"Why did it catch your eye? That helps you develop your taste." - Sophia Chang Hey guys, welcome back to ONKEN RADIO, the podcast where we explore the body, mind, and soul of the creative entrepreneur. It’s my goal to help you take your creativity, business, and life to the next level. I’m so glad you’re joining me on this journey! For most of us as creative entrepreneurs, the ultimate dream is to create art as our full-time job. It takes a lot of hustling, but the day when you can fully pay the bills just with the money you can make off your creative work is truly a day worth celebrating. But I know I don’t have to tell you that there are a lot of stumbling blocks that can get in your way on that journey. It’s not easy to become a successful creative entrepreneur, but it can be done. It is possible to be a full-time artist and still pay your bills. My guest today is a particular expert in that process. Once Sophia Chang — also known by her alias, Esy Mai — graduated from college, it wasn’t long before she realized she didn’t like the 9-to-5 corporate life. She quit her job and ventured out into the world of freelancing, and today she’s a full-time illustrator and designer. She creates beautiful artwork, she’s one of the top players in the New York City streetwear scene, and she’s even done some work creating graphics for Anthony Bourdain. “I just realized, you know, if I don’t do it, no one else is going to help me. No one’s going to do it for me. I have to do it. If I don’t do it, then all the four years I spent in college is a waste. … And when you start thinking in that pattern, you’re like ‘Dude, I need to do some shit.’” - Sophia Chang I’m truly excited about this interview today. Sophie Chang is an incredible inspiration to me. Her work is incredible, and her story is a testament to the power and drive of the spirit of Creative Alchemy. Let’s dive in. Who Is Sophia Chang? Sophia Chang is an illustrator and designer based in New York City. She works in a variety of fields of design — everything from web design to clothing — and she brings a strong personal style and voice to all of her creative work. Growing up in an Asian household, Sophia initially faced resistance when she began to express a desire to work in a creative field. (“My dad actually, ironically to this day, he still tells people I don’t have a job. … It’s just like, ‘Why can’t you just be a pharmacist?’”) Nevertheless, Sophia attended the Parsons School of Design and earned her BFA in illustration. Not long later, a friend of a friend referred Sophia for a job creating a graphic for the one and only Anthony Bourdain on his show, No Reservations. After creating that first graphic, the Travel Channel approached Sophia about creating illustrations for an entire season of that show, and that was Sophia’s first real job. Since then, Sophia has collaborated with brands like Nike, the NBA, Steve Madden, Complex magazine, and Puma. Currently, she’s about to release her own clothing collection, and she’s getting into the curation side of the art world by curating some illustration shows. Her resume is truly impressive, and I enjoy scrolling through Sophia’s Instagram to see what awesome stuff she’s working on. I’m so pleased to have Sophia on the show today. Her journey to become a full-time creative entrepreneur is the embodiment of “live inspiration.” Also, she has a ton of very practical tips and wisdom that can help anyone make a career out of art. In our interview, we talk about the importance of internships and how they help you develop a variety of skills. We also talk about how we, as artists, can develop a personal taste and style. This interview is full of great information and brilliant inspiration — you’ll be glad you gave it a click. Let’s get started. Internships: Why Experience Is More Important Than Money When you’re first starting out in an artistic career, it’s easy to get discouraged when you don’t immediately...