"To me, business is really about the art of getting things done," Molly Crabapple told us in an interview at our New York office. That's why she doesn't believe that artists can't be a part of the business world. "People have this notion that artists should not be businesspeople," she explains. The artist, she says, is often led to believe that they should not play a part in advancing their own career—that they are only 'the creative' and someone else will do the rest. However, if running a business is about getting results, creative people can work—and excel—in that space too.

She argues that it is counter-productive for an artist to think that they have to wait for someone else to propel their career forward. "I believe that you have to seize your own future," she says, "you have to advocate for yourself and build the world that you desire." That's what she did when she opened up her own alternative art class, Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School, at age 22. Today, she continues to advocate for being disruptive and taking the reins when it comes to pursuing your passions.

Crabapple's brilliant artistic endeavors speak for themselves. What is equally as impressive, however, is the way that she refuses to ask permission and blazes trails for herself—never content to wait for a door to be opened for her when she can open it herself. She promotes this ideology in her keynotes. She tells audiences that the world is changing and there's no time to wait for someone to make things happen for you. Her presentations are energizing and inspiring, and she encourages everyone to pursue their goals and take no prisoners along the way.