I Made $100K in 7 Months—With No Business Experience

When I was 17, I was obsessed with comics. I read them, I collected them, I drew them. The world of sequential art was the only world I knew. I had anxiety and depression due to not fitting in at school, and feeling a lack of purpose going through the motions of studying for high school exams and doing homework.

Drawing was so therapeutic and healing––hiding behind my characters' challenges distracted me from my own. When my parents gave me my first laptop, I started posting my comics online, creating a webcomic called Majesty.

To my surprise, Majesty went viral. Quickly, I gained thousands of fans from all over the globe. My inbox flooded with fan mail and fan art daily, and I continued my series into my early 20s. It ranked number on topwebcomics.com for years.

I signed a contract with a boutique publishing company, and it was surreal receiving photos from fans holding up their hard copies, excited to finally own my comics.

All my dreams were coming true. I thought, "This is it. From here on out, everything is going to happen for me." But then came the Great Recession. It was the beginning of the end of my fame and success.

My publisher went out of business. My website traffic slowed down. I tried to forge new connections and get my series picked up by bigger companies, but no one was interested. So, I pivoted and tried to find a full-time job.

I studied animation at SVA in New York and Brooklyn College, hoping to get my big break at Disney Animation Studios. I flew back and forth from New York to Los Angeles, visiting the studio, asking about open positions, and meeting people who might know the right people—but it was to no avail.

Even though I won two awards for my comics, I still didn't receive one reply from the countless resumes and portfolios I sent out.

Trying to break into entertainment drained me. I couldn't sleep at night. I was anxious and worried about my future, and I felt like a failure.

I kept illustrating on my own, working freelance animation jobs. After all the disappointment, I realized something: I wasn't feeling fulfilled anymore. I felt like my skills were destined for something greater than working 12 hours in a studio.

While my anxiety-riddled side urged me to stay cocooned away from the world, adhering to my drawings, my heart wanted to impact lives.

Then, I stumbled into the world of graphic design and freelancing. I had enough digital art experience from comicking, so I learned more about design with each job I took on.

It started with a few college professors recommending me to colleagues, and my name began to circulate amongst small business owners. Word of mouth grew my little freelance gig into a full-time business by 2011, within a year of graduating college.

I worked for a variety of businesses, from marketing agencies to jewelry stores. Witnessing the tangible results of my design work as my clients' businesses flourished was exhilarating.

I left comics far behind when I discovered the immense satisfaction of helping brands grow. I wasn't just working for myself anymore; I was helping others build their dreams, and that felt amazing.

Everything was going well until 2019. By this time, I had become a mother of two, juggling the demands of parenthood with my hourly design work. The passionate flame that had once fueled my creativity was completely extinguished by burnout, and I couldn't keep up with the late nights for a paycheck.

I felt stuck on an endless hamster wheel, servicing clients who weren't aligned with my true vision. I was juggling 10-12 clients at a time monthly for eight years, and no matter how many times I raised my rates, I still wasn't earning enough.

I reached a breaking point. I told myself that if I couldn't achieve my business goals by the end of the year, I'd quit design.

With this conscious decision to rebrand myself, I set two major goals: Buy a house and reach $100,000 in revenue. I had no actual business experience, so I started listening to podcasts and read as much as I could about business growth.

I ran my business differently by setting goals and approaching business growth with intention. I made sure every action I took and each client I worked with aligned with those goals.

My social media approach had more strategy, I found my target audience of mompreneurs—whom I deeply understood, since I'm one myself—and built offers and branding packages customized just for them.

I was no longer "just a graphic designer." With my fresh outlook, I was now CEO of my own brand, helping moms launch businesses from scratch. Within weeks of changing my approach, I started booking high-ticket clients. Just seven months later, I hit my first $100,000 year and in 2021 my husband and I bought a home on Long Island.

Today, I am devoted to empowering mothers worldwide to turn their dreams into reality and cultivate businesses that bring them joy and fulfillment. The satisfaction of witnessing their success is my most treasured reward, similar to the "fan mail" that once warmed my heart but now translates into tangible, life-changing outcomes.

Here's what I've learned: Life unfolds in mysterious and unexpected ways, often charting a course that we couldn't have foreseen.

Our grandest ambitions may at times fade into the background, making room for something even more extraordinary. These moments of transformation aren't always obvious; they can present themselves as challenges, causing us to question if chasing dreams is worth it.

So, do I still draw? Sometimes. My 8-year-old son loves drawing with me. He's read my comics and is my biggest fan.

I haven't completely left comics behind, but where I'm at now feels so right. I haven't been depressed in years, and I've done mindset work to manage my anxiety through practicing gratitude and abundance.

Being of service to others, instead of just focusing on myself, has not only made me feel more aligned and whole, it's also helped me build a successful business.

I may not be a famous comic book illustrator or Disney animator, but that's OK. Because now, finally, I feel fulfilled. I'm living my true purpose.

Michelle Mozes is a brand strategist and business coach who helps mompreneurs launch and run their dream businesses. You can download her free branding checklist at michellemozes.com.

All views expressed in this article are the author's own.

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