountering scary creatures along the way. Read more>>

Kate O’Neill

The first dollar I ever earned as a creative is probably not truly the first dollar, but I had a lot of early artist “growing pains” trying to get into galleries and artist collectives as an emerging artist. I grew up in South Florida around so many talented artists that when I moved to Philly I was excited to learn the scene- but immediately realized I had underestimated how easy it would be to simply ~get in~ to a gallery. Read more>>

Tiffany Williams

The first dollar earn felt amazing. Felt empowering!! Someone really paid me to do something this fun.. So I’ve always enjoyed doing things with my children as a family and we always enjoyed going to the park. One day while enjoying a picnic in the park. I did a fun old rustic red truck theme set up with food and games. I took pictures and posted them on my social media and I received so many likes and inquiries asking how much did I charge for picnic set ups. Read more>>

Chris Dean

So the first dollar I ever made from my music was back in 2015 i believe. I had been working with small time artists with little to no budget at the time. One day i received a message on Instagram from a guy who was putting together beats and music for some of his artists. He heard a few of my beats online and wanted 3 of them. I was able to work on a pretty fair deal for him that worked for us both. Once that money hit my account it showed me that it is possible to supplement your income on the music you create. It was a great feeling and ill always remember it. Read more>>