Is there ever a “right” time to start a creative career? Our goal has always been help people pursuing their passion. Helping those people often means helping them think through important decisions such as when to start, when to take the leap. Below, you’ll find our conversations with successful creatives reflecting back on when they had to decide whether to start or wait.

Kisha Kandeh

Oh yes, much sooner. I wish I had of tapped into my creative being years ago. I’ve always had a desire to express myself through writing and clothing in my high school years and even in my early twenties. I didn’t realize I loved it until I faced some really challenging milestones in life and discovered a direct relationship with my creator thus providing a clear understanding of what love is. Read more>>

Chris Stevens

I think I can speak for all of us when I say I’m glad we started people food when we did. We’ve all been in other bands before when we were much younger and none of them seemed to work out, Now we’re a little older, a little wiser, and we have a much more clear idea of what we want to do. Read more>>

Shakeyla Shinholster

I wish I would have started earlier, and took it more seriously when I was younger. There’s no telling where I’d be professionally and creatively. Read more>>

Cristian Gomez

I look back at everything I have accomplished over the years, and to this day, I wish I would have started this career sooner rather than later. As a kid, I remember always having a love for music, from playing with my parents’ records and breaking their needles, to using their tape players and even making mixtapes of my favorite songs on a CD for my friends. Read more>>

Flora Le

I certainly didn’t start my creative journey early. I grew up playing the violin and performing in various music ensembles, but I wouldn’t call classical music particularly creative. It did give me relevant experience performing on stage, but it would take me another 20+ years to start thinking about myself as a creative person. Read more>>

Buddy Salpeck

We always travelled with our kids, from Disney to camping at state parks, we enjoyed the great outdoors. As our kids grew and moved on to college we decided to take the plunge and purchased our first RV 8 years ago. We started watching videos on travel and obscure places to visit. About 3 years ago we decided to document our travels. It would have been great to start our Youtube Channel years prior. We learned so much from our research and would love to help others enjoy travel. Read more>>

Danielle Carr

I strongly believe that everything in my life has a set timing. Reflecting on my journey, I realize that I was never too late or too early in my creative pursuits. I’ve learned that we live our lives forward, but it can only be truly understood when you look backward. Taking my creative career in the fashion, styling, and the branding space more seriously happened at the perfect time. Read more>>

Darcy Flynn

Definitely sooner. I wrote my first novel when I was in my early twenties with absolutely no idea how to write one, but I’d read so many that I figured I had the formula down, if nothing else. I’d always admired those who could write, and since I was between jobs I decided to give it a try. So I did. This was back in the early 80s when Harlequin and Silhouette publishers were looking for American romance writers. At the time they requested the entire manuscript, which was wonderful. Read more>>

Tracy C. Gold

I have been a writer for as long as I can remember; I always knew my career would have something to do with writing. It wasn’t until I had a kid and discovered writing picture books that I had significant publishing success. Part of me wishes that I had gone to work in publishing in NYC after graduating college, when I was still young and willing to live on ramen. However, moving home to Baltimore and going into the corporate world for a while gave me skills that I use to market my books and my work as a freelance editor. So it all worked out! Read more>>

Vinicius Cavalieri

I have been involved with music ever since I was 4 years old, when I first started learning to play the drums. My desire to explore and develop more knowledge made me roam through a series of different instruments, like piano, bass, flute, until I found the guitar, which has become my main instrument ever since. I started creating music with my cousins back in the day in a basement of a country house we had back in Brazil in 2007. Ever since, I have been involved in several bands/projects, serving as a co-composer and/or multi-instrumentalist. But it was not until 2020 that I started writing material for my solo career. Read more>>

Charissa Gracyk

I definitely wish I would’ve gone back to writing romance sooner– when self-publishing first came on the scene. Although it’s not perfect, it’s an amazing gift. It gives me an opportunity to share my stories that I never had before, and I’m extremely grateful for it. When I started out way back in the day, there were no indie authors, only large publishing houses. And, although I enjoyed my time doing screenwriting, romance always called to me. And, eventually, it called so loudly that I returned to what I love doing most– writing about love! Read more>>

Hunter Hathaway

Yes and no. I’ve had my moments where I just felt I started too soon and was forcing myself to put out everything I made even if I wasn’t happy with the design. So in that aspect I feel that it would have been better to wait so that I could develop more. I think that over the years I’ve been able to refine my skills and now I’m a lot happier with the pieces I’m producing. My goal for this year is to just keep pushing my brand as much as possible and really trying to get myself out there. Now that I know this is what I want to do with my time I just have to keep pushing towards it and supporting my goals. Read more>>

Molly Gnodtke

Growing up, I was always envious of classmates with a clear vision for what they wanted to do with their lives, like my older brother. I’ll never forget watching him in front of our family TV with a hockey game on mute, doing his own play-by-play commentary. Broadcasting was his passion and he knew early on exactly where he was headed. Read more>>

