Hey there, friends!
It’s Delores here, and in today’s episode of the Creative Juggle Joy, I dive into how I’ve built simple passive income streams as an older creative.
If you're like me and have been doing creative work for a while, you know how hard it can be to keep up with the demands of constantly creating new products or services. That's when I decided to explore passive income.
For those of us who’ve been at this creative thing for decades, we may feel like it's too late to start. But I’m here to tell you—it’s never too late. I’ve learned over the years that even as an older creative, you can start small and gradually build up a solid, sustainable income stream.
One of my biggest shifts in mindset was realizing that passive income doesn’t mean doing nothing—it means setting up systems that work for you.
In the episode, I talk about how creating digital downloads like brushes, textures, and design packs has been one of the most fulfilling ways to generate income without constantly creating something new.
For example, as a digital illustrator, I can make these products once, and then sell them again and again, with minimal extra work.
I also delve into the power of teaching. I’ve created courses on Skillshare and Teachable that continue to bring in income long after the course is created.
The beauty of teaching is that you’re packaging your knowledge in a way that benefits others, and it provides a reliable revenue stream.
And the best part?
You don’t need a fancy production studio or expensive equipment to get started. I’ve recorded everything using just my iPhone and simple editing tools.
But passive income isn’t just about the products—it’s about the people you meet along the way. Building your brand, collaborating with others, and sharing your story can be incredibly impactful.
For example, collaborating with another digital artist or a local designer has not only introduced me to new audiences but it’s also strengthened my business and my confidence.
I hope today’s episode inspires you to take the next step in your creative journey.
Remember, passive income doesn’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to launch everything all at once. Start with one thing.
Whether it’s creating digital products, teaching, or sharing your story, just get started!
Resources:
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Delores free greeting card challenge - greeting card design and selling is a great semi-passive income stream you can create whether you are an artist, illustrator, designer or complete beginner
Delores Naskrent (00:00)
Hello, hello. Welcome to the Creative Juggle Joy podcast. I'm your host. My name is Delores Naskrent And today I'm going to be talking about creating simple passive income streams as an older creative. And that of course comes straight from the heart because I am an older creative. So whether you're just getting started or you're looking for new ways to sustain your creative life, I'm here to share ideas that have worked for me and could work for you too. So let's dive in.
Now before we explore strategies, I want to say this. Setbacks and challenges are normal in any creative journey. Over the years, I have learned to view some of these moments not as failures, but as experiments. They're learning opportunities that help us grow, honestly. You can't make a judgment call about something unless you've experienced it. When something doesn't go as planned, it's okay. It's just a detour that might lead you to something even better.
So if you're feeling stuck, take a deep breath. You can do this. One of the barriers older creatives often face is staying motivated, battling imposter syndrome, or worrying about whether they have what it takes to share their work. Trust me, I have been there. But after 40 years of experience working as an artist and teacher, I have found that teaching and sharing my knowledge can actually be an amazing way to conquer these fears.
wouldn't have wanted to see me the first time I recorded something, for example. Let's talk about why teaching and selling your knowledge can be one of the most fulfilling and reliable passive income streams. I know it's not for everyone, but I want to talk about it just a little bit. So a fantastic way to create this passive income, and I have this coming in all the time, is by packaging what I already know into a sellable format like digital downloads. Think about
templates or process videos, ebooks or how-to's that align with your expertise. A good example would be digital illustrators like me. I can sell brushes, I can sell textures, all kinds of design packs. You could create guides or courses about mastering a specific tool or technique. I have several of my students who are doing this right now.
Not only is this scalable, but you can also get the satisfaction of helping others on their own creative paths. In my case, I've had students reach out to thank me for guiding them to sell their art online. And it's not about me doing it for them. They're putting in the work. I just give them the confidence. This feedback is really heartwarming and it reminds me really why I share what I know.
If you're passionate about a topic, consider teaching an online course. The platforms I use are Teachable and Skillshare, and between the two of them, I can make a pretty decent living just with my courses. Skillshare is where I started, and it helped me to create a really wide audience of people interested. You can start simple. You don't have to meet, well, I personally don't have a big production studio.
I'm just using my iPhone for recording and doing my editing in iMovie so it doesn't have to be super fancy. The bottom line is being able to record what you're teaching and personally teaching has given me so much fulfillment not only financially but emotionally too. Sharing your craft and watching others grow is deeply rewarding. And there is an added upside.
