As an outsider, breaking into an industry can often seem like an impossible challenge and so we reached out to some very generous folks who agreed to share their stories of how they broke into their respective industries.

Nicole Rivera

It was December 2019, a year before I graduated, and I was honestly completely lost as to what to do after finishing school. Ever since I started chiropractic school in 2016, I had thought I would return to my home in Puerto Rico. But as time passed, I realized I wanted to stay in the U.S. for at least a few more years. I was unsure whether I wanted to open my own practice or become an associate first to learn how to successfully run a business. What I did know was that I wanted to work with families and help guide them toward health and wellness. Read more>>

Edie Allen

I feel as if I was made for coaching, encouraging and helping my entire life. From helping to coach swimmers and soccer players in HighSchool and College, to teaching degree. After coaching and encouraging my own children through sports, I continued on teaching and coaching after they had all flown the coop. Becoming a Health Coach for menopausal women was a natural fit. I learned how to change my nutrition and therefore my mindset and productivity, and couldn’t keep it from the world. I had to start sharng, even before I was a coach, about how good you could feel, and perform when you truly fueled your body. Read more>>

Mackenzie Haley

I was experiencing burnout in my medical sales job. I was a working Mother with 2 small boys and was newly married. My job was stressful and did not fulfill me in any way other than having financial security. For the first time in my adult life I left the corporate world. Staying home while my children were in school during the day created loneliness and boredom. Over time, I filled my loneliness and boredom with food. I gained a significant amount of weight and was pre-diabetic. I had gained freedom by leaving my 9-5, but had seriously neglected my health through my new, sedentary and unproductive lifestyle. Read more>>

Jason Ostrander

I taught fitness in NYC for 10 years before making the transition into digital content. I took my first fitness class at SoulCycle a few years after moving to NYC and I knew – between having breaths, trying to keep up – that there was a better career path that wasnt chained to a desk. I auditioned without any teaching experience – didnt get it – but decided to start on my fitness journey though a yoga certification. For me, I studied music and performance in college, but being in front of people like this was an entirely new experience. I remember how it felt to have the power to change peoples lives. I taught all around NYC, sometimes up to 30 classes per week, for a decade. During that time I had taken instructor training and development (corporate) roles. Read more>>

Larissa Crecco

The story is pretty incredible. My first professional dancing job was one I never imagined I’d land, especially as a young, inexperienced dancer just starting out in Los Angeles. I had just signed with a prestigious agency, and this was only my third professional audition. It was for Missy Elliott. Who wouldn’t want to dance for Missy? She’s the queen of groundbreaking and innovative music videos. Being so new to the industry, I made a rookie mistake—I showed up to the audition in sweatpants. I learned the choreography and started working to perfect it, but as I looked around the room, I saw dancers who were impeccably dressed and clearly talented. That’s when the fear and doubt crept in. I got so in my head that I left. I literally got into my car and started driving away. But something in me said, “Larissa, you learned the choreography—why not just do it?” So I turned the car around, went back in, and hoped no one had noticed I’d left. Read more>>

La’mar Walker

My first job in the field was at a residential treatment facility, where I was responsible for ensuring that the clients’ rooms were clean and coming up with activities to keep them engaged. I also helped make sure they took their medications. While I was there, I had the opportunity to get to know the clients on a deeper level—talking with them, listening to their stories, and understanding their experiences. I remember one day, I was sitting with a client, just having a conversation, when my supervisor came by and told me to get back to work, saying, “You’re not their therapist.” In that moment, I asked her, “How do I become a therapist?” and she simply replied, “Get your master’s.” So that’s what I did. Read more>>

Jennifer Levine

My first job as a physician assistant began at the nation’s leading cancer center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. I had just graduated from Weill Cornell Medical college which was literally across the street. I knew I wanted to remain in NYC for a bit longer, and I knew I liked a renal transplant rotation I had just completed. My goal was to find a job in NYC related to kidney transplant but that proved challenging. The Universe did listen though because a Urology position opened up which happens to include kidneys as part of their disease scope and it was within walking distance to my apartment. Read more>>

Jacob Holley

Getting my first job in human services felt like stepping into an entirely new world, one that was deeply personal to me. At the time, I had recently aged out of foster care, and the idea of turning my own experiences into something meaningful for others was growing inside me. I had a strong desire to help kids who were in similar situations, but honestly, I didn’t have a clear sense of what that path would look like. I was torn with having my past be my identity and having my past shape my future. I just knew I wanted to make a difference and help my community, especially after seeing how the system works—both the good and the bad. Read more>>