Thinking of a late career change? Lessons from 3 creatives who made the leap

Some people grow up knowing exactly what they want to be. For others, it takes a little more time – and a little more risk. While we often hear about creatives with somewhat linear paths, many enter the industry much later in their lives after making major career changes. We speak to three creatives who took the more scenic route in and find out how they broke into the industry from unconventional backgrounds.

Brand strategist Eliška Collier, freelance photographer Denis Robinson and creative digital designer Jennifer Davies all began in other professions before pivoting into creative work. Here, they share how they made the switch, and the advice they’d give to anyone thinking about a change.

Eliška Collier
From corporate lawyer to brand strategist and designer

Growing up with Asian parents, Eliška Collier describes feeling she had only two career choices: law or medicine. “Being a good kid and a people pleaser, I chose corporate law,” she says. But alongside her job, she ran a YouTube channel to scratch her creative itch – which led to paid video work and even a collaboration with Rina Sawayama.

Take small, steady steps

Her pivot wasn’t a dramatic leap. “If risk aversion is what’s stopping you from a career change, think of ways you could reduce that risk,” she advises. For her, that meant saving money, doing low-risk voluntary gigs and building a portfolio before quitting her job. “The switch doesn’t need to be a dramatic, cold-turkey departure.”

Build confidence and make yourself visible

Confidence, she says, comes from action. “The more you do something, the more confident you become – because it’s evidence that you can.” Just as importantly, you need to be visible. As she puts it: publish your projects, share them online and tell people what you do. Other people can’t recognise that you do good work unless they know you’re doing it.

Now running her own studio, Eliška also looks for evidence that creatives understand the commercial side. “So much of what we do in branding is about marrying creative work with clients’ business goals.” She stresses the importance of showing you can juggle deadlines, budgets and client challenges alongside creative ideas.

Denis Robinson
From hairdresser to freelance photographer

For more than three decades, Denis Robinson worked in the hairdressing industry, eventually becoming artistic director of one of the UK’s most influential barber shops. But of all the things he did in his role, what he really loved was spending time on photoshoots.

Seven years ago, Denis bought a camera and began shooting portraits. Being self-taught was daunting – “I was crippled with insecurity at times,” he admits – but it also gave him freedom. “While formal education can teach you the skill set, the space between the skills is where creativity lies. It’s through experimenting that you get to create your personal brand.”

Turn passion into projects

In 2021, Denis launched Proud Portraits, celebrating the vibrancy and diversity of LGBTQ+ people. He expected to photograph 30 or 40 participants, but ended up with over 100 portraits in an exhibition in Soho. “It was then that I realised this pivot had prospects,” he says. Since then, he’s continued to stay close to his values and create work that resonates – both for himself and his community.

Play the long game

Even so, Denis stresses that success rarely comes quickly. “Give time some time! I’ve never met an overnight success who hasn’t been struggling for recognition for years.” His advice is to dedicate consistent time to learning skills, practising editing and sharing work publicly – even when progress feels slow. For him, patience and persistence were just as important as passion.

Jennifer Davies
From operations to digital designer and brand coordinator

Jennifer always loved art, film and music, and dreamed of studying graphic design. But struggling in mainstream education knocked her confidence and pushed her into operations roles.

At 32, a diagnosis of ADHD – and starting medication – gave her the clarity and motivation to finally pursue design. So when a design apprenticeship opened up at her workplace, she went for it! And her non-creative background actually helped her stand out.

Reframe your non-creative experience

And while she didn’t have a traditional creative background, she realised that gave her a unique perspective. “Think about how you solved problems, thrived under pressure, collaborated to achieve better outcomes, or found innovative ways to approach challenges – and frame your CV around those strengths. That, paired with a well-curated portfolio, will help to demonstrate your style and individuality.” In other words, translate your existing skills into creative language that makes sense for the industry.

Create strategies to balance responsibilities

Balancing full-time work, parenting and studying at university as a mature student wasn’t easy – especially while managing ADHD, dyslexia and other disabilities. To cope, Jennifer worked with an ADHD coach to break projects into smaller steps and give herself more time for detail-heavy tasks. She emphasises the importance of building systems that support you – whether that’s coaching, extra planning or creating more flexible structures to work within.

Accept self-doubt as part of growth

Even now, after being shortlisted for Prolific North’s creative awards and having a report she designed at Interactive Investor published in the Financial Times, Jennifer admits she still struggles with imposter syndrome. “What’s helped me is accepting that self-doubt is part of growth. Let the feeling come, then let it go. You’ll surprise yourself with how much you are capable of.”

Her message to others is clear: don’t rule yourself out before you’ve even started. Explore apprenticeships, short courses, self-initiated projects or creative opportunities within your current role – and back yourself early, even if you don’t feel ready.

Key takeaways

Want the quick version? Here’s a roundup of their advice:

✅ Start small, not sudden – save money, take on low-risk gigs and build a portfolio before leaving your job.

✅ Make your work visible – publish projects, share them online, network and tell people what you do.

✅ Think commercially – show you can juggle budgets, deadlines and client goals alongside creative ideas.

✅ Experiment often – self-teach, explore new tools and keep experimenting to find your creative voice.

✅ Turn passions into projects – use personal values and communities you care about to create meaningful work.

✅ Be patient but persistent – “give time some time” and keep learning, practising and sharing until recognition comes.

✅ Reframe your past experience – highlight transferable skills from non-creative jobs on your CV and in interviews.

✅ Build systems that support you – – whether it’s coaching, breaking work into steps or creating more flexible structures.

✅ Explore all avenues – apprenticeships, short courses, self-initiated projects or opportunities within your current role.

✅ Accept self-doubt as part of growth – confidence builds through action, even if you don’t feel ready yet.