Episode 26: Taking the Leap To Go Full-time with Tanya Brown
Tanya, a textile and graphic designer, shares her story from her transition from a teaching career to becoming a full-time artist. She talks about how she felt burnt out and anxious in her teaching career in New York City, where there was little room for movement or change. In her story, she opens up about the reality of the struggle to leave the comforts of a steady job like benefits and a pension, and what lead her to finally make the leap.
The Catalyst for Change
Tanya quotes Tony Robbins, saying that “Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.” Even though Tanya’s teaching career was safe and secure, Tanya realized that she needed to make a change because her job was causing fear and anxiety. However, she was also faced with the fear and anxiety that came with leaving a secure job. When Tanya became a new mom, the thought of going back to a job that caused her so much anxiety and fear became a catalyst for change. It was at this moment that she decided to leave her job and stay home with her child while also pursuing a new career as a full-time artist.
Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway
Tanya emphasizes the importance of facing fear and taking risks, as those decisions have often been tied to the greatest rewards in her life. She explains that other experiences in her life that helped her face her fears, such as overcoming a fear of the open ocean to surf with her husband, has helped her “feel the fear and do it anyway.” Going through the experience of making a big leap can prepare us for future smaller leaps, making it easier to push through the fear. Though the fear may never fully go away, each experience builds upon the tools and skills needed to navigate future challenges. It’s important to accept that the creative entrepreneur journey will not always be smooth and that there will be winding paths along the way. Pushing through fear is like a flexing a muscle and it this exercise can get easier with time.
The Preparation to Leave
Tanya's journey to quitting her job was filled with preparation and strategic financial planning. She decided to gain new skills and knowledge by going back to school to learn design software, as well as studying the business side of things. She invested in herself by purchasing bigger tools for her business, and managed to pay off her loans, which alleviated her financial responsibilities. With a newfound focus on budget and lifestyle changes, she was able to prepare herself for a six-month leave. Later, when she decided to leave her job altogether, she had some savings and started to reinvest her earnings from selling designs into her business by buying essential equipment. Tanya also kept her options open by being open to part-time work opportunities and taking on client work to make ends meet. Her flexibility and financial savvy played a vital role in her ability to create a successful career on her own terms.
Tanya, also discusses the importance of making the decision to chase your dreams with your partner. She highlights the sacrifices that are involved and emphasizes the role of a supportive partner in making the journey possible. It is important to remember that not everyone starts from the same starting line and that everyone's circumstances are different. She notes that some people have the responsibility of paying bills or having health insurance without a partner's support, while others have caretaking responsibilities, such as caring for children, elderly parents, or those with disabilities or medical conditions. Tanya explains that these factors must be considered in the journey towards chasing your dreams. She reminds listeners that there is no one size fits all approach and that everyone has different levels of support in their lives.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
“Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.” Tony Robbins
If you want to make a leap into something new think through the HOW. Make a game plan and start working hard in the margins to help get you to where you want to be.
Feel the fear and do it anyway. Often our greatest gains are tied to the most fear.
Pushing through fear is like a muscle that can build and make facing fear easier each time.
You don’t know what the outcome will be of something until you just do it.
When preparing to leave your job ask yourself these questions. What can you do in your current circumstances to prepare financially? What sacrifices and lifestyle changes are you willing to make? What large tools can you purchase while still working your other job?
It’s important to remember that we all have different levels of support in our lives and we don’t all start at the same starting line.
It’s a comfort that if there is ever a moment where you have to leave your creative career for any reason it isn’t going to disappear and it doesn’t invalidate what you have built.
Don’t give up. Keep that core passion and desire and keep coming back to build your dream through your twists and turns.
Tanya Brown is a Surface Pattern Designer from Long Island, New York. As a SPD with over ten years of experience she has a variety of revenue streams including licensing under studio Schatzi Brown on a variety of products such as fabric, wallpaper, and home decor. She works privately with clients in the fashion industry and lifestyle brands.Tanya also creates design assets for fellow SPD like mockups, textures, and brush sets. And has recently jumped into the education space teaching SPD how to use the Adobe Photoshop software.
Visit Tanya’s website and her Patten Study Hall for education and follow along on instagram.
