S2 E9: What College Won’t Teach You: Money, Business Building, & Side Hustles with BFA Student Ruby Wolter
22m | Jan 7, 2026College is often framed as the finish line before a creative career begins, but for most artists, it’s actually the starting point. In this episode, Carissa and Emma Claire sit down with current BFA student Ruby Wolter to talk about what school doesn’t teach artists about money, business, and long-term sustainability.
WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT:
- Why college is the beginning of your career, not a waiting room
- How Ruby turned her own college audition experience into a coaching business
- When a “fun Instagram account” becomes a real income stream
- The reality that auditioning is unpaid labor and how to financially plan for it
- Why being a multi-hyphenate is a strategic choice, not a fallback
- Letting go of the starving artist mentality early and building sustainability from the start
LINKS & RESOURCES:
- Follow Ruby Wolter and RubyInRehearsal
- Ruby’s book: The Audition Chronicles
- Sign up for The Direct Deposit, our free weekly recap newsletter
- Download the 5 Things Financial Checklist and other free tools
- Explore more episodes at www.showbizpod.com
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