A career in the arts can be difficult at times, especially when funding one’s passion becomes a full time job in itself. It can be an erratic lifestyle, where even the most skilled artists question their path in times of adversity. However, there are some artists who understand the key to keeping the passion alive while finding success in business. An example of such artists is Carolyn Torres – a dancer and multifaceted businesswoman who used her passion for dance and drive for financial freedom to put the dilemma of “starving artists” to a screeching halt. We call her an ‘artrepreneur’–a blend of artist and entrepreneur– due to her unique ability to master both the artistic and professional realms and use them to fuel one another.
Carolyn started off like many other teens of her generation, initially pursuing post secondary education, enrolling herself in Hussian College in Los Angeles. Although Carolyn moved from Cleveland, Ohio where she currently resides, to LA for school, she knew that if she really wanted to be the change and inspiration that was so desperately needed for many artists struggling financially, she had to take the first step outside of her comfort zone and into the unknown. Carolyn decided to discontinue her studies to pursue a professional career where her passion lies: dance.
When discussing her decision to ditch the college degree and traditional means of work, Carolyn says:
“I didn’t like the idea of working a 9-5. I always believed that there had to be a better way to work for one self and still gain the same type of wealth and success that can come from working a job.”
Carolyn worked tirelessly, mastering her craft as a professional dancer, however when the pandemic hit in March of 2020, a complete lockdown in her state, moratorium on public gatherings, and closure of entertainment venues meant no work for the dancer. Sitting idle for weeks made Carolyn realize that despite her status as a professional dancer, she couldn’t solely depend on her dancing talents to bring home the bacon – neither can a musician carry his tune to save his life forever, nor can an actor cash in on his acting skills any time he wants. Seeing herself and her peers in such strained circumstances, encouraged Carolyn to come up with something special that could make a living as an artist possible even when no one can buy their work.
When discussing how the pandemic shifted her entire mindset, Carolyn says:
“When we got shut down and were forced to quarantine, I had to move back home from LA and at the time I felt like that was a huge setback for me personally. But as it turned out, that experience was the most needed time ever. It allowed me to have a lot of self-to-self and self to God moments, that allowed me to really figure out what it is that I love to do and explore other things that I may have never considered, allowing myself to take risks and go for everything and anything that I wanted to do or try. I felt like I didn’t have anything to lose at that point.”
A vigorous search and sheer passion and vision for financial security for artists drove Carolyn to create two businesses that to date have brought her the freedom and success she had always wanted: an eCommerce shop dedicated to dancers’ streetwear called “TheCaroWay”, and an artistic investment group called “Impact Empire”.
When speaking on the motivation Carolyn found to create these businesses after a period of adversity, she says:
“My dance team “ELEVATED” inspired my business. I took the really great qualities of my Godfather’s dance team that I’ve been in for 5 years, and transferred them into my investment group for the artists who stand for unity, culture, grit, and determination to finish what we started.”
Carolyn’s clothing line to date has grown substantially, tailored to creating comfortable street wear for not only dancers, but any artistically-inclined individual. Carolyn fuels this passion-driven business with her successful investment group, “Impact Empire” where she teaches new entrepreneurs how to build their own business, leveraging the skill-set of trading in the financial markets to become financially independent.
As an artist traversing through the world of business, Carolyn experienced setbacks but did not allow them to steer her away from the goals she had set for herself. Carolyn focuses on gratitude during difficult times and always remembers that the success she has found was made possible by her mom, her family and God.
“During times of adversity it’s important to remind yourself why you started and keep yourself in the company of positive and hard working people so your fuel doesn’t always have to come from you. In this digital age, we can all be successful. You just have to allow yourself to reconstruct the blueprint of how to be successful and be bold enough to do something new that may be off the typical path but will get you there just as fast,” says Carolyn.
With the success of her clothing line and investment group under her belt, Carolyn strives to find opportunities to share her story and reach as many artists as possible. Continuing with the success she has found in merging her artistic and business oriented personas, Carolyn plans to create a convention oriented around the arts, trading, and mindset coaching. Carolyn wants to show people how they can become financially independent without sacrificing their passions. Leading by example, Carolyn was able to keep her inner artist’s dreams alive while becoming a successful businesswoman, paving the way for starving artists everywhere.
To find out more about how Carolyn is making her vision into a reality, check out her Instagram page @Caro.Elevated, and learn her recipe for combining art and entrepreneurship.
