Graphic design, online advertising and MySpace personalizing has enabled Ashley Qualls to become a self-made millionaire at 17 years old. Success doesn’t have to cost a huge sum of money. Nor do you need years of experience as an artist before you can earn a living creating the art that you love.
Success in the art world, like any business, takes a unique idea, quality work and determination. Ashley is the CEO of Whatever Life, a website offering unique graphics for MySpace users to customize their pages, absolutely free. The business earns revenue through advertising placed on the company website. Ashley started this business at 14 for the total cost of $8.00 – the current price of a domain name.
A key to note in this story is that she know her audience – who she is designing for. She knows her market, what she is designing for. She didn’t wait for the perfect opportunity or an agent, she simply jumped in with the talent she has and an idea to try and went for it.
Artistic talent is commodity that many wish they wish they had – if you have the skill, there are unlimited directions you can take it to become a success. Don’t assume a gallery or fine art originals are the only place you can go to earn the title of a successful artist. True art doesn’t come from a classroom nor years of training – true art comes from within. You just have to be willing to show it off.
Note: When I wrote this article the website mentioned was displaying as presented. However, it is now redirected to a new site that has nothing to do with design so I’ve removed the site link. Please enjoy the video, the story is still valid.
