If you're a young creative trying to get your foot in the door, you've probably already felt it: the invisible wall between you and the opportunities that seem just out of reach.

You’ve studied, built a portfolio, maybe even hustled through internships — but the industry still feels like it’s keeping you at arm’s length. You're not alone. This isn’t just in your head. The creative world has long been gatekept — by unpaid labour, closed-door networks, and a system that rewards who you know more than what you can do.

Let’s talk about why that is — and more importantly, how we can change it.

The Harsh Reality of Industry Gatekeeping

There’s this unspoken truth in the creative industry: most entry points are unpaid, underpaid, or simply inaccessible unless you already have the right connections or financial safety net.

Unpaid internships are still the norm in many creative fields. For someone without outside support, that’s a huge barrier — and one that quietly shuts out brilliant people before they even get a chance. Add to that the deeply rooted nepotism and favouritism that shapes hiring decisions, and it becomes painfully clear: the system isn’t designed to be fair. It’s designed to be familiar, to hire from within the same circles, to maintain a kind of creative status quo.

If you’re not already in those circles? Good luck.

Why Traditional Networking Fails Us

We’re told networking is everything — and it is. But here’s the catch: most traditional networking spaces don’t include us.

They rely on expensive events, exclusive alumni groups, or knowing the “right” people — and if you don’t come from a background with access to those things, you’re stuck trying to build a career in a room you were never invited into.

This is especially true for creatives who didn’t go to certain schools, who are self-taught, who are working class, or who come from underrepresented communities. The tools to be seen — to find collaborators, clients, mentors — just don’t exist for most of us.

Networking shouldn’t be a luxury. It should be part of how we grow.

How Lylac is Rewriting the Script

That’s where Lylac comes in.

Lylac was built by creatives, for creatives — with the goal of leveling the playing field and creating space for the kind of talent that’s too often overlooked. We’re not trying to “disrupt” for the sake of it. We’re building the thing we wish we had when we were just starting out.

On Lylac, you don’t need to know someone to get started. You don’t need to have the right last name, or a studio in East London, or a connection at a big brand. What you do need is your work, your ideas, and a willingness to connect. That’s it.

We’re building a real-time creative network — one where portfolios are seen, conversations are open, and opportunity is something we make together.

The Future Belongs to Us

We believe the next generation of artists, designers, makers and thinkers deserves better. You deserve access. You deserve community. You deserve a platform that sees your potential and helps amplify it.

Lylac isn’t just an app — it’s a movement toward transparency, inclusivity, and self-made opportunity in the creative world.

If you’ve ever felt shut out of this industry — we see you. We’ve been there. And we’re building something different with you in mind.

Thanks for being part of it.

Team Lylac