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Elise Peterson
Elise Peterson
01:16

Elise Peterson

Los Angeles, CA USA

"When you tell yourself that you already exist in a space of abundance and prosperity, nothing but abundance and prosperity will come to you."

Career Roadmap

Elise's work combines: Art, Design, and Communicating / Sharing Stories

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Day In The Life

Visual Artist, Writer & Podcast Host

I'm a storyteller of various mediums.

01:13

Day In The Life Of A Podcast Host

Skills & Education

Advice for getting started

I did hear concern from my family that I should choose a career path with more guaranteed financial security. However, I knew that my purpose was always greater than settling for a job just for money. So I trusted the voice within. It was not easy, but necessary.

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Visual Artist, Writer & Podcast Host:

Bachelor's Degree: Human Development and Family Studies, General

Certification: Graphic Design

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life took a while to figure out

  • 1.

    I grew up in Washington, D.C., and went to college there—I went to school for four years but didn’t actually graduate because I had a hard time staying focused.

  • 2.

    When I entered the workforce, I worked a bunch of creative jobs, including a vegan sous chef and a vintage clothing buyer.

  • 3.

    I moved to New York on a whim—I was a culture writer for a website but was working for free, so I was struggling financially and ended up taking work as a nanny.

  • 4.

    One of the women I nannied for became my mentor and encouraged me to utilize my full potential and study graphic design at Parsons School of Design.

  • 5.

    Art school was very expensive, so I ended up leaving and taking a job as a school secretary.

  • 6.

    I was unhappy at my job and knew I was meant to do something more creative, so I quit and started my own website and began selling my own artwork.

  • 7.

    In addition to selling my work, I started saying yes to all creative opportunities presented to me, including illustrating a children’s book!

  • 8.

    I became a mom, moved to Los Angeles, and continue to tell stories through multiple creative mediums, including my podcast “Cool Moms.”

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Family:

    You should choose a path with more financial security.

  • How I responded:

    I did hear concern from my family that I should choose a career path with more guaranteed financial security. However, I knew that my purpose was always greater than settling for a job just for money. So I trusted the voice within. It was not easy, but necessary.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

Click to expand

  • I went to college but didn't graduate because I had a hard time focusing. I also went to design school but it was very expensive so I left that too. It was a struggle but I was determined to still accomplish my goals and be successful as a creative.

  • I've struggled a lot financially throughout my journey. I'm actually still working on it! My advice is that it's important to be up for juggling multiple projects, be self-motivated, and have multiple streams of income.