I’ll be the first to admit I’m a bit of a cynic for my age. Coming out of college, I quickly realized that we all can’t do what we love and that pursuing career passions is difficult. We all want to be “creative” and “unique” with our jobs, but sadly the career field is not geared to support a college work force of dream chasers. Let’s get real: at the end of the day, we have bills to pay, food to buy, and student loans to chip away at.

I felt this way until I met Lauren Friedman.

Lauren is the creator of My Closet in Sketches, a fashion blog that is quickly growing a large following in the fashion sphere and is featured in major fashion publications including Lucky Magazine. My Closet in Sketches is an incredibly creative take on expressing fashion through the lens of an artist; the blog is composed of hand drawn interpretations of unique wardrobe combinations as well as artistic musings and sketches of the different everyday life activities Lauren participates in.

The beauty of Lauren’s sketches lies in her ability to make her drawings transcend ink and paper to create a distinctive, visceral experience for the viewer. With an increasing number of followers online, her site has received a good deal of attention from several publications, including ReadySetDC, Refinery29, and the Washingtonian.

What’s so inspiring about Lauren is that sketching these captivating perceptions of her wardrobe was a personal hobby she never expected to turn into something exceptional. Lauren worked in broadcast journalism at PBS and as an operations manager at a non-profit before her foray into drawing and fashion took off. Sketching wardrobe combinations of her closet started off as a fun game she played with her roommate that evolved into a side hobby. Eventually she realized that she wanted to create a blog with her illlustrations being the focal point of the content. The more she sketched, the more she realized that this was something she can actually pursue.

When her position ended at the non-profit, she was left at a crossroads to either find another job or follow her passions with her sketches and blog, and she bravely chose the latter. Once Lucky Magazine began publishing her sketches, things picked up quickly and now she is a self-employed entrepreneur.

Lauren’s business repertoire has evolved beyond silhouettes; she also offers personal “closet consultations” for those who wish for insightful advice in wardrobe choices and organization of their closet.  In addition to these closet consultations, Lauren is planning on launching a brand new print line in March that will feature her personal drawings and sketches available as multiple sized prints for purchase.

With a rapidly budding career, Lauren’s story is nothing short of inspiring for anyone who has had to grind through a job or a career that simply doesn’t excite them. When I asked Lauren if she had any advice for anybody who wants to pursue their passions in the same way she did, she had this to say

 Don’t quit your job! I think you’re setting yourself up for failure if you act irrationally and throw it all to hell thinking you’ll start all over. This was my side hustle before it became my own thing. I had the means to let it grow at it’s own pace before I accepted it as a full thing. I slowly fed the flame until I realized it was something I can execute on and fully realize. Take the time to do something that intrigues you and builds your curiosity without burning yourself out. Let it grow at your own pace!

Hopefully with more stories of entrepreneurial success like Lauren’s, others will be motivated to take their own side hobbies and passions to the next level.