How I made money in my first year as a full-time performance artist
I haven’t worked at my office job in over three years and I wouldn’t trade my life experience for anybody else’s. Working in a 9-to-5 setting never served my nervous system well and I’ve always been a passionate spirit that moves from a place of joy and freedom.
After leaving 10 years in the education space, in 2020 I was laid off from a dream management position at a brand new fitness start up. My dreams were crushed twice in a row and with Covid lockdowns, travel restrictions, and venue capacity limits debuting as a solo artist seemed like an impossible feat. Even though the world outlook looked bad, I refused to go back to the 9-5 world. I placed all beats on myself and became determined to multiply my income revenue streams through my creative abilities.
Whether you are a artist like myself, a model, photographer, or any other small creative business, we have all experienced financial instability in this post-pandemic era. Today, in order for a creative to have any form of financial stability they must become an entrepreneur. This means you have to develop multiple streams of income to finance your creative skills.
The entrepreneurship world can be a tough space if you are creative, mostly because we love to do our art from the heart, which often means we go without proper compensation or recognition. Regardless, if you can learn how to monetize your skills, you can easily increase your streams of income - with or without that dreadful 9 to 5 that you hate going to every day.
I often tell people that I am a full-time burlesque artist and creative entrepreneur. People still seem to be confused by how I make a living from my creative endeavors, so I’ve learned to be more open about my roadmap. I’m very much still figuring out how to increase my value but I have found success in a number of ways.
Here is a breakdown of my income, during my first year performing as a solo artist:
Teaching group fitness classes
During the first two years of the pandemic, this was my main source of income. At the peak of my teaching schedule, I was leading 10 to 12 high intensity classes a week.
Most instructors are now considered full-time over 10 classes but as a performer, this became incredibly taxing on my body. Today I have reduced my class load to two classes a week at Joy Of Motion Dance Center and EQUINOX. The most lucrative teaching opportunity manifested in December 2022 when I started teaching my own burlesque workshops.
Live performances
The first time I saw the average rate for a burlesque dancer in DC my heart fell into my butt. I tried to do the math a million ways, but I quickly learned that I had to diversify my income.
I’m still new to the burlesque world so I am performing on a wide range of stages…. Meaning my pay still varies but I have quickly elevated my value by investing in my costumes and overall brand. Performing is my favorite way to generate income, but can be very time and energy consuming.
User generated content
Even though I am signed to a commercial modeling agency most of my modeling work has come in the form of social media content creation. Even though the space is highly competitive UGC is a great place for small creators with loyal followings on Instagram and TikTok. Reaching out to brands can be time consuming, but the results are worth the payout!
Community organizing
If you enjoy being in the community, connecting with other passionate people, and leading good, causes a great way to make side income is to become a community organizer. This is a revenue stream I have had since college and living in DC. Makes the process even easier to get into as a beginner. This is a spiritually rewarding, but emotionally draining activity. And my experiences were always best when I had a consulting relationship with a nonprofit organizations I serviced.
Reselling old clothes
For a long time I was a luxury girly, so keeping good quality close has been a hobby of mine. If you have way too many pieces in your closet, order a thread up bag, had to your local uptown cheapskate, or find a local consignment shop to sell your items. Not a ton of money but it is definitely going to fill up your gas tank or pay for a few meals.
Social media management
Enjoy social media and already spent a lot of time swiping this is a great side hustle for you. I usually service 2 to 5 clients out of Time by hoping to manage their social media campaigns and create fresh organic content. This is a very time consuming practice, but the price tag is also very high.
Merchandise
If you know, I own an e-commerce candle boutique with my partner. This has brought in a significant amount of income. The start up costs were expensive and candle pouring is time-consuming. If there is a product you are passionate about and can ethically sourced this avenue of income can be very lucrative.
Keep in mind that my income fluctuates from month to month. An important note to make is that I am very aggressive about my work life balance strategies throughout the seasons. I do not work when I am tired and I do my best to remain consistent with my daily rituals, rules, and routines.
If you are a creator reading this, I hope you realize there are many ways to generate income for yourself. The take away is that it is important to understand the importance of diversifying your income streams. If you need assistance and organizing your skill sets so that you can monetize your various gifts feel free to email me. I am happy to share the information I have learned the way!
Finally, take time to rest so that you can rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit throughout the year. Burn out is real and the best way to prevent this is to plan ahead and stay organized. Allow the dreams in your heart to flourish with time. If you can believe it you can achieve it!
