I’m LaKeisha Green. Creatively, I go by Ideeyah Supreme. I live in Detroit, where I was born and raised, and like a lot of people, I work a full-time job while building something that matters to me on the side.
By day, I am a mail carrier. It’s steady work, and it’s what keeps my life running. Rent, groceries, gas, school expenses, all of that comes from my nine-to-five.
Outside of my nine-to-five, I’m a singer, songwriter, performer, voiceover artist, and event producer. I collaborate with other creatives. I put on events. I make music. I’m always working on something.
For me, the job and the creative work are in unison. One makes the other possible.
A lot of people are trying to do more than just work a nine-to-five. You see it everywhere. People building brands, making art, starting side projects, trying to turn their passion into something sustainable. What doesn’t always get talked about is how much stability matters in that process.
Creativity needs mental space. It’s hard to focus on writing, performing, or building anything when you’re constantly worrying, especially about money. When your brain is stuck on aligning payday with creative responsibilities, securing studio times, or paying producers, everything else gets pushed aside.
For me, part of creating that space meant being more intentional about how and when I access my money. I use EarnIn to tap into my pay from my nine-to-five when I need to, instead of letting the timing of payday dictate my creative decisions. Whether it’s studio time or production costs, that flexibility helps me keep momentum without the stress.
When I’m not stressed about money, I’m more present. I show up better creatively. I’m able to think ahead instead of just reacting. That’s when the work actually moves forward.
Working full time while creating on the side isn’t easy. It takes planning. It takes energy. Sometimes it takes saying no to things you want to do because you’re tired or because you need to be realistic about your time and money.
The goal isn’t to escape work overnight. It’s to build steadily and support my responsibilities while still investing in my creativity and making sure my job funds my life instead of draining it.
What it really takes to keep creating while working full time is stability, awareness, and enough mental space to stay consistent. Not hustle culture or overnight success. Just systems that let you keep going. That’s how I’m doing it.
Hear from LaKeisha here.
LaKeisha is a real EarnIn customer who was compensated for sharing her story.
