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.

Stacy Lovejoy

Since my childhood, I’ve loved listening to music wherever I go. In middle school, I always bought cheap headphones that tended to break easily. I used to pile them up in my room until I realized the pile was enormous. However, I couldn’t bring myself to just throw them away. Instead, I came up with an idea to turn them into jewelry pieces. I removed the wires and cut the cable into 1-2 inch pieces. Read more>>

Jessica Pentecost

I nervously posted some of my most recent works on my Facebook page. I was still fairly new to electroforming and a little reluctant to put my work out there. Nearly immediately, people began reacting – likes, loves, and comments began to fill my notifications and my heart. Finally, I saw it! Brandie Rochin doted over my beetle necklace and inquired about how to purchase it. I squealed with delight as I typed my reply explaining our transaction. Read more>>

Yiyi Chen

After graduation, I sent out a lot of emails to art directors to pitch myself. But I barely get any reply. I was upset and started to doubt myself. However, I was still creating my personal projects and kept updating my social media. One day I noticed an Instagram post by SPD(the society of publication designers), sharing the news that they are going to have a portfolio review inviting many art directors from big magazines and newspapers. Though the ticket price is a bit high for me about $300, I bought it immediately Read more>>