There is so much to learn from investments that went really well as well as those that went really poorly and so we asked some of the wisest creatives and entrepreneurs in the community to tell us the stories of their best and worst investments.

Tristine Davis

The best investment I made was in 2014 I purchased underwater housing for my camera. I was given the opportunity by my cousin to borrow underwater housing and I fell in love instantly. I grew up around the water diving and fishing so when I jumped in the pool for the first time with my camera in underwater housing I was blown away by how much I loved it. Read more>>

Tasha Wilson

The best investment I made was in myself. Becoming reacquainted with my identity beneath the surface. Owning and honoring the certainty of who I am as a woman, a survivor, and overall, as a creative. The traumatic experiences of my past engulfed me like a garment, making it hard for me to acknowledge who I was or recognize my voice outside of what I was accustomed to. Read more>>

Jason Jackson

Investing in supplies to customize shoes. When I first heard about customizing shoes, I thought it was the dumbest idea ever, and a complete waste of time. I had never picked up an airbrush, even though I always wanted to learn. The competitive side of me won over and I dove into researching customizing shoes. Read more>>

Nehir Onay

The worst investment, without a doubt, is time. It’s the one resource that, once spent, cannot be replenished. In the pursuit of various projects and engagements, there have been instances where what initially appeared as a promising investment of time, energy, and sometimes even financial resources turned out to be less rewarding than anticipated. Read more>>

Luz Ozuna

My best investment has 100% been auditioning and then enrolling in The Stella Adler Studio of Acting’s 2-year Evening Conservatory. I knew I wanted to act and I also knew that the few NYU acting classes I took sporadically throughout college weren’t going to cut it. The 2-year conservatory gave me an amazing foundation that I still use when on set and/or stage. Read more>>

CloudNine

As a musician I would say the best investment I have ever made was in beats and mixes from producers rather than using YouTube and mixing it myself. When you have a professional mixing your vocals the audience can really hear the difference. Same with the beats, you can hear the difference in sound quality between a beat off of youtube and a WAV file sent straight from the producer. Read more>>

LaNyja Bright

The Best Investment that I made is to cultivate the seeds of gifts that was already planted in me from birth. It’s something about being an artist- you can see the potential of a thing and formulate a plan to execute the vision. I had to do that for myself. See me as the masterpiece that had to be shizzled, molded, sculpted, sanded, and polished. Read more>>

Shadi Eccles

The best investment I have made over the years- is time for myself. Working on myself in many different ways allowed me to show up and be more present for my artwork and my clients. I worked hard and became appointment only, now each client gets my full undivided attention between their ideas, design, and well being during the appointment. Read more>>

Jaqueline Cedar

Best investment post grad school was carving out physical space for making. I remember meeting with an old undergrad professor after finishing my graduate degree and sharing that I was nervous about investing in an additional monthly rent for studio space. New York was already so expensive and I had only just started to make enough money to stay afloat. Read more>>

Madeline Peng Miller

About a year and a half after I’d graduated from college, I found myself at a major crossroads in my life, regarding my health and daily routines. I was feeling incredibly stuck in some detrimental habits and I made a firm decision to shed them in exchange for a better and more fulfilling lifestyle. To build it, I’d decided I had to add some thoroughly enriching activities to my life and schedule, including new cooking routines, gymnastics classes, and live figure drawing sessions. Read more>>