We recently connected with Kristine Lopez Schuck and have shared our conversation below.
Kristine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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?
When I first pursued Freelance Photography & Creative Consulting over 10+ years ago, it took about 3 years before I felt confident enough to quit my 9-5 salary with freelance work. While I crunch numbers as a Finance Manager of a Photo Agency, I shot on the weekends and built my portfolio. I also booked freelance clients on the side to save. I saved about 1-2 months of living expenses which still felt risky. But after 3 years, I quit and started booking work pretty quickly afterwards.
Booking monthly retainer clients definitely helped with cash flow and would be my #1 tip to anyone looking to go freelance.
I was also always a hustler and provided excellent service.
Another valuable creative career tip I’d give is to get repeat clients and continued referrals. Then after every single shoot and creative project, I wrote down a list of what I could have done better or improve. Not to be hard on myself but to ensure I would get better after every work opportunity. So I was getting paid to learn and it increased my confidence and ability to charge more over time.
Fast forward to this year, I have over 10+ years of experience working with 150+ brands. My biggest project to date was a $20k video project in 2021. I’ve charged over multiple six-figures in creative services from 2014 – 2025 and continue to build my creative and content studio, NATURE AND INTENT.
For anyone looking to make the leap as a full-time creative, my tips would be:
1. Save a cash cushion before you quit and book retainer clients for cashflow
2. Do great work and showcase it in a portfolio and your social media
3. Learn how to pitch yourself to brands and network!
4. Deliver amazing work to current clients for repeat projects and referrals
5. Takeaway at least 1 lesson and improve after every shoot/creative project
6. Rinse & Repeat
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’m Kristine. Creative Director, Content Creator, and founder of NATURE AND INTENT, a creative studio producing content and social strategies for conscious brands.
My creative journey has spanned roles in fashion, finance, photography, brand strategy, and influencer marketing. I also previously worked as a Reels Content Director for META and was interviewed by TikTok on social and influencer marketing strategies.
At the heart of my work is visual storytelling through content, brand strategy, and social media marketing. I also specialize in UGC, short-form video, organic and paid social, affiliate marketing, and brand partnerships.
My creative agency, NATURE AND INTENT, primarily works with wellness brands and recently expanded into the lifestyle, retail, and hospitality space. I’ve partnered with notable brands including Avocado Green, Anima Mundi, Daily Harvest, Koala Eco, Mate the Label, OSEA, Owl Venice, Peerspace, and more.
When I’m not creating for a living, you can find me immersed in nature, traveling, practicing herbalism, tea ceremony, or Kundalini.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Doing great work and delivering what you say and when you say you will deliver. I wasn’t always great with time management. In high school and college, I was a major procrastinator and it affected me throughout my first creative projects. I overpromised and underdelivered. I learned quickly that I needed to change.
As I got older and more experienced, I realized that honoring your word is the best way to build good client relationships and excellent reputation.
Something as simple as emailing people when you say you will is a reason why someone will trust you and hire you over and over again. No one is perfect and I sometimes miss meetings and have to extend deliverable deadlines. But honoring your word 95% of the time is what separates a successful people with repeat clients to those who might struggle to keep clients.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I love the feeling of finishing a project and seeing the final creative content after working on it for weeks or months. There is something really satisfying about taking an idea from concept to manifesting it for my clients. I love seeing them light up after brand and content launch!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kristinelo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristine.lo/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinevlo/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristine-lo/
Image Credits
I have full usage of all these photos. My friend took them but did not want photo credit as she is not a photographer.