By far the most common conversation we have with the folks we interview is about work-life balance. Starting a business or pursuing a creative career makes finding work life balance really tough because there is no clear start and end to one’s work day. We’ve shared some of our conversations on the topic below.

Marisa Gehrig

I’ve always had trouble finding the right work/life balance, and honestly, I still haven’t cracked the code. I usually juggle at least two jobs at once—having variety keeps me engaged, and the extra income definitely helps. As a freelancer, I always try to set aside a little money for slower periods. That said, balancing everything can get tricky, and I’m often guilty of relying on way too much caffeine to power through the day. It’s a work in progress, but focusing on mental health has definitely been key in preventing burnout. Read More>>

Arreanna Marko

Three years ago, my life was consumed by an endless cycle of studying and anxiety. As a student, every moment away from my textbooks felt like a betrayal of my academic goals. The simple act of meeting friends for coffee or taking a walk in nature would trigger waves of guilt and stress. My mind was constantly racing with thoughts of what I should be studying or reviewing instead of being present in these moments. Read More>>

Kelly Fowble

As a small business owner who’s also a work from home, stay-at-home mom, balance is key! I started The Thrifty Handmade when I was 39 weeks pregnant with my second baby. My oldest was two years old. From baby wearing at markets to pushing a double stroller through thrift stores, my girls have been part of my business from the start. I’ve learned that finding a balance also means going at my own pace. I dream of opening a storefront one day, but being a mom will always come first!  Read More>>

Esti Beauchemin

Art has always been a part of my life but my main goal and focus is my education. I’m about 2 years away from my bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, meanwhile I manage a computer repair shop on the side. Since releasing my art into the world in 2019, it’s been fun for me to draw inspiration from my work and school life. I’ve been experimenting with adding electrical wires to my work and I plan to add more technology based aspects in the future. As for school, I am learning in depth about the human body and mixing man and machine. This has inspired one of my latest pieces, Three of Swords, which features an anatomically accurate human heart. The more involved I get into this field of study, the more this will reflect in my art. I think by using art as an outlet for my daily tasks it sustains the balance. Read More>>

Tamara Gould

This is something that I think about quite a bit. I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as “balance”. Rather, it has to do with focus. What I focus on and when. In order for me to get anything done in the way that I want it done, to the level that I want it done, I have to give it my full attention. It could be how to reply to a tricky client, or what color palette will work best across 2D, 3D and the digital dimension, how I can make my daughter’s track meet and still have my scheduled zooms and meet the print deadline. Read More>>

Meridian Culoepper

When I first entered the industry, I had a lot of personal attachment to the work I did. It could be a really good thing because I was able to come up with all sorts of solutions to problems that emerged at work and I connected with both the material and my colleagues very well. But it also became a big problem because when something I created didn’t make the cut – or for example, when I was laid off in 2023, I took those things extremely personally. Read More>>

Joseph Hartshorn

Work life balance is really hard. Both when you really love your craft and when you are freelance. For most of my career, my focus was work. I had days where I was on set working and there were days at home prepping gear, waiting for work. And even though I wasn’t on the clock getting paid, I was spending most of those days thinking about how to improve my workflow, reading gear manuals for every piece of equipment I could potentially use, scrolling through the sound mixer social media groups and forums looking for used equipment or work, and maintaining my equipment. I would still do other things, but my mind was always thinking about sound non-stop. Honestly, it was a great time, I love sound, but it wasn’t sustainable for me to focus on my job and not focus on myself. Read More>>

Laura Soto

Balancing work and life is an amorphous thing for me as my home is also my studio. Living with my sculptures and paintings adds an intimacy and accumulated history to my pieces that I never want to be without. The balance really shifted a few years ago when I began living alone – having full control over the space is delicious and allows more room (literally and figuratively) for experimentation. Read More>>

Mykee Selkin

I’ve been an actor and model for over 20 years, I’m also an active dad, a real estate investor (and sometimes day trader), plus this year I’m launching a new passion project called The Dope Dad Club. I can say without a doubt: work-life balance can be hard to find! There’s always something I could be doing to move my business and my career forward. For instance, it could be an audition that needs to be taped ASAP but my son is having a raucous playdate in the next room. Read More>>

Mirage Perry

Balance is everything. I have been an entrepreneur since 2009 and my balance is ever evolving. As I learn to balance the things on my plate, I am periodically checking in to make sure that my schedule still makes sense. One of the things that leads me to balance is being efficient. Im a firm believer that efficiency creates time and time allows for more things to get done. Being self employed has allowed me to level the worlds of self, family and work. Read More>>