Passions, Hustling and the Unknown
We are groomed to believe that specialization and following a specific path is the key to success. Whether it’s pursuing a career in the degree you hold or staying in the career you began, at times it feels as though we are stuck.
This expectation is the very reason why I do what I do — work on my passions and hustle in different industries, even if the outcome is unknown. My dad told me since I was a little girl that I’ll never work a day in my life if I’m doing something I love, and that’s what drives me in every aspect of my life.
I am a firm believer in “do what you love, love what you do” and the balance and peace of mind you find in it. I am a firm believer in self-care and being healthy in my mental energy. Doing things that you’re passionate about, things that keep you motivated when you wake up in the morning, things that make you want to tell the world your story, is what brings you to that balance and mental health. When you immerse yourself in these endeavors, you can’t help but have a smile on your face and weight lifted off your shoulders. That isn’t to say that it’s going to be smooth sailing ’til the end — duh — but in my experience, the pure fact that I’m doing what I love motivated me to push through the hard times.
Ever since I was old enough to get a job, I dipped my toes in several different fields, in hopes that I would find just the right one. You name it, I’ve done it: from being a waitress and all the way to art and marketing. I changed my major twice because my interests and passions change as I grow, and I am still unaware of where my career will take me when I graduate in December. The thought of settling for something I knew wouldn’t challenge or excite me was the driving force of my wading in different waters.
At first, I thought it would be taboo to “job hop” and explore my options, worrying that following my interests could only harm my resume, not build it — all the while pursuing a degree in Art History. I was always told that you should stick to your field and avoid deviation because that’s what will get you hired.
There is a misconception that every college graduate settles into a career directly related to the fancy piece of paper sitting under their bed, untouched since graduation. False — only 27% of graduates are employed in their field of study, according to the Washington Post. In fact, I know several individuals who graduated with PoliSci or Business degrees and ended up in nonprofit work or the arts. Education is beneficial, but clearly does not define you or the career path you must follow, unlike a time (not too long ago) when not everyone had the opportunity to attend university.
In high school and my first couple years of college, I worked retail, waitressed— the typical get-through-college jobs. In June of 2018, I was approached with an offer to handle social media and marketing for a real estate agent, something I had zero experience in. Why would I take it?
Like my friend, and Co-Founder/COO of Day Dreamer App,
“being a multipotentialite is when you’re so used to being a beginner, it’s easier each time to learn new skills and traits.”
— Kelsey Peterson, Multipotentialite
I jumped on this opportunity, not only for the money and prestige of a “big girl job” as an undergraduate, but to add a new experience to my laundry list of knowledge in various fields. As Kelsey said, we enjoy the freedom and art of being a beginner and strengthening our skill of quickly and easily acquiring new skillsets. Sure enough, I learned more in those six months than I did in most of my college courses combined, and I can honestly say that about any job I’ve taken. I didn’t know at the time that a position like this could open up various doors to future endeavors, whether it is in my degree’s industry or not.
It turns out that it did.
Because of my extensive portfolio of experience, I was given the opportunity to follow two things I am whole-heartedly passionate about: creative collaboration and the arts.
Before leaving my job in the real estate realm and moving into my current role, I was given the opportunity to participate in 3 Day Startup. 3DS entailed giving up 72 hours of free time to learn entrepreneurial skills nonstop, in an intense weekend of pitches, mentoring and panels. Instead of lazing around that weekend, I followed my curiosity and decided to be a go-getter and immerse myself in the foreign world of startups and the entrepreneurial mindset. Being from the UT College of Fine Arts, like the rest of the participants were mostly from the McCombs School of Business, I once again was placed in an industry unfamiliar to me, but learned more about myself, my strengths and weaknesses, than I could’ve imagined.
This is where I met Mary Walker and Kelsey Peterson, Co-Founders of Day Dreamer App, brought on as mentors — and we really hit it off. While interviewing to be part of the DD Team, I realized it was a good thing I didn’t condense my resume by removing the “less important” jobs, like my time as a waitress and working retail. They were impressed that I had knowledge in a number of industries, was curious and anything but lazy—essentials to succeed at a startup. They hired me immediately.
