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.

D.J. Vanas

When I was probably eight or nine years old, I made little wooden plaques with wooden flowerpots and painted flowers made out of buttons. I sold them door to door to make money for Christmas presents that year. Read more>>

Ida Espevik

My first acting gig for Tv was as an extra in the Norwegian Netflix series “Norsemen”. This was my first time being on a professional set and around great famous Norwegian actors, so it was a pretty cool experience. Read more>>

Shana Roark

No one wants to pay for art. Besides the bougie collectors or true fans, the masses aren’t interested. And a big mistake creatives make is wanting to charge. a premium without having a brand. Read more>>

Amelia Rudolph

The first dollar I made from being a dancer and choreographer felt like mana from heaven. I couldn’t believe it. I wrote for and received a grant to make my first site-specific project using Vertical Dance. Read more>>

NEAVV

I don’t exactly remember the first dollar I made as a creative but I do remember the first time I made way more than a dollar and it was all thanks to a chance meeting in a pool. I grew up as a competitive swimmer and although I don’t compete anymore, I still swim lengths pretty regularly. Read more>>

Todd Kessler

My first paid gig was in 2003 (maybe 2004?) at a bar called Moxie in the heart of Wrigleyville in Chicago. The details are fuzzy 20 years on but I think the guy that booked me hosted an open mic night I had gone to and offered me the gig. Read more>>

Hadir Abdel-Gawad

I think the first dollar, or in my case euro, earned was when I decided to participate at a small convention in the city I live in. I didn’t know what I should bring with me as a vendor and I didn’t want to put in a lot of money, as at that time I was only a student. Read more>>

Nicola Bleu

Honestly becoming an influencer was not part of the plan. It started off more as an interest/hobby, but ended up becoming a source of income. And honestly all started after I saw my TikTok video telling me to take the chance or lose the opportunity. Read more>>

Renee Thibodeaux Perez

I’ll never forget the first dollar I earned as a musician. I started playing washtub bass with a great group of people. One was from Argentina, one from Hawaii and the rest of the guys were from New Orleans. Read more>>

Kristin Hart

The First dollar I made as a creative was on Saatchi Art. My style of photography at the time was different, quite representational, still moody and beautiful I feel, but very literal. I will never forget getting that email, three of my pieces sold to the same collector. Read more>>

Kandy G Lopez

In middle and high school, my teachers were really interested in propelling inner city kids into the art world. They pushed us to compete and apply for scholarships. As a school, we applied to scholastics every year. Read more>>

Itzel Bailon

I fell in love with capturing digital art in a very precise way in a wide variety of materials, through laser engraving. I started selling my creations among a few friends and family for the price of the cost of the material, but it wasn’t until my first event at the Denver Art Museum until I sold my very first thing to someone I didn’t know that I felt as a creative, finally. Read more>>

Timur Vagapov

Actually, it’s an incredible story. When I was just starting out in the fashion industry, someone asked me what my dream brand to work with would be, and without hesitation, I said Dior. Then Universe did its thing, and guess what… Dior had a collaboration with Parley for the Oceans, and they approached me to create a video for them. Read more>>

Anthony Campbell

The first dollar earned as a creative feels like your first piece of validation that you can make it in your field. I started out just filming music videos for me and my friends. I took a few classes in college on video editing but for the most part I was self taught. Read more>>

Katie Lane

In the spring of 2021, I released my first collection of paintings. The collection was called SOFT. SWEET. GRIT. and it was a series of twelve paintings inspired by a short book of poems by Mary Oliver called “A Thousand Mornings.” Read more>>

Tiffany Moorman

The first dollar I made on Etsy for a piece of jewelry I made was one of my proudest moments. Would have been prouder if they hadn’t taken such a large percentage in fees. Lol. But selling my first book? That was truly the proudest moment. Even though the editing was atrocious. Read more>>