Getting started sounds so easy – but for millions of aspiring artists and creatives, the uncertainty of the path forward presents a very real challenge. So, we wanted to gather some artists and creatives we admire to open up about their experience and how they think about whether they should have started sooner or waited for a better time.

Marcy Chicas

Yes & no. You see, 10 years ago version of me did not have the same mind set as the version of me today. If you would have asked me 10 years to do the things I’m doing today, I’m pretty sure I would have a panic attack. Read More>>

Jenny Jimenez-Sullivan

I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had started my creative career sooner. Writing and storytelling were always there—quietly present in my life—but for many years they lived in the background while I focused on other responsibilities. I was an Educator for over 20 years, raising three sons and taking care of my family and my students. Read More>>

Ameerah Shabazz

I wish I had started earlier because now I understand the weight of my voice. I understand how art is not just art, its inheritance. I see how many stories were waiting inside of me. My creativity is made of the timing of my life experiences – they are old griot stories of lives – my life. Read More>>

Jasmin Pannu

I love my path. I was able to study psychology and sociology and work in marketing analytics and advertising before pursuing art full-time. I feel I was able to bring a lot of what I learned in school and the workplace and apply it to my creative practice. That way I was able to position myself as more than just a skilled artist. Read More>>

Mariah Morrison

I know that I started my content creation journey at the perfect time in my life. I began diving into skincare and self care as a way to improve my mental health as I was facing challenges managing my anxiety and depression. Read More>>

Diane Bator

I’ve been writing since I was a kid but was never taken seriously by anyone except my teachers. At university, I took English courses but found them overwhelming. I wanted to learn to write, not examine the classics! My boyfriend at the time suggested I study something more relevant. Like business. To please him, I got my business diploma before we got married. Read More>>

Liam Donafee

I like to tell myself ‘everything happens the way its suppose to & at the perfect time’. Although I believe that & it gives me peace, I still wish i started sooner. I think everyone does. Time & youth is valuable, of course i wish i could of known what i know now at an earlier time, but it isss what it isss. Read More>>

Heath Biller

I definitely wish I had started sooner. I spent over ten years working in healthcare, but toward the end, I realized my interests had shifted; I found myself constantly reading books and articles about finance rather than keeping up with healthcare journals. Read More>>