This is part of my Hungry Artist series.

When you least need them, it’s when they most want you.

Right now, you probably want someone to help you get successful. You want someone to come along like a publisher, a producer, an agent, an investor, and change everything for you. They’ll recognize the work, open the right doors, and finally, the struggle will be over.

They only want you when you’ve already “made it”. That’s hard to grasp and deal with.

This isn’t a statement of despair, it’s a statement of power. Because once it sinks in, once it’s truly understood, it shifts everything. It means the control is in your hands. It means the path forward isn’t about waiting, it’s about building.

Also, do you really want to need them, wouldn’t you rather make it your way and then they come along and need you. Why would they need you, well because you are making great art that connects with people, and they need great creatives like you.

Don’t wait on them, they are waiting for you to make the great stuff. So let’s get making.

The system wasn’t built for everyone

Creative industries have never been designed to support the sheer number of people trying to make a living within them. The traditional structures, publishing houses, record labels, galleries, film studios, were built for a time when there were fewer gatekeepers but also fewer opportunities. Now, the landscape has shifted. The industry has expanded, but the traditional pathways have not kept up. And yet, many still hold onto the idea that breaking in is the only way forward.

There’s another path, that Robert Frost path. One that doesn’t rely on outdated structures or someone else’s approval. One that puts the power back where it belongs, with the creator, the artist, with you.

Think like an entrepreneur

To build a sustainable creative life, the mindset must shift. It’s not just about creating great work, it’s about treating creativity like a business. Not in a soulless, corporate way, but in a way that values independence, adaptability, and direct connection with an audience. When I started out 20 years ago I wanted to be a director, not even a writer. I wanted to direct someone else’s screenplays. Then I started writing and loved it. Then I started producing and loved it. Then I started pivoting to find other things and loved that too. Eventually somehow, all that stuff got me loving the business side of the movie business.

But this isn’t to say that’s the route you have to take. You can focus on the one thing you love creatively, you DON’T have to pivot. It’s super important I say that, because I know for some artists it feels like you have to be someone you’re not.

Being an “entrepreneur” doesn’t mean you have to change course, it just means to add a little new concepts into what you are already doing.

Things like creating multiple streams of income. It means thinking beyond traditional job structures and embracing models like crowdfunding, direct sales, and digital products. It means treating creative work as both art and asset. If you’re a photographer and you are growing your audience to find people to buy your photography, maybe you would also enjoy teaching a course once a month at a local community center for teenagers that are interested in photography.

Not every income stream has to be online and digital. You can do things locally and in person that not only may bring you joy but also give you the ability to keep practicing at your craft.

It is very likely you already possess the skills needed to make this shift. The ability to tell stories, to connect emotionally, to create compelling experiences, these are the very things that drive successful independent ventures.

Building instead of waiting

Instead of waiting for a gatekeeper’s approval, build something of your own. If the opportunities aren’t there, create them. If the jobs are scarce, find ways to generate income through creativity on your own terms.

• Offer services to brands, companies, or fellow creatives.

• Build a direct audience through newsletters, memberships, or subscription models.

• Create digital products, courses, templates, exclusive content.

• Use platforms like Patreon, Gumroad, or Shopify to sell directly.

• Leverage social media for collaboration, not just promotion.

• Look at your creative community locally from YMCA, to community theatre, community college, youth centers, and see if what you create can be valuable for them.

• Look at EVERY single event taking place in your city from concerts, to farmers markets, from community theatre to marathon races. Is it possible to set up a little table or stand to sell your art. Think outside of the box of just art fairs and sell where others aren’t.

This isn’t an easy road, but it’s a sustainable one. And more importantly, it’s a path where the creator, not the industry, holds the power.

Guess what, while you are doing all of those things, not only is your work getting better, but also it’s getting shared. Your name is getting shared. Those are things that can also bring the right people to you.

The future is in collaboration

No one succeeds alone. The traditional industry models thrives on competition, but the independent creator model thrives on collaboration. Partnering with others, sharing audiences, and lifting each other up is the way forward. The internet has made this easier than ever. Creators can connect across industries, share knowledge, and build ecosystems of support outside of traditional gatekeepers.

Not only is it a business support but also it’s a empathetic and human support. Sometimes you need someone to talk to who is probably going through the same struggles as you or has already gone through those struggles. I love collaboration both for the artistic community connection but also that more friendship human connection.

Own the process, own the future

The dream isn’t dead. It’s just different. The landscape has changed, and with it, the way creatives must navigate their careers. The sooner this is embraced, the sooner real progress can be made.

No one is handing you your career. But that’s not a bad thing.

Because that means you can build it yourself. Honestly, that’s always way more worthwhile.

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