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.

Vanessa Ramirez

I’ve only been working in the United States for just under one year following my graduation at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). But very quickly I found myself on set for a short film anthology series titled Give Me An A! It is taking the world by storm, and there is no surprise why. I was lucky enough to work with creative Natasha Halevi, the leader of this project and director of our short Cheerleader Wraparound. Read more>>

Adam Sartain

My first gig was a national non-union commercial that I booked within 3 months of moving to LA. I had just signed with a commercial agent a few weeks prior and this was the second audition they sent me on. The role was for a Cupid for an eHarmony commercial. I felt good in the initial audition, but was skeptical as I was so new, I thought I couldn’t possibly book anything so soon. Read more>>

 Josiah Corbin

The first dollar I earned as a creative was when I promoted my very first show in 2003. I was so excited to launch a monthly showcase called “Good Music Night” and was certain that the entire city would show up. There were 13 people that showed up and I was devastated. I remember counting the money and reminding myself of the empty feeling after a very lack luster turn out. Read more>>

Vivian Ahn

My first paid job as a creative was for Supercuts. After rejected by countless auditions and projects, for the first time I got a call back for the Supercuts project. I was super excited! We were always told that the role of an actor is to book the room and getting a call back is a big win. My career coach once said, “Being an actor is very tough. It is said that the average booking rate is about 1%. Therefore, for each rejection each no you get, you have to see it as one step closer to that yes!” Read more>>

Lauren West

It’s a bit of a cheat to say this was my first dollar earned as a creative but it was certainly the most significant, and that was when I received my first check from Playboy Enterprises International. I had been using vintage Playboy magazines in my collage work since I was 18 years old and a decade plus later, Playboy themselves wanted me to make collage work for them. It was a dream come true. I still have that check up on my wall (thank you online deposit!) Read more>>

Abiola Wabara

I remember making my first big sale while I had work hanging at the Breakfast Klub – It was a piece that a lot of people really liked and kept asking me about, but the price point was “too high” and I started to second guess my work, and the worth I was placing on it. That was until someone in town for a visit walked in, and all they asked was “how much to ship it to Oklahoma” – that was the day that I knew my art was worth it it just needed to be found by their person. Read more>>

Harmoniah Carter

I booked my first major gig with Forbes and Grads of Life. It was truly a blessing financially and, overall, contributed to my career growth in entertainment. I didn’t take the opportunity lightly. This was a huge gig for me to be representing myself alongside such a global, established brand. I accomplished this before the age of 25. Read more>>

Sarah K. Benning

It may not exactly be the first dollar earned as a creative, but the story that comes to mind is the first time I sold a piece to a stranger online. It was the summer of 2013 and I was fresh out of art school working full time as a nanny while making one of a kind greeting cards and small artworks on paper–most of them hand stitched with short phrases or abstract patterns. Read more>>

V Kay

After many years as a travel blogger, I was finally able to earn my first affiliate income this year and I cannot explain how happy that made me. It took a lot of hard work and dedication but in the end, using SEO strategies has helped me improve my old posts and write new ones that end up on the first page of Google. There is still a lot of work to be done but seeing the fruits of your labor gives you an enormous motivation to keep going. Read more>>

Dalia Goldberg

My first dollar ever earned came from a friend who thought that my art looked cool. When I told her the price for the original drawing she said that it was above her budget, but later she purchased a print of the work and it’s still hanging in her home to this day. Although it wasn’t a big sum, I was filled with gratitude for her support and felt over the moon knowing she truly connected with that piece. Read more>>

 Sanique Olkuch

The first dollar I earned was actually $75. I received a commission to do a poem in calligraphy. It was a referral from another calligrapher who was no longer taking on those kinds of commissions anymore. It was a poem written by a dad who has lost a child before the end of the pregnancy so he wrote a poem to their lost child. It was a very touching experience because I had never seen anything like that before. I felt like I had to handle it with so much intention and just be present and be mindful while I was working on it because I know what the words meant to him. Read more>>