DEAR READERS: During this downtime, many people I’ve spoken with have started discovering (or rediscovering) non-work-related passions. Some are picking up where they left off with music lessons, others are painting and drawing, some have turned to writing to fill their time; and they’re wondering if they can turn those passions into money-making ventures.
I recently discovered Yellowbrick (yellowbrick.co), an online platform designed to help people learn about roles in industries they’re passionate about. Yellowbrick partners with top universities and brands to create educational experiences that tap into interests and passions — everything from Streetwear Essentials from Parsons School of Design to Music Essentials from New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music to Beauty Industry Essentials taught by Fashion Institute of Technology faculty plus editors from Allure and industry experts from Bobbi Brown, L’Oreal, MAC Cosmetics and more.
Here, Rob Kingyens, founder and CEO of Yellowbrick, shares insights about how ambitious, creative folks who are exploring their passions during this pandemic can work toward landing a job in an industry they’ve only dreamed about being part of at some point.
Q: Is it realistic for people who are discovering (or rediscovering) a passion while sitting home during this crisis to believe they really can turn that passion into a money-making venture or even a new career post-pandemic?
A: With much of the world shut down right now and hundreds of industries in limbo, it’s a really appropriate time for people to slow down, examine their passions, and figure out how to hone those interests into for a more meaningful career.
The most important part is gaining an understanding of multiple roles within an industry and figuring out what the best fit for you might be. For example, you might love fashion but not have the skills to be a designer. However, you might have great communication skills or impressive organizational skills that would fit marketing or production roles. You might love sports but not be much of an athlete. That’s fine. Your aptitudes might be great for roles you never imagined that could also be transferable to any industry.
Q: How can they start exploring options?
A: The first step is educating yourself on all the behind-the-scenes positions in your ideal industry and identifying what the best options are for you — and now is a perfect time to do that. The most effective way is to hear directly from people who have been in the industry. Current and former executives, creatives, and tastemakers know the ins and outs of their industries, and many are happy to share what they’ve built, either through online education programs like ours, or even directly if you can reach them in person.
Q: Do you have examples of someone who has successfully moved into a new career — one tied to their passion — as a result of using the Yellowbrick platform?
A: Time and time again we hear from learners who have taken our courses and have used those experiences to vault ahead in the industries they love or have discovered transferable skills in areas such as marketing, business and design.
We’ve had learners from our fashion programs go on to start their own brand or get accepted to full collegiate programs. We’ve had learners from our sports business course land valuable internships, like with the Pittsburgh Steelers. We’ve even had an NBA star, Langston Galloway of the Detroit Pistons, take what he’s learned from our sneaker essentials program and go on to [create] his own sneaker line, LG Kicks, while being an active professional athlete. Now, the NBA is working with us to offer all our courses to their players so they can explore additional skills and careers while the season is on hold.
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(Kathleen Furore is a Chicago-based writer and editor who has covered personal finance and other business-related topics for a variety of trade and consumer publications. You can email her your career questions at [email protected].)
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