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.

Brooklyn Lindley

Photography has always been a hobby of mine. Even saying “hobby” feels light, it’s been a form of expression, love, and art that has allowed me to find beauty in the small, seemingly obvious moments. I took a film photography class when I was 13 years old – and I still refer back to that learning curve at 22 as a small business owner. I spent years taking photos and learning how I could become better. This was often filled with self doubt, imposter syndrome, and feeling lost in the identity of my art. It was five years after I picked up a camera in a very playful manner that someone first offered to pay for my work. For my talent, my eye, my photos. Read more>>

C.C. Czerwinski

I had been living in Costa Rica for a little over a month when my new friends passed by the house I was staying at and saw me painting out front on my patio. They came up for a visit, as was common in town, and said they noticed I was always painting and wanted to know if I could paint a couple signs for their new beachfront bar and restaurant. I had recently decided I wanted to stay down there and make it work living full-time so I accepted the opportunity to make some money. Read more>>

Chyenne Roan-Santini

The first money I earned professionally in modeling came from an H&M campaign that I booked independently when I was still a freelance model. I began my journey in modeling without an agent, traveling around the city by bus to go to auditions/castings, and leaving shifts at my day job for the same reasons. There were days that I hardly had enough money to eat. When I booked the campaign with H&M, it was completely surreal-prior to this I had never experienced receiving a large lump sum of money under such unreal circumstances, especially coming from a low income background. I remember the feeling I had when I saw the rate that I’d be paid… I was completely floored. Reaching this accomplishment alone gave me the belief necessary to push harder toward my dream of modeling… especially under the living circumstances I was experiencing. Read more>>