Often we don’t have to reinvent the wheel to learn something new – we can just ask experts in the field who can draw on their experience to enlighten us. Below, we’ve shared insights insiders from various industries have shared with us.

TaLesha Oliver: Content Creator and Influencer

The one misconception about bloggers/influencer is, we just take pictures all day. That is totally false. As a one woman show, I wear a number of hats. In a reel I posted on my instagram, I shared a few roles influencer have in their business, the photographer, makeup artist, hair stylist, stylist, and more. The photos, videos, and blog post are results of hours or days of research and planning. The sponsored posts are results of pitching and negotiating our value to brands. I am believing for the day I will outsource to make room for creative freedom, but I am using what I have and making the best of it. Read more>>

Ren of 4VR: Producer & Artist

Music is a full time job. It’s more than music, is building and maintaining a brand and always trying to find new was to reinvent yourself. It’s a full time job that doesn’t pay you every day until you start reaching higher levels. It takes everything you’ve got to make this happen. Read more>>

Mikeha: Artist & Fashion Designer

There is a plethora of things that people are unaware of about art and about being an artist. The biggest thing, I would say is that people think what we do is easy and it’s nothing like that at all. Yes were born with talents but that doesn’t make it easy. We always get hit with the “I wish I could just sit at home all day and draw” like were children scribbling on the sidewalk. Art is nothing like that. Our souls are literally being poured into each piece with correction after correction to make the perfect painting. We also have to have customer service skills, know how to run a business, and know how to balance our personal lives all in one. Read more>>

Edward Chiang: Career Counselor

What I have learned in the past 3 years is that in the career services industry, the intellectual property for any organization or business comes from its clients. You see, our success comes from our clients willingness to be vulnerable, honest, and courageous. When they commit to this mindset, then they would be empowered to pursue and reach their career aspirations. Read more>>

C. Robinson: Director of Agape Performing Arts Inc.

The Performing Arts are forms of creative activities of expression that are performed in front of an audience i.e., Band, Drama, Dance, Music. These activities of expression have been used as a tool that has allowed communities of color to live and see beyond their current circumstance for generations. Seven skills needed to succeed in The Performing Arts are: 1. Confidence 2. The ability to network and market yourself 3. Resilience 4. An analytical mind and the ability to self-reflect 5. Flexibility 6. Teamwork 7. Organization and time management. Black performance opens a space of experience towards transformations of knowledge, ethnicity, self, and communal learning that must be emphasized in today’s urban classroom curriculum. Growing bodies of research suggests that the Arts offer a creative space for activities of expression, which signifies a unique prolific climate, which enables all five domain factors to be nurtured. Read more>>

Aina Brei’Yon: Award Winning Music Producer, Independent Artist, Author and Entrepreneur.

The music industry is a very surface level, superficial industry. Your community does not support you until mainstream supports you. Keeping this is mind, it’s no surprise that only the strong minded and highly dedicated creatives achieve success. Read more>>