Episode 14: Quitting a Dream Job for a Day Job with Nikki Tran

Nikki Tran is a photographer, painter, pianist and puppy-mom to a Yorkipoo named Rusty. Over the last several years she has built a business as a talented wedding photographer in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Now, she’s decided to give up what some people would think is a dream job to return to a 9-5 life. Listen in as she describes what her motivating factors are, and how she plans to make room for her creativity in this transition.

Here’s where to find Nikki:

Blog: http://nikkitranphotography.com/blog

Wedding Photography Website: http://nikkitranphotography.com

Photoshop Resources Website: http://theenchantedcollections.com

Facebook (Wedding Photography & Blog): https://www.facebook.com/nikkitranphotography/

Facebook (Photoshop Resources): https://www.facebook.com/theenchantedcollections/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkitran1015/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tran2011/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/nikkitranphotography

Here’s where to find Ashley:

Website: www.BrooksEditorial.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brookseditorial

Instagram: http://instagram.com/brookseditorial

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/brookseditorial

Here’s where to find Abbigail:

Website: www.InkwellsandImages.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbigailekriebs

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbigailekriebs/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inkwellsandimages/

Mini Book Club:

We gushed about our favorite classic children’s lit as well as what books we turn to as escapist literature. What are your favorites? Tell us on Twitter with #ChasingCreative!

The Mary Poppins Series

The Harry Potter Series

The Laura Ingalls Series

The Doldrums - Nicholas Gannon

Anything - Susan Branch

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Four Seasons in Rome - Anthony Doerr

Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maud Montgomery

Quotes from this Episode:

“Owning my own business has opened up a lot of doors for me.” - Nikki

“I looked at what the professionals were doing and I did it too.” - Nikki, on being self-taught

“I don’t think you ever lose that feeling of being a fraud... I like what I do. That’s all I need.” - Nikki

“What I’m hearing is that everybody just feels like they are completely winging it.” - Ashley

“It’s great when other creative people can be honest and say ‘Nope, I’m totally faking it over here! How about you?!?’” - Abbigail

“If you don’t like what you’re doing, it’s not going to work.” - Nikki

“No 9-5 job, no kids, no schedule… it sounds like a dream, but it can really mean 60 or 70 hour work weeks because there are no boundaries.” - Ashley

“Make creativity easy for yourself.” - Abbigail

“I’m completely different than I was at 22, and it’s only been 4 years.” - Nikki

“We feel so much pressure to make money off of everything. It can be just as successful to have a steady job and work on the things that you really care about. Sometimes the pressure takes all of the fun out of it.” - Ashley

“I’m excited to leave work and come home and work on creative things that I really want to do.” - Nikki

“It it gets rejected or doesn’t get in, it’s OK. At least I wrote it.” - Ashley, on creating for the sake of creating

“I think it’s good to mix personal and business... People want to know the you behind the business.” - Nikki

“I love the kiddish wonder in things.” - Nikki

“I’m 26-going-on-5.” - Nikki