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.

Jasmyn Lewis

The first dollar I ever earned was when I was 10 years old. I was a pretty artsy kid—I’d doodle on my homework, draw in spiral notebooks, and even sketch on restaurant napkins. Eventually, I started creating comics with original characters on lined notebook paper. Other kids at school began reading them, and just like that, I had an audience. Read more>>

Colton Schlines

Dos Mundos started with lead singer Colton Schlines and guitarist Mahatma Largaespada performing at open mics. These open mics were unpaid but we would sometimes earn tips from patrons at the places we played at. Eventually Luis Morales joined the band and we got our first paid gig at a coffee shop in Omaha called Stories Coffee. It was strange as we were only used to playing a couple songs at open mics but this was our first long 2 hour set. Since then we had an addition to the band Sebastian Chacon on percussion and we have played at many different venues in Omaha including, secret park cocktail bar, Cattle Call restaurant and lounge, Voodoo taco, and were hired for cooperate events as well. Read more>>

Rachel Fang

My first client was a peer musical theater writer I met at a New York Music Month conference. She specialized in writing books and lyrics, while I had experience in songwriting and production – our skill sets complemented each other. She told me she was working on her first single release but needed help with polishing the vocals, such as tuning and noise reduction. After I shared my background with her, she hired me to do the vocal production. It felt really fulfilling when she told me she loved the result. She was so pleased that she later brought me back to record harmonies and create a piano arrangement. Read more>>

Tina Noren

The first time I earned money from my art was a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t trying to sell anything at the time—I was in the middle of my first 100 Day Project and sharing my creative experiments on Instagram. I was following my curiosity, playing with different mediums, and doing a lot of work with watercolor and ink. Some pieces were floral and botanical, but most were abstract. My goal was simply to make time for creating and to build a consistent art practice. Read more>>

Aliya Torsekar

I’ve been working towards a creative career for quite some time. Throughout the years I’ve taken a handful of small illustration requests, but the most memorable moment was when I was given the chance to engage with customers face-to-face.

I attended my first market back in July 2024 at Manic Pixie Dream Market (San Diego). I spent weeks hand-making prints, stickers, and tote bags. My family and friends had to watch me scramble around to get everything organized and prepped. Read more>>