By Tristan Forde
Creative endeavours often are done to fulfill an inner or as a source of relief for the person involved. With an ever-changing economy, however, many young people are feeling a rush to get a head start into the workforce and start monetizing the passions they grew up with. It begs the question: is creativity a skill that should be exploited for money?
Nanza Malcolm-Joseph, a first-year fashion student at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) has been creating their own clothing brand by hand since they were in fourth grade and started their own business just a year later. Despite starting at such a young age, Malcolm-Joseph believes students shouldn’t feel ashamed of taking time to monetize their passions.
“If you feel like you need to work on your schooling first, and then start a business after doing that, or if you think you can balance both, I’d say, go for it,” said Malcolm-Joseph.
For young creatives, an interest in the arts can quickly turn into a financial pursuit, whether with a burgeoning fashion brand or a side hustle in the arts. With prices rising and university coming with many expenses, for many, making money is a necessity even while in school.
“Every single thing I’ve done as a hobby has become monetized,” said Malcolm-Joseph. “I can exploit my assets because, at the same time, we live in an economy where money is everything.”
Brad Poulos, a lecturer in the Ted Rogers School of Management at TMU specializes in entrepreneurship coaching and has his own business helping jump-start smaller businesses with financial strategy, consulting and strategic planning.
“Figure out something that you are really good at and that people will pay for and pursue that,” he suggested, adding that getting into the workforce while in school can lead to potential networking opportunities.
While students can freely learn about and indulge in their passions in their respective industries, they also need support. TMU hosts programs like Zone Learning, Career Boost as well as many student-run organizations that offer networking opportunities and career assistance. With or without utilizing these supports, some students have taken it upon themselves to step up and start growing their brands.
“We live in an economy where money is everything”
Malcolm-Joseph has their own clothing brand called Buka Boutique. The Mississauga, Ont. student has been crocheting clothing and accessories since they were nine years old but that doesn’t mean they always had support growing up.
“I had a lot of people doubting my abilities, and thinking because I was young that I wouldn’t be able to be successful,” said Malcolm-Joseph.
As a fashion student, they now get the benefit of practicing their passion under industry experts while building their business at the same time. Despite this heavy workload, Malcolm-Joseph finds they have maintained their devotion.
“While I’m in classes, I’m usually crocheting. And at the same time as me doing my schoolwork, I am running logistics for my business,” they said. “I really feel like my love for fashion has been here and it’ll stay here.”
Joban Virdee, a first-year psychology student at TMU, holds a special place for music in their heart. They said their dream to be a musician lives on even while in school.
“Music is how I get through the day,” said Virdee. “When I think of the music I create, it comes from a really deep part of my soul. I know it’s something that I’d never want to give up.”
Having started singing at the age of seven, Virdee has spent most of their life regularly priming their vocal skills by covering songs of artists including Sleep Token. In addition to music, they spend a lot of free-time practicing visual arts as well. This combination of their two crafts and the fruits of their passion can be seen on their YouTube channel Youthy Arts, where they design the thumbnails for their music-centred videos.
Hailing from the border of Brampton, Ont. and Caledon, Ont., Virdee attended Mayfield Secondary School and had auditioned to join their Regional Arts Program, with a focus on vocalist training and song composition. They got the opportunity to dedicate much of their time in school to improving their talents.
“The expectation for a lot of people was to go to music school but a lot of us didn’t, we ended up pursuing other things in university,” said Virdee.
Once they got to TMU, Virdee chose to put their main focus into psychology, which allows them to pursue their interests in supporting the communities around them. Uncertain about a path through the arts, they and their parents saw an education in social science as a good fit.
“The compromise was that I would go to school for a [more] stable career and then I can work on art and music in my freetime,” said Virdee.
Poulos said it can be valuable to keep career and studies separate, saving your passion for the weekend. However, he encourages those who can to make the most of their creativity.
“Nobody owes us being able to do something that we love every single day to earn a living,” said Poulos. “If you’re lucky enough to be able to do that, wonderful, but I think it’s a relatively small number of us that can actually end up doing that.”
Virdee’s decision to develop their passions as a secondary pursuit to their studies is a common sentiment found among students.
“When I think of the music I create, it comes from a really deep part of my soul. I know it’s something that I’d never want to give up”
Allysen Chu is a second-year financial mathematics student with a side hustle selling small crocheted critters through her small business called “Critters By Ally.” Two years into her business, she mainly sells at TMU hosted vendors’ markets like Shop the SLC and the International Night Market during orientation week.
The school environment offers a friendly and non-competitive area for students to sell their passion projects to fellow students and try to get a kickstart to their sales. Chu said she mainly puts her education first and hasn’t put a large priority on her business as of now.
“If people still show interest and my business does grow a little bit, then I might consider [putting more into it],” said Chu.
With such a large population of creatives and a similarly sizable population of business-minded individuals, TMU students are constantly pitching ideas and making financial strategies despite the challenges of being an entrepreneur.
“Yeah there’s the chance of failure but there is also the chance of succeeding,” said Virdee. “I think if it was a few years ago, I’d be terrified, but now I don’t think I’m so afraid of trying to go for my passions.”
Whether it’s turning a childhood pursuit into a monetary endeavour like Malcolm-Joseph and Virdee or putting a new foot forward through events at the university like Chu, students can tap into their devotions as more than a hobby.
Chu said she feels pressure to make the most of her endeavour but encourages others to remember where their inspiration came from.
“Think back to why you first started and the joy that it brings you, and even if you’re not making as much money as you would like to, this is just a learning experience,” said Chu. “Enjoy it.”