You don't have to create a new course every time. Once a course is recorded, it becomes a source of passive income. Your course works for you while you sleep. And I think for me, that's definitely the magic. It was hard getting started, but after you do two or three, you sort of get into a rhythm with your recording and, you know, it becomes easier and it becomes faster. OK, so let's.
move on to talking a little bit about branding. One of the major tips I have for making any of your passive income streams working for you really well is to build trust and visibility and I think that that's something that's accomplished through creating a personal brand. Some sites like Zazzle allow you to create a storefront which is really great.
And people connect with stories, so share yours wherever you can. Talk about why you create. Talk about the challenges you've faced. Talk about the lessons you've learned. Authenticity draws people in and makes them want to support you, whether by buying your digital products or enrolling in your courses or just sharing your story with others. And while you're at it, why don't you create a blog post or some other
way of sharing, maybe a newsletter that allows you to get your story out to other people. Now also, of course, social media comes into play here. I am no expert, believe me, but social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are ideal for visual creators like us, like illustrators. I personally focus my energy on those two, Instagram and Pinterest. I do have
an account, a business account and a page on Facebook. So I share there. And of course we have our five cards in five days challenge Facebook group. It's great. I personally advise you to focus your energy on just one or two channels that really fit your niche. Pin boards on Pinterest or post reels on Instagrams to show your creative process or the results of your passive income income stream.
tools like downloadable clip art, student success stories, or glimpses into your online courses. I do post my brush sets on Pinterest and my classes. One of my most repinned pins is on how to create stripes in Procreate. So strange, but that's the one.
Now here's another tip. I think that it's great to share content that is also shareable. So whether it's an inspiring quote, a quick demo, or even a story about how you're helping students overcome self-doubt, the more personal and relatable your content is, the likelier people are to share it with others. So I have found this to be a really valuable way to
share my stories, share my ups and downs, but also to connect with people who wouldn't normally be followers or, you know, interested in the same things that I talk about. The other thing I think has worked for me, this is quite recent, is to collaborate. So collaborating with others can get you in front of new audiences and introduce people to your brand. If you're a digital artist,
Why not work with a designer in a complementary field? Collaborate with a planner creator who can use your art for their layouts or team up for giveaways to grow your audience while keeping your expenses low. Communities can also play a significant role in support and visibility. So for me, being part of a coaching group has made a lot of difference and surrounding myself with others on similar journeys.
strengthens me and opens up new areas for growth. So one of the collaborations I did was with someone who is also a digital artist, but she works with lasers, laser machines that cut wood or cut plastic. And we, I've collaborated with her twice and both times it has driven people to my site and my school. So it can be quite a
great way to just sort of expand the kind of customer that you are normally dealing with. And this can totally work with things other than schools and other than teaching. This can work with products too. So keep that in mind. Okay, so if there's one message I'd like you to take away from today, it's this. Start where you are. These passive income streams don't have to be perfect.
and they don't need to all launch at once. I definitely did not launch everything at the same time. I've got so many different things going on, but some of them, you know, I started 10 years ago or 15 years ago. So just start with that one thing first. Teach something that you know, sell your resources, share your story, share anything that you create, get involved, follow up, respond.
Remember, you're never too old to begin. So if you have never done it before, this is a great time to start. You will find people who are just like you. Marketing yourself as an authentic, relatable voice in a sea of creators is the key to long-term success. It's not about having the fanciest equipment or the most polished product. It's about showing up consistently, sharing your passion, and connecting with your audience in meaning.
meaningful ways. Get that product out there. Take the chance. Even if you feel like comparing yourself to others, you are feeling a little bit like an imposter, just get started. It's that getting started part that's so important. Well, that's it for today's episode of the Creative Juggle Joy Podcast. I really hope these ideas spark some inspiration for creating simple
passive income streams that work for you at whatever age you are. Really, the advice is no different for somebody who's 30 years old, somebody who's 60 years old. It doesn't matter. It's really important to just get out there, get started, and you'll see a return in the long run. I know it's a long game, but you got it. You can do this.
If you found this episode helpful, I'd love for you to leave a review or maybe share it with a fellow creative who could use a little extra motivation today. Don't forget to subscribe either so you can never miss an episode and join my email list for updates and weekly tips. Thank you for listening and I can't wait to connect with you with my conversation I'm going to have with my special guest and friend, Sandy Cruz.
who's going to share her journey as a graphic designer and expert digital planner creator. That's coming up, so make sure you stay tuned, keep creating, keep juggling, and keep finding joy in your process.