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

Hi Jaclyn , thanks for joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I can still remember those months right after college, thinking, “How on earth am I going to make this work?” I had just graduated with a degree in video production, no connections, and absolutely no clue how to build a career in the industry. But what I did have was this unshakeable belief in myself—along with a lot of ambition and a willingness to figure things out.

What I didn’t realize then was that it would take a few years before I’d make a full-time living from this work. During those early days, I hustled, making videos for small businesses, nonprofits, and realtors. It was a rush—getting paid to create felt like a real win, and for the first time, I started seeing a future where I could make this my career. The only problem? The money wasn’t exactly flowing, and I was determined not to get tied down to a part-time job. I wanted to stay laser-focused on growing my craft and my portfolio.

So, I got creative. I drove for Uber, did grocery shopping gigs, shot weddings, took corporate headshots—anything that kept my schedule flexible while covering the bills. Looking back, it’s exhausting to think about how many hours I was putting in, but at the time, I didn’t feel tired. I was hungry for it. And the hustle paid off—my clients grew, my finances stabilized, and my network expanded. Eventually, I deleted the apps and quit the side hustles. I was officially a full-time creative—and I had earned it.

I just hit my 10-year anniversary as a freelance creative, and it’s been quite a ride. There have been countless times I’ve struggled with missed opportunities, playing the comparison game, inconsistent income, and slow seasons. But every time I pause to reflect, I remind myself: I’ve been paying my bills doing work I love. To me, that’s success. Period.

So, if you’re in those early years, just keep at it—whatever that looks like for you. Sooner or later, you’ll carve out your own space in this industry, and it’ll be yours to thrive in.

Jaclyn , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a director and editor who specialized in commercial work. I have created content for clients such as 1-800 Contacts, Zelle, Ziploc, Creme of Nature, Lyft, State Farm, Bare Necessities, Hanni and many more.

Helping a brand find ways to authentically connect with their audience is my sweet spot. It’s not just about creating an engaging ad but finding a way to relate to a group of people and create a sense of community and trust.

I especially love any project that allows me to work with female talent and celebrate our various shapes, skin tones and stories. I think this is why I have leaned into working predominantly with beauty, fashion and lifestyle brands.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Looking back, I mostly wish I had had a female mentor. Someone who could paint a picture of what my career could like years from now. Someone who I could bounce questions off of and gain inspiration from. But most of the directors I knew were men.

That’s why I feel like it’s important for me to turn around and be that mentor for the next wave of female directors. If you’re still reading find yourself relating – don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’m an open book these days.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I always want to be transparent about the work I do. All of us creatives are solely sharing our most exciting work on socials and that may lead people to think that all of our work is just as exciting. To make a full-time career as a creative you have to be willing to do some “not sexy” work.

As social media has continued to evolve so has the video needs of brands. UGC (user generated content) has become huge. I began to see pitches come in for this style of work and I, initially, ignored it. UGC pieces are generally low quality and felt, honestly, beneath me. This is a horrible way of thinking and I’m embarrassed to admit it. Staying afloat in this industry means you have to stay flexible and be willing to work within the needs of your client.

If you look at my website, I now have a whole page dedicated to social media related work. I’m so thankful for this work and by no means does it take away from some of the bigger projects that I love to work on. There’s room for it all.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jaclyn-rey.com
• Instagram: jaclynrey