Risk is a topic that comes up a lot in our conversations with entrepreneurs and creatives, but a related topic is investments. Investments come in many forms – investing your time, money, heart and soul, etc. So, with that broad definition of investment in mind, we asked rising stars in the community to tell us the stories of the best or worst investments they’ve made.

Kyla Brown

The best investment I’ve made as a business owner has been my education — both formal and informal. I’m a Syracuse University graduate with a background in technology, but when I decided to pivot into personal styling, I knew I needed to sharpen my skills. So, I got certified by the London College of Fashion, and that experience was invaluable. I had the natural gifts, but learning in a formal setting really honed my abilities, giving me the foundation and confidence I needed to bet on myself. Read more>>

Wisdom Edioma

nvesting in people has proven to be one of the most valuable choices we’ve made. When you have the right team—individuals who not only have the skills but also share the same passion and vision—the creative process transforms. It’s no longer just about one person trying to push their ideas forward; it becomes a collaborative effort where everyone is aligned. This makes everything smoother, from brainstorming to execution. Read more>>

Angelik Holloway

After my first year of business, I decided it was time to invest in marketing. I mean, how hard could it be? I had been a business owner before—running a tutoring service, hair braiding empire, and even a lemonade stand. But owning a law firm was a whole new ball game. Over the course of my second and third years, I went on a hiring spree, bringing in so-called “marketing gurus” who promised to skyrocket my firm to fame. Spoiler alert—they didn’t. In fact, they left me $80k poorer and with a few more gray hairs. Read more>>

Drake Zion

I would say my best investment I have ever made is in myself. There is no substitute to knowledge, which leads one down what ever path a person may want to follow. when I first got interested in the world of entrepreneurship in my sophomore year of high school after taking an interest in woodworking and getting some guidance from my teacher and mentor. But at the time I didn’t know the first thing about business or where to start. So like any driven scholar I started by hitting the books, and good old youtube university. To get started and figuring out what I needed to know to get and finding opportunities to start my entrepreneurial journey. Read more>>

Meagan Poetschlag

Being an indie author has its many challenges. Starting out, I think the most challenging part is how to invest in your book to make it a success. Sure, you can get your ideas onto a page and even get the thing published, but then what? Being a published independent author for more than ten years, I have definitely discovered some things that I feel were not a worthy money investment, and also some things that I highly recommend spending money on. Read more>>

Rashaun Brown

The best investment I’ve made for my music career so far would have to be purchasing home studio equipment. I wanted to be able to record at any given time without the pressure of knowing that I’m paying for the time, even if I don’t use it all — for instance, recording in a studio session for 4 hours, but only being able to produce 2 songs. With home studio equipment, I can record whenever the creative energy is there at a moments notice, even if it’s 2am. Prior to this investment, I went through a period where I did not have a vehicle. So not only was I having to pay for the session, I didn’t even have a way to get to the studio. Read more>>

Jayjay Drums

The best investment I ever made was Myself. It took me 10 years to understand why this is crucial, but when I did, a major shift occurred in my mindset, vision and career. For a long time I thought success would come from hard work and dedication, hours put down behind the instrument and sweat. I would acquire technique, experience and language, but my personality, vision and confidence wouldn’t grow as much. My development and career seemed stuck when my ambition was way bigger. Read more>>

Ayumi Senesac

The absolute BEST investment I ever made was hiring a business coach specifically geared toward my line of work. I hired my business coach (who I’m still in close contact with to this day) before I even started my business! She helped me understand mindset, working with clients I want to work with, ensuring I’m not burning myself out, and setting up my business for success from the ground up. Dog trainers are some of the most burnt-out business owners. We underpay ourselves, overwork, and never have time to decompress! I know for a fact that had I not hired her, I probably would not be in business at this point. Read more>>

Yusuf Stridiron Jr

The best invest I’ve made over time was Investing in myself and my future. In my early ages I would pick fights all the time , get in trouble at school and at home.When I finished 8th grade going into my freshman year of high school it was as if a switch had been flipped. I began taking my future seriously, I knew then I was a leader, provider and someone people can depend on and the conclusion that I came up with was entrepreneurship.When I graduated from Overbrook High school I went to Trade ,Real estate and Massage Therapy school shortly after and began investing into furthering my education in various fields and industries Read more>>

Dallas Anne Duncan

It’s easy to say that the best investment a creative entrepreneur or artist can make is investing in herself — and there’s certainly some truth to that. But as a creative in the literary publishing field, I prefer to offer actionable advice based on what I’ve learned by effing around and finding out what may work well, and what may not. One of my find-out-the-hard-way instances of an investment not working for me happened when I shelled out more than $500 to have my independently published book “Bright Star” at a series of “book fairs”. I was promised that by paying these hundreds of dollars and sending display copies of my book — which would not be returned — I’d be placing “Bright Star” in front of hundreds, if not thousands, of librarians, bookstore owners, book buyers, etc. At least one of the display copies I sent had been a pre-signed book from my inventory. I opted for a digital advertising package that ensured not only would the books be physically showcased, but patrons would see my book in their program and online as well. Read more>>