For many students, a degree is seen as a pathway to a stable and well-paying career. For 28-year-old entrepreneur Elyse Burns, however, law school ended up becoming a stepping stone to something entirely different.
According to a report, Burns enrolled at Duke University Law School in 2019, taking out federal student loans to cover tuition and living expenses. Yet before completing her degree, she realised she did not want to pursue a career in law. Instead, she decided to focus on the art business she had been building for years on the side.
From Side Hustle To Full-Time Business
Burns began selling hand-painted canvases on Etsy in 2015. She opened an Etsy seller account on her 18th birthday and, according to CNBC Make It, sold two paintings within the first week.
Over time, the small venture evolved into Elyse Breanne Design, a business that now sells stickers, colouring books, stationery and home décor products.
Despite the common belief that creative careers are financially uncertain, Burns said she found herself increasingly drawn toward entrepreneurship.
“I feel like everybody knows you can make a good living as a lawyer, and you can’t as an artist, and that’s sort of like the stereotype and the thought,” the 28-year-old told the publication.
By 2020, her company was generating six figures in sales and brought in $360,000 that year, she said.
Realising Law Wasn’t The Right Fit
While studying law, Burns continued running her business. She even worked at Duke’s First Amendment clinic during the summer. Yet she found herself thinking more about art than legal work.
“I was doing exactly what I wanted to do legally, and I was still kind of like, ‘man, I just want to get this done with for the day so I can paint,’” she said.
A turning point came when she started sharing her work and entrepreneurial journey on TikTok in 2020. She also began selling products wholesale through Faire, a platform that connects brands with retailers.
According to Burns, talking about balancing law school with running a creative business resonated strongly with audiences online and helped expand her customer base.
Paying Off More Than $75,000 In Loans
Although she ultimately chose not to practise law, Burns completed her degree. She said she felt compelled to finish what she had started.
“Even though I knew this wasn’t going to be necessary — the degree wasn’t going to do much for me — I think it was something that I was so convinced I needed to do,” she said.
After graduation, Burns focused entirely on growing her company. The strategy paid off. By September 2023, she had cleared all the student debt she had accumulated while pursuing her law degree.
According to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It, she paid off more than $75,000 in outstanding loans in 2023 alone. Burns estimated that her annual cost of attendance was around $63,000, in addition to approximately $20,000 in living expenses. She also received a $25,000 scholarship each year and paid for her third year out of pocket.
Reflecting on her unconventional journey, she said, “I got super lucky, and how I got here also included going to law school. Sharing about being in law school and running a business on TikTok was part of what blew up my business to begin with.”
Building A Multi-Million-Dollar Company
Today, Burns’ business has grown far beyond its Etsy roots. According to CNBC Make It, Elyse Breanne Design generated approximately $4.6 million in sales in 2025 through online channels and Mill and Meadow, a stationery store she opened in Durham, North Carolina, in 2022.
The company now employs 18 full-time staff members.
Burns said running a growing business comes with its own challenges, particularly as operational needs continue to evolve.
Still, she remains committed to expanding the brand. Her products are currently available in Blick Art Materials stores and around 40 Hallmark locations, according to the report.
Although she occasionally feels overwhelmed, she does not see herself leaving the business behind.
“What am I really gonna do other than this? It has my name on it. I would just want to start another business just like this, if I were to sell,” she said. “So I think the road ahead is pretty much exactly the same, and I’ll just see what kind of happens.”
For Burns, the path from law school to entrepreneurship may have been unexpected, but it ultimately helped transform a creative side hustle into a thriving business.