Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Bailey Lightner . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Bailey , thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Love this question! I have been able to make enough money to survive off my art, however I am always implementing and cultivating new ways for me to gain monetary value through my creations. Currently, I offer web design and graphic services for clients through my own website and marketing. My journey of becoming this artistic and creative entrepreneur started when I was working at my restaurant job waiting tables and bartending. I knew that I wanted to do something in my life that felt more expressive and creative. I have always been very artistic from a young age, and I knew I needed to follow that. After 4 years of working there, and taking a couple college classes at a time, I decided to dive head first into a graphic arts trade school program. In one year, I was graduating from that program (1 year early) and I was building up business systems, client portals and timelines for my future clients. I had no idea how to run a business, but I was happy and excited about my new journey towards creating freedom for myself.
I think I could have sped up the process more if my nervous system was regulated. But I am still learning how to be guided from within, and it is definitely some part of the key to my success.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am Bailey Lightner, 25 years old, and I am a business owner. I am an artist in the simplest terms, but I truly am so much more than that. I love to create, and that ranges out of the traditional “art” realm and into things like strategies, systems, and functions. I love to learn, and I spend a lot of time with each of my clients to come up with custom solutions created specifically for them. I currently offer my skills in the design world which includes: web design, branding identity, illustrations, and more.
I solve a multitude of problems for my clients ranging from bad branding, rebrands, website designs, special edition collab designs, package designs for products, murals, and more. I am playing around with photography as a passion hobby in this current time period, but those things change often.
What I think sets me apart from others is my vision, and my ability to intuitively grasp onto your vision, even if it can’t necessarily be put into words. I am honored and very lucky to be around great, successful businesswomen/mentors who continue to show me my way to success.
I am most proud of how I have created something from nothing. I am the first woman in my family to go to college, or pursue my own business. I am taking a risk by saying that my art is my life and I will bet on myself time and time again. I know this is where I am meant to be, and I know I will come across the people who my art/skills speak to.
I am a free spirit, and I love to create things with meaning and value to businesses and their people.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Yes.
I am the only “creative” in my family. The looks these people have given me when I get a whim of creativity at 10pm at night to do glitter projects in the kitchen could make anyone laugh. Something I think non-creatives should understand is this:
Creativity cannot be confined to a structure or timeline or anything of the sort. It sort of, ruins it.
Instead creativity is a flowing energy, and when it comes upon you, you MUST act on it. No matter how crazy or out there it might be. I believe artists are lighting the way in many ways, taking risks visually that nobody else would.
The key part of this is to understand that if you are not a creative, you are probably a more logical and factual person. And there is actually nothing factual or logical about the way I do art. Of course, I follow more structure depending on the client and the project, but often times I will get a more positive reaction to my work when the client lets me have creative freedom.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I recently had to pivot quite a bit in my business. It felt like a new layer of an onion being shed. Like I had mastered level 1, and level 2 now came with more rules or structure. (In my mind)
I was unorganized in my planning, I was double booking discovery calls, just overall the systems I had created out of college to manage 1-2 clients at a time, were no longer working when I was also being called to put my creative juices into other projects and passion projects. Suddenly, I found myself as sad as when I was working my restaurant job, and I knew I needed to uplevel and shift gears. The pivot was: less work. Surprisingly. I needed to not be so tunnel visioned on muy business, and instead shift into a flow state that allowed me to do all the creative outlets I wanted, while also holding that vision and space for business. I took 1 week off, and I rewired my business structure. I moved things around in my schedule for more time to think, and create “bad” art. (art of no monetary value)
About a month later, massive momentum took place, and now I will continue to uplevel, and restructure every couple of months. It was a hard thing to learn the self discipline to not hyper focus on my business, and allow myself time to complete all my ideas. I am still learning this in ways currently.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.luckygirlgraphics.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luckygirlgraphicsco/

Image Credits

Photographer: Kodi Sieben