About eight years ago, I was a professional dancer with a dream and a website. I'd built The Working Dancer, a career hub for dancers and adjacent creatives that got plenty of traffic and praise — but my bank account wasn't feeling the standing ovation.
Sound familiar? Like many creatives, I had the passion and the platform, but I struggled with the whole "making money" part. Fast forward through years of trial, error, and lots of pivots, and I've learned that monetizing your work isn't about choosing between your creative spirit and a healthy bank account — it's about choreographing them to work together (see what I did there).
Whether you're a former performer like me, a welder who moonlights as lead guitarist, or a corporate escapee with a knack for watercolors, here are 10 ways to turn your creative gifts into actual freelance income (yes, the kind that pays bills!).
1. Package Your Magic (Done for You & Done with You)
I tried charging by the hour for career coaching. It kinda works, but it’s mostly chaos or crickets. At the time, I mostly wanted to make a sale, ANY sale. So, I compromised on price and longevity, against money-making best practices.
Now I know the value of offering packages for my strategy sessions. It’s not only about creating predictable, repeatable income streams. It’s also about ensuring your client stays with you long enough to get the transformation they came for.
So as you build your own freelance body of work, consider creating clear, compelling bundles that solve specific problems. For instance, my "Premium Path Accelerator" (Done for You) includes strategy, messaging, and action plans, while my "Multi-Hyphenate Mastery Circle" (Done with You) guides clients through creating many of those things on their own.
💡 PRO TIP: Name your packages something memorable – "The Complete Brand Metamorphosis" sounds way better than "Business Package A."
2. Rock Paid Content Partnerships
That blog you're pouring your heart into? It can pay the bills, especially since many brands are hungry for authentic voices. Start by identifying companies that align with your values and audience. For The Working Dancer, for example, I could have partnered with dance job boards like Answers 4 Dancers, for content collaborations to extend their reach. Your unique perspective and people are your golden ticket.
3. Welcome Sponsors & Ads (Without Selling Your Soul)
Yes, you can monetize your platform without feeling like a billboard. Start by choosing sponsors that make sense for your audience. For instance, Answers 4 Dancers from #2 on the list could have also been a great partner for sponsored content. Instead of collaborating on blog posts, they could have paid for promotional spots in my blogs, podcasts, or workshops.
4. Snag Corporate Contracts
This is one of my favorite, secret strategies. Companies need your creative superpowers more than ever because layoffs (and other workforce changes) have impacted budgets and team capacity. Your "random" background? That's your secret weapon here. All the production skills I picked up in my dance career — I leveraged that to land a contract with a nonprofit Comms team. And that contract helped me leave my corporate career for good so I can focus on CareerSteward.co.
5. Build Membership Magic
Consider creating a space where your people want to hang out (and pay you to do so). Think exclusive content, community, or monthly masterminds. The first membership I attempted through The Working Dancer was a mess — great content, but I didn’t know how to offer it as a solution to my online community’s career problems. Now, I love including group experiences as an accessible way for new creatives to work with me.
6. Platform Power (Yes, Even Upwork)
Listen. If only platforms were a thing eight years ago. I would have happily parlayed my writing or production skills for additional income while I built my blog. Platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, just to name a few, can be launching pads, not forever homes. You can use them strategically to build your portfolio and client base. Plus, entrepreneurs like me LOVE finding extra hands on those sites.
7. Consult with Confidence
Your expertise is valuable — yes, even if you think it's "just" something you're good at. Consider packaging your knowledge into consulting packages for individuals or corporate clients. The difference here (from #4) is that with consulting you’re not doing the work yourself. You’re being paid for what you know, while the client does the work.
8. Teach What You Know
Remember that thing you wished someone had taught you? Teach that. That’s exactly what I was doing through The Working Dancer, and what I’m doing now through Career Steward — teaching everything I wish I’d known when I was starting my professional journeys. Live courses, workshops, or async curriculum are just a few ways you can accomplish your version of that.
9. License Your Genius
The main takeaway in licensing: create once, profit many times. Templates, frameworks, or curriculum — if you've built something that works, others will pay to use it (over and over). In my previous blog, I could have built a short course around my freelance dance framework and licensed it to college dance programs or studios. Artists can license their sketches to apparel companies. Think outside the box on this one.
10. Share Your Story (Get Paid to Speak)
Your journey is unique, and people want to hear about it. Speaking gigs can range from paid keynotes to workshop facilitation to even panels. Start local, then think global. My early speaking gigs were a number of career panels for dance programs and intensives. Now, I frequent international podcasts to extend my reach, and I use resources like iFindYouClose to help find speaking opportunities at various conferences.
11. Land Writing Gigs in Major Publications
Think writing for big publications is only for "real" journalists? Plot twist: Your unique perspective and lived experience is exactly what editors are looking for. Whether it's responding to journalist queries on X/Twitter (look for #journorequest) or crafting the perfect pitch to your dream publication, paid writing gigs can both boost your income and your credibility. I started by pitching dance magazines early on, and I’ve since written for lots of esteemed publications (and I was paid for them all, too).
💡 PRO TIP: Start with industry-specific publications where your background gives you instant credibility, then expand to wider-reaching outlets that pay even better rates.
Ready to Transform Your Creativity into Income?
Your diverse background isn't a liability — it's your superpower. Whether you're a multi-passionate creative or a specialist with a twist, there's a way to monetize your gifts that feels authentic to you.
Remember: Your younger self didn't fail, she was just rehearsing for this moment. Now, let's get you paid for being uniquely, wonderfully you.
Want to another way to monetize your creative work? Click the button below to join our free 'Need a Creative group, where talented creatives connect with forward-thinking entrepreneurs and leaders who want to contract them.