Nabila Pranto

One thing I wish for sure is to have stayed consistent and made my journey to a makeup artist more of a priority in my life. I’ve always had in the back of my mind to be a representation for that little 5 year old Brown girl who loved makeup and always knew she was different. I’ve never had a true representation in media of a Bengali woman who was in the beauty industry or even politics. My goal has always been to be able to teach my craft to people and change their perspective of their life goals. Read more>>

Skylar Steffy

I have mixed feelings about this. Even though I have always been involved with performance arts all through my formative years but I made the decision to not pursue music in college. I knew I would drop out if I got too involved in a project. So, in that regard I am happy with how I did things. Creating a credible back up plans for myself. Read more>>

E Kapri

Well, art has always been apart of my life in some way. I just wish I would have taken it more seriously sooner. I never looked at it as an opportunity when I was younger and I think that was my mistake. Art is everywhere it’s needed. Expression in different ways is always important. Read more>>

Pariah Sinclair

I wish I would have practiced and polished my makeup and overall appearance before performing. My first time performing, which was at a drag competition, was the first time I painted a finished face and put myself in full time. I kind of just jumped into when I was in college and was learning as I went along. I feel like it took two years for me to become somewhat polished and happy with my appearance. Doing drag while in college is definitely not easy. Read more>>

Charlie Faulks

It’s impossible to say. I’m 19 yrs old and so exceptionally lucky to have started (almost unconsciously) working in this industry at a young age. I have a tremendous passion for art, animation and telling stories and being able to do that for a job? It’s surreal and bizarre. Read more>>

Marjorie Braverman

I’ve worked as a full-time professional artist for 2 years now. I look at my fellow artists who are around the same age as me and have been living the creative dream for over 10 years now. Although I appreciate all the helpful advice I receive from them, I can be envious of how much farther they are into their own careers. I graduated from college 16 years ago and occasionally think of the time I could have invested into an art career, rather than the random assortment of jobs on my current resume. Read more>>

Tyrone DuBose

There are times where I vacillate back and forth about whether I should have started my career sooner or later. As time goes on, we eventually mold ourselves into what we believe is a career choice for us. Although starting out in public access, I have always had a love for music. I had to somehow figure out how to put television and music together, and I believe that is the part where I believed I was in my element. I am however a firm believer that it is never too late for new beginning. Read more>>

Jamie Jackson

Absolutely, I started Humorous Resources in September 2020 on a whim. I was an HR Department of one, in healthcare, during a global pandemic. I felt so alone, and I have always found humor an easy way to bring people together. I never knew it would become this community of not just HR Professionals but of corporate professionals commiserating over our lives in this corporate world. Read more>>

Leonard Ledford III

I wish I would have started acting sooner than I did. I believe had began acting when I was in my 20’s I’m sure I would be further along in my career than I currently am. I’m still a work in progress. Still learning. Read more>>

Gabriela Bittencourt

If you asked me this a couple year ago, I would probably have answered you “yes definitely!” But, I believe the call to urgency is, more often than not, a false path. I work retrospectively, and that’s helped me a lot. Read more>>

Susan Peters

Yes. I have been creative all my life and feel that I could have come so much farther career wise if I had just started earlier. Read more>>

Michelle Bennett

Yes! I was a single mother and worked for in government with the State of Ohio. It was a great opportunity and provided stability for me and my family as at the time I was a single mother. Eventually the bureaucracy of the agency became toxic and made it unbearable to work there. However, I was terrified of what my options were to take care of myself and my family. Read more>>

Sharon Lewis

If I could go back in time, I wish I would have started sooner… Part of me believes that we are all where we are supposed to be, and we make decisions based on where we are in life. However, when I started helping clients with their finances, I held a full-time job. I enjoyed that job but in hindsight, it became a crutch as to why I did not pursue my business. Read more>>

Liana Zavo

The ideal time to start a business varies for each individual and depends on various factors such as personal circumstances, career goals, financial stability, and market conditions. Some people may choose to start their business early in life, while others may wait until they have gained more experience or resources. Read more>>

Mika Mooney

I one hundred percent wish I had started my firm sooner than I did but the timing never felt right. I went to law school straight out of college and had an internship at a law firm at which I went to work for as an attorney right after law school. It was exclusively a litigation firm, and great training and experience but I knew in my gut that litigation wasn’t for me. Read more>>

Mae Renee

I wish that I had started my creative career sooner, but as they say blindsight is always 20/20 right? Ironically enough, even though I do wish that I had started my creative career sooner, I do also feel that I also started it at the right time. I truly believe in divine timing and I had to grow through some things before I was ready to show up authentically to this aspect of my life. What is meant for you will find its way to you when you are ready! Read more>>