A New Community:

Jenn Ocken launches Thriv
to help crush 'the starving artist myth'

Read more of what the Advocate
has to say about THriv and the waves Jenn is making

JENN'S STORY

    Hello I’m Jenn and I have been labeled a "creative type.” Yep one of those! I know there are people who think we live on another planet & are just lost wanderers. We are the folks who are labeled “starving artists.” Oh, and it’s assumed we are willing to do something, no anything, for free just for exposure!

    But as a Creative, I actually support my dreams, lifestyle, and wellbeing by capturing images of people and things for . . . (get this!) . . . money. My reality is crushing the “starving artist” myth.

    As you may know, if you too are a creative making money, this didn’t happen over night. Believe me, I didn’t always have “it” together, & truthfully, most days I still consider myself lucky if my butt is attached and I get out the door with matching shoes on my feet!

    In my twenties, I spent time hanging out with other Creatives who seemed to be way luckier than me. They had their shizz all together. I secretly hoped their creative mojo would magically rub off on me! I showed up with the fake-it-til-you-make-it attitude; a front that hid my bruised ego. I questioned why I was even there. Am I even smart enough to figure it out if their magic mojo does rub off on me?  Did I even deserve to get what they got?”

    I watched as these Creatives collaborated to produce amazing projects. They could afford sweet stylish clothes, lived in the funkiest neighborhoods, & surrounded themselves with all the “right” people. You know . . . our dream clients who appreciate creativity & actually spend money on the things we Creatives, well, create.

    One day I found myself sitting at the table over a bowl of noodles in my brother’s apartment, wondering how long I could defer my student loans & filling out yet another application for a bar down the street. I was contemplating whether to even give this photography thing a go. I mean, I had the safe university degree and I hadn't even gone to school for this photography stuff!

    So there I was sitting at the crossroads most Creatives hit pretty early in their careers. I realized how hard I was working at “side jobs” took up most of my time, and worse yet, my creative energy. The roadblocks were fighting the drive that was burning inside saying, “Follow your creativity.” But the money, ahhh the money, came from the black hole we call supplemental income. And there I was falling into the “starving artist” myth; starving myself of the creativity my heart & soul so longed to master.

    So why did I choose to take the road I desired instead of the safe highway to paying off those student loans? I realized I had a bag of tricks gifted to me when I was in college. You see, with my “safe” college degree I was required to get a business administrative minor. This foundation gave me the means to understand how to solve business problems & how to develop standard operating procedures, resulting in more time to create. It gave me insight into how marketing worked, whom to market to, how to estimate jobs, & the power of personal selling.  It was the knowledge from this foundation that helped me overcome rejection, failure, roadblocks, and naysayers. Because of this education, I was able to choose the path I desired the most: the not-so-starving-artist Creative I was supposed to be!

    Ok, so you might be thinking, “OH SNAP, now I have to go back to school or take more classes before I graduate?” (Insert super hero music here!) Never fear, unique, beautiful Creative! I am here to save the day & also your wallet.

    I have created an online community filled with lessons structured to give you the same foundation I was exposed at the university BUT paired with 15 years of real life experiences that guided me to being the Creative who looks like she’s got her shizz together. Now remember, I still might not be wearing any shoes, but that's okay, too!

    Let me be honest here; it’s not magical or easy, but it doesn’t have to be at all hard work. I still have to problem solve and evolve by tweaking parts of my foundation to support a growing business. But I can directly credit my stability and creative flow to this very foundation I am giving to you in our thriving online community! I hope you join me there. It’s a fun, unique, diverse, & real place to be!

    So . . . you are a Creative who took the “safe” career path but are now searching for a way to show up for your talents &/or move into a career where your craft supports you instead of you supporting your craft . . . this is for you.

    If you are about to finish school or recently graduated with minimal business advice & foundations from which to start . . . this is for you.
If you have an idea for a niche business but you don’t have the whole foundation package . . . this is for you.

    In our community you will find weekly podcasts, blogs with guest professionals offering sound advice, recordings of past webinars with Q&A sessions, a three-part foundation course that leads you through a series of lessons & exercises that are created to build tools specifically designed with your creativity & craft as the focus, ongoing financial tips, & the opportunity to work one-on-one with me and hear from our other creative cultivators!

    It’s a place to inspire and be inspired. It’s a space to evolve, reflect, question, encourage, develop, create, & thrive.

Wanna know more about the starving artist myth : CLICK HERE (http://jennocken.zenfolio.com/THriv)