Artistic and creative careers are among the most rewarding, but they also come with unique challenges.  We asked some of the city’s best creatives to tell us why they choose to  pursue a creative career.

Lisa Groisman | Concierge Travel Planner

Most people wouldn’t typically consider being a “concierge travel planner” a creative job. However, to me, the creation of everlasting incredible memories is the greatest form of artistry. It’s not creative in the visual way painting is, or in the way singing or dancing can be, but trust me, as a mom of five daughters, trying to find new ways to entertain and delight my girls involves some serious artistry and even a little magic. I take that same art form & use it to delight and create for other families’ moments & memories. I remove the stress from the daily planning and your job is to follow along and let the fun and memories happen. I am a bespoke artist on commission for my clients and this allows me the freedom and outlet to make memories and smiles where others may not. No two trips are ever the same. Each and every travel itinerary I create is all about making sure every step of the way will be perfectly set up for my clients to make magic and memories. Read more>>

Stephanie Pence | Artist & Astrologer

I have pursued a creative career because it’s where my life choices combined with natural talents and intuition have led me. There have been times in my life where I have attempted to trick myself into doing something “normal”, like I at one point I was hilariously a business major at San Francisco State University, but those decisions don’t ever pan out for me. I think I tried taking statistics three times and just couldn’t make it to class. When I got to Art School, I was an A+ student and I would beat myself up if I was five minutes late. So, there ya, not meant to do Statistics. Meant to do make art. My intuition is correct 90% of the time and I have learned to trust it more and more with age. It’s definitely complicated choosing a life path that deviates from the norm, but luckily I have always been supported by my family to follow my own lead and do whatever feels right. I am grateful for that freedom. Read more>>

Lawanda Moore | Lawanda Moore/ CEO, AUTHOR, SPEAKER & MOM

I pursued an artistic career because, one its truly a part of me. I have always been an creative individual. I could literally draw things and it looks exactly like the original copy. When I was eight years old I realized that art was one of my gifts and talent that I actually love. It was a passion that I understood that only God can give one. However, as I continued throughout school from elementary to senior high I was involved in advance art classes in which I had no clue that it would open up doors for me to become creative with hair. Moving forward it was at the age of twelve that I started doing hair and creating my own spin on my clients. With no back ground of doing hair or license to do hair, I always seemed to create a new style and my clients would love it. Which then propelled me to attend Lindnsey Hopkins cosmetology program in 2000; I graduated and became a Certified Cosmetologist. Read more>>

Angelica Nor | Music producer, song writer, and artist

I was born in a very artistic Family. My grandfather was a violinist in the Symphony of Colombia and then in the Symphony of Orlando. My grandmother a classical dancer, and my mother Sandra Sarmiento was a director and choreographer of the dance group “Las Super Notas” in the biggest musical show in Colombia, “El Show de Jimmy”. I have always been interested in art and I have tried many forms such as painting and drawing but the one that really caught my eye was music. Since then I realized I love to perform, write lyrics, produce, and express myself through sound. Read more>>

Veronica Fazzio | Artist, Educator, Mother

I used to feel completed when cooking with my nonna, experiencing the transformation of the cooking ingredients in to food, the manipulation of the dough is the sparkle of my career, the stories of my mother love for history and philosophy were the beginning of my questioning, my father obsessive care for his camera, and my brothers and sister freedom of emotional expression, probably because of my unique Italian-immigrant-crazy and creative family since very young I have a hard time fitting within the standard, many times suffered for seeing myself perceived by others as weird, either because I didn’t find myself comfortable with societal standardized types or politically correct canon. Then I started Art school, and realize that I wasn’t alone, I wasn’t weird, imagination was not only my nation but the nation of other creative minds. Read more>>

EnerJi | DJ, Podcaster, & Multidisciplinary Artist

I never really had a choice. I’ve always been an Artist. I have always been a Creative. In high school I remember re-conceptualizing Descartes’ philosophical statement of “I think, therefore I am” to “I Art, therefore I am”. I instinctively knew that I was meant for a different path. There would be no other way. I was reminded of it time and time again throughout the pursuit of a “professional” career because even when I tried to fit myself into a less creative or “corporate” environment – despite achieving much success – something always got in the way of my feeling any sort of true fulfillment or contentment. Something was always “off”. I’d end up bored, unhappy, undervalued, overworked, over-stressed – or some toxic combination thereof. That’s not to suggest that the pursuit of an artistic or creative career is one without a LOT of work or the presence of stress. It’s just that for your creativity, your purpose, your dreams – all that stuff is worth it. Read more>>