We were lucky to catch up with Nana Sarfo recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nana, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you 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?

Yes, I have. With full time content creation, I was able to build a platform with over 250K across my social platforms. I have been able to monetize It took years of learning, failing, and figuring things out on my own to turn this into something sustainable. The growth was slow at times, but every step built on the one before it. If I had known how important delegation, rest, and proper systems were early on, I probably could’ve sped up the process. But I don’t regret the pace. It gave me the skills, confidence, and experience I rely on now.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got my start in the creative world through a deep love for Littlest Pet Shop toys. I was three years old when I received my first one, a grey tabby cat I named “Flower,” and from that moment on, I was obsessed.

By age nine, I had created a secret YouTube channel. While my dad was at work, I would grab his iPad and film LPS videos. They were strange and poorly edited, but making them taught me scriptwriting, performance, and how to tell a story. I wanted to get better, so at ten years old I started teaching myself how to edit using Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and After Effects. At eleven, I taught myself how to draw digitally using Photoshop by watching tutorials for hours and practicing along with them.

At twelve, I started my first event. It wasn’t supposed to be a business at the time. I just wanted to create a space for other kids who loved LPS like I did. The next year, it grew from a meetup in the park to over 360 tickets sold. By fourteen, I was pitching my idea to a boardroom of adults and walked away with mentorship and funding.

From ages fifteen to eighteen, I was touring venues, coordinating events, and managing paperwork I wasn’t even old enough to sign yet. I was balancing school and a company, all while figuring things out on my own. Everything I know now came from that experience. It taught me how to lead, how to problem-solve, and how to create something from scratch.

What sets me apart is that I didn’t come from a traditional business background. I built everything from a love of creativity, storytelling, and community. I didn’t wait to be taught or given permission.

What I’m most proud of is the fact that I never let go of what I loved, even when it was considered weird or niche. I turned something small into something lasting. If there’s one thing I want people to know about me, it’s that passion is never a waste. Following what lights you up is what leads to everything else.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My last LPSCon 2024 event faced numerous challenges. The event grew in capacity, and I struggled to meet many of the community’s demands. The aftermath was met with a myriad of internet backlash, which was very difficult to deal with. Not only that, but being in the public eye since you were a child means things from your past that you have to deal with, mostly things that you’ve even forgotten, will resurface. I remember that I was a child for 8 years running events that 40-year-olds would have difficulty running. That also means the community sets our events on a higher pedestal, and there is little room for error because we have always overdelivered.
In 2024, we weren’t able to and faced some extreme challenges. As someone who had never really struggled much with events in the past, I had to not only navigate leading my team through a difficult time, but also had to overcome such hateful vitriol. I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t say it took a huge toll on my mental health. But I persevered. I took time to heal, to enjoy life, and remember the purpose for which I started the event in the first place–to create a community of acceptance, one I never really had growing up. Lastly, the biggest one to remember–Is that I am not a quitter. So I never gave up.

This year, we are planning for our 2025 events and addressing many internal issues. Seeing that I’ve been able to overcome and bounce back shows the true entrepreneurial spirit. Everyone fails. Everyone will seek challenges. However, if we let these challenges overwhelm us, we will miss the powerful growth and change that they bring. As tough as the experience was to endure, I’m glad that I did because it has made me a truly unwavering and courageous person.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Some of the most rewarding aspects is the adaptability. The ability to learn everything and be everything. Especially now as a University student graduating USC Marshall Business school, when people ask me what I want to do, the best thing to respond with is “it doesn’t exist yet.”

Being an artist, a creative, and an entrepreneur means that I can do anything and everything. I can do acting, singing, dancing, drawing–but I can also run an agency at the same time and run amazing events. Who knows, maybe in the future I’ll pivot and open my own clothing line, skincare line… The opportunities in life are endless.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nanasarfo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nana.sfo
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/nana-sarfo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/nnanasfo
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/nnanasfo