Ever since I was a little girl I was passionate about art and music, and my parents told me time and time again that I would pursue a career in the arts; however, I relentlessly refuted these claims and boasted my interest in Business. Ew. But low and behold, they were right. By continuing my interest in business, while also being active in the art industry, I was able to fuse these endeavors together. One semester into my freshman year of college and I was already convinced that my calling lies in the art world, and my passions are fired by art, music, and fashion. I am surrounded by creative individuals day to day in my personal life, and encouraging them to create and share with the world is something I aim to do. This is why being part of Day Dreamer is my daydream. I love nothing more than supporting and celebrating the creative journeys of my fellow creatives.
A fellow Day Dreamer and female badass, Cassandra Shankman (a.k.a. DJ CASS&RA) has spent her life gaining as much experience she possibly could from a young age. She was born into a family that loved music — she grew up studying music, specifically piano, from the age of 3, and was constantly surrounded by music. Cassie’s musical interest grew when her family moved to London, where she was inspired by her exposure to the arts, music and drama scene. When her family moved back to Texas, she continued studying music but had an interest in medicine, which would lead her to music therapy later on. In college, Cassie picked up odd jobs left and right, like most of us do, and spent time working in a spa, distributing flyers to classrooms, interning for a local art non-profit — you name it, she also did it.
By the time Cassie had graduated, she worked at a recording company handling cold-calls, interned in orchestration at UT, sold glasses out of a retail trailer and accepted a position as a marketing coordinator for a tech startup —
“I really do owe it to this company for teaching me organizational and professional tools that I am grateful now for running my own business.”
Regardless of the industry, Cassie held onto her love of music. Ultimately, the skills she gained from each and every one of those out-of-industry roles would be the very experiences she would need to follow her dreams and get to where she is today. After working for a music therapy project for a couple years, she has transitioned to full-time DJ in Austin and runs her own business.
There are so many things I’ve learned, so this is hard, as it all has made me who I am today. All these experiences have helped me learn about various industries and helped me meet so many people — which attributes to my success today! It taught me more about professionalism in all different kinds of settings, as well as working with different people, different expectations, different styles. I’ve also learned that sometimes we set out to follow our dreams and they turn into something else that we never thought was out there — and it’s even better than what I dreamed.
— Cassandra Shankman, Entrepreneur
Like many others, there was a time where taking risks was the last thing I would do when presented with a new opportunity (like when I was asked to pose for their new product line during my role with Outdoor Voices — never done that before!). Now, taking these risks — even if they are in a new field, unaware of how long they will last or how they will turn out — has tremendously helped me to stop feeling stuck. This realization brings me to where I am today: working in Social Media for both Day Dreamer and Austin Auction Gallery, feeling confident in my professional skills and abilities.
I promise you are not stuck.
As much as the world tries to tell you that there is something to do, and the right way to do it, there isn’t. We all experience this journey differently, in different fields, at different paces, and in different mental states. Regardless of who you are and what you do, you have the opportunity to take these risks and see where they take you — it will almost always feel like the outcome is completely unknown. But that’s the beauty of following your dreams: by hustling and pursuing your passions, you will positively grow and change along the way.
We hope you enjoyed our blog post written by Day Dreamer’s very own, Abby Sharp, Social Media + Marketing intern. If this resonates with you, we’d appreciate the share and a clap for her incredible work!
Abby is one of many creative individuals who is looking for collaborators for their creative projects. Join the Day Dreamer community by downloading the app, available for both iOS & Android. Have feedback? We’re always looking for further ways to help the artists in our community, so let us know!
The Day Dreamer community believes in amplifying the voices of the creatives that live + breath in our regional communities. If you have a creative story to tell, email us at hello@daydreamerapp.com or directly submit to the Day Dreamer App publication.
