It’s always a thrill to discover that you can earn a living doing something you love.
Dena Ackerman drew and painted throughout childhood but never considered it as a potential job. She worked in event planning, outreach, and administration.
Then, a friend referred a children’s book author to her. Dena sent samples and got her first illustration job.
“I enjoyed the process,” Dena says, “and realized I could make money doing what I loved.
“I contacted publishers, attended writing events, and posted samples online. Slowly, I built up a business.”
Dena currently illustrates children’s books, magazines, ads, and social media posts. She also does fine art, working in watercolor, acrylics, and pencil to create commissioned portraits.
In addition, she gives art classes. “I never thought I’d teach,” she admits. “But someone in Ramat Beit Shemesh opened an art school and saw my work at an exhibition.
“She asked if I’d teach there. I told her no. But she kept asking, and I kept refusing. Finally, she wore me down, and I agreed – and discovered I loved teaching.”
Dena has been teaching there for a decade and has also launched an online art school where students learn drawing and painting.
Several years ago, she attended a meeting at a Temech networking group. “It piqued my interest, but I wasn’t ready to commit. A year ago, she joined.
“I wanted to meet other business owners and learn additional skills. I knew that at each meeting, women set a goal for the following month and then report back. I wanted to have that accountability to propel me forward.”
The accountability proved valuable; Dena achieved several goals that year, creating new online courses and working on children’s books of her own.
“The group included women at all different stages of their business. Some were just starting out, and I was able to offer support, while also appreciating how far I’d come. It’s so easy to focus on everything we still want to do; this gave me a sense of how much I’ve already accomplished.
“There were also women who were ahead of me, which showed me future possibilities and clarified what I don’t want to do… for example opening a studio and hiring others would not work for me!”
Dena gained insights from seeing how others run their businesses and from the Temech speakers she heard.
“One woman who’d just opened a business dove in and implemented what we learned. It made me wish I’d joined such a group years earlier.
“I was so ignorant in the beginning, trying to figure everything out on my own. I think I could have progressed so much faster if I’d had the tools and knowledge Temech offers.
“We’re often hesitant to invest in ourselves, but the earlier you start, the better. And Temech is an investment in yourself, your business, and your future.”
