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.

Jason Hayth

So this is a good question. If I could go back in time I would have started my creative career earlier. Backstory – I did art my whole younger life. I was given the gift of art at a very young age, I learned as an elementary kid how to draw from drawing from my favorite comic book characters. I kept this up through highschool but I was equally talented in sports so my effort when towards that and got me in college playing football and running track. I stopped doing art from 2004 to about 2018. Read more>>

Rachel Lutz

My introduction to pottery was pretty simple: I took a beginner’s class in college as an art elective. I was not a “natural” potter, if that even exists. Everything about working with clay was challenging for me and I wasn’t thrilled with my pieces, but I did fall in love with the process. After that class, I didn’t think I would pursue pottery again, ever. Read more>>

Alyssa Ruggieri

In some aspects yes. I think I put off a creative/artist career path for so long because our society just drills the “poor struggling artist” narrative into our brains. Even though I’ve alway had a family thats been very supportive, I think I was the one who doubted the career path the most. So I tried to switch into other professional roles. Read more>>

Mads & Co

I didn’t start music seriously until I was in college. Growing up I was in a sports household and I was good at soccer so unless It was church related we couldn’t do music related things. I think if I were able to have started music sooner, I’d maybe be a little further along than I am now, but I’ve also been able to experience a lot any way music wise not starting sooner. Read more>>

Marcia Eppich-Harris

I was involved in theatre in high school and college as a byproduct of being a singer. I participated in musicals, and while I was a decent singer, I wasn’t a very good actor — I was way too inhibited at that age — so I didn’t even consider a career in theatre, even though I loved it. I thought music and/or writing would be stronger paths for me to take. However, even as a writer, I didn’t think being a playwright was an option. Read more>>

Tharah LaFrance

If I could go back in time, I would have started my creative career sooner. I started performing at open mics when I was 17 years old in Miami. I’ve always sang in church and school choruses. However, the serious pursuit didn’t strike me until I was in my late 20s. Hindsight, I would have taken more advantage of my youth and connections to get further along in my creative career. Read more>>

Terrence Burke

I jumped into puppetry as an adult in my mid-thirties. The art form had always been an interest, yet I never looked into becoming a professional puppeteer until my father’s sudden death acted as a wake-up call to me, Life is too short not to try and make your dreams come true. I have been pursuing that dream ever since. Read more>>

Andi Reese

Sometimes, I do wish I could go back in time. I think I’m a bit of a product of a confused time in the world, where women were encouraged to do whatever they wanted, and the old school of thought that a woman should pick a path that was better suited for a woman. As a young child, I was always “making” – I got bored with coloring books, probably because I was unable to stay within the lines – so I created with whatever I could get my hands on. Read more>>

Jel Martinez

I feel that if I would of started sooner as far as seeking representation through a gallery I would be farther along in my career. I started to create art at a very young age as a graffiti writer in Miami,Florida in the late 80’s. I also can say I have mixed feelings because if I did start sooner many aspects of my current life would most probably be different. I can honestly say that I am happy about the path I am on at the current time. I do believe that everything comes at its given time. Read more>>

Sarina Byron

If I could go back in time, I would start sending my writing out sooner that I did. I’ve been writing since the age of ten but never sent anything to a magazine, agent or publisher until I was thirty three. That’s 23 years of holding on to an ambition. If I could do it all over again, I would use my weekends, evenings, and any free time to write whatever came to my mind, to meet with writers, do workshops, and keep chipping away at the skills that create a writer. Read more>>

Zalika Johnson

There’s so much beauty in the present. There were lessons and experiences that I had to grow through to confidently share my artistic skills with the understanding that my illustrations and personality bring joy to many hearts. Because of this I’m able to look back with a sense of knowing that time is working with me and not against me. I hardly ever share this story but hopefully it can help someone on their creative journey. Read more>>

Chris Cravens

I was in my mid-forties when I decided to run 10 Gables. At the time, I left a 30-year corporate information technology career. It was so much fun learning to run a small business and my craft at the same time. While I gave it a good run, I quickly realized that to make this type of business successful enough to replace my income, I would have to move to more of a designer role and hire someone to make the products, into the teaching space, or into a bench jewelry role focusing on repairs and appraisals. Read more>>

Christopher Simms

Timing is such an intricate concept. Because we can refer to timing as days, months or years. Or we can refer to timing as being prepared. I wish I was prepared sooner. I wish I had started earlier. But if I’m on God’s timing, then I’m right on time. My journey in music began at an early age. I was born and raised in the church. My parents were pastors. As a pastors kid, you have to know how to do something. Read more>>

David Bonds

I started creating as far as writing in 2013-2014 and officially started recording in 2015. I wasn’t really sure if being an artist was really i wanted to do though so it was something i kept to myself for a while. I was working full time, and heavily invest into a corporate career at this time. With that it was hard to hard to make music a full time thing because my job was demanding. Read more>>

Nadine Béyond

I believe everyone wishes they could go back and do something differently, and of course I’m no different. I used to write poetry in middle and high school, but I didn’t officially start taking it seriously again until I was a senior in college back in 2017. I noticed that there were people were in my path who would give me tips to a trade in which I never thought could be an option: writing. I graduated that year with my bachelors in communication and minor in sociology, because I switched my major at the very last moment! Read more>>

Bree Didier

June 2022 is when I received my broker associate license in Colorado and joined The Gwin Properties Team with RE/MAX Professionals. If I could go back in time, I wish I would have followed my gut and jumped into being a real estate agent Read more>>

Natalie Dee

My story is different from most cosmetic tattooers out there, meaning I don’t have a background in cosmetology or aesthetics. I’ve actually been a bartender for 10 years at Barbarella in downtown Austin. I have a degree in business and had no idea what I was going to do. I first heard about Microblading in 2016 and was very insecure about my eyebrows (basically had Sharpie brows), so I had to try it. Read more>>

Kathy Ha

I would have definitely wanted to start earlier. I started my account in 2020 as a creative outlet since we were all stuck in quarantine. It gave me an opportunity to be creative and bond with other online creators at the time. I joined in a lot of “Bounding Challenges” which was super popular at the time, because it was a way to keep the disney magic alive, and to have a little disney magic at home. Read more>>