There are moments in life when everything suddenly changes. The life you’ve built, the plans you made, the future you imagined, and the security you relied on. When her husband lost his business during Covid, Victoria’s love for the arts needed to provide. She had to find a way to turn her creative passion into an income.

Introducing Victoria

Victoria has always been an artist at heart. As a drama teacher and part-time sculptor, she never imagined that her creative passion would one day need to support her family. Life as an expat, moving between Johannesburg, Uganda, and Cape Town, taught her adaptability, but nothing prepared her for the financial and emotional upheaval when her husband lost his business during Covid. Suddenly, she had to rethink her role and find a way to turn her love for art into a sustainable income. She focussed on sculpture, built a name for herself, and later expanded into creative workshops.

Looking back, she realises that without the forced pause Covid created, she may never have had the courage to take the leap.

Sometimes, life gives you a chance to reset and step into a whole new version of yourself.
But you have to believe you are deserving and capable.

Hustling for survival

“When Covid hit, it was pure survival mode. My husband’s business came to a halt, my salary dropped, and I was suddenly the main breadwinner. What a shock!” says Victoria. She continued teaching drama online, sculpted late into the night, and even sold the homemade onion relish her husband made.

“We had to lean into the fear of hustling to make ends meet.
It was incredibly humbling but probably the best thing to happen to me.”

That hustle turned into an opportunity

“The only thing I could do more of was sculpt, so I put myself out there. I reached out to Lion Sands, a five-star lodge in the Sabi Sands, and was invited as an artist-in-residence. That residency gave me exposure, sales, and, most importantly, the belief that I could make this work.”

Overcoming the challenge of starting a new business

Starting a business is never easy, and for Victoria – an artist with ADHD – her biggest challenge was staying focused and managing her time. She also had to shift her mindset from artist to business owner.

“For the first time ever, I began to value my time.”

To make her business sustainable, Victoria:

• Pivoted to commission-based sculptures, reducing stock costs and gallery commissions.
• Created a niche in custom family sculptures, incorporating pets, hobbies, and personal memories.
• Diversified her income by running creative workshops.

The turning point? “Being invited to Lion Sands made people see me as a real artist, and then being commissioned for a life-size Grey Heron series for Vergelegen Wine Estate cemented it. I finally realised – I am an artist. This isn’t just a side gig. It’s my career.”

In Hindsight – Life and Money Lessons

When asked what advice she’d give to others in midlife needing to rethink their income, Victoria doesn’t hesitate:

“Explore your options. Our onion relish side hustle made us money. If we could do it, so can you. Believe in yourself, ignore the sceptics, and take the leap.”

And when it comes to money?

Like many creatives, Victoria had never thought much about money until she had no choice. “I didn’t learn a lot about money growing up. If I had money, I spent it. I never thought about saving or investing. My husband used to joke, ‘It’s a budget, not a target.’”

Covid changed that.

“We met with a financial planner who helped us cut back where we could. It made a real difference.”

Biggest money regret? “I wish we had a financial plan earlier in life.”
Biggest money lesson? “Start saving. Even a little. Making money is one thing, but growing it is just as important.”

Sometimes, the hardest transitions lead to the most unexpected opportunities. When life forces you to recalibrate, you might just find yourself exactly where you’re meant to be.

Always remember, when it comes to your money, be inspired, be brave and be on purpose,

Kim