Over the years, after talking with tens of thousands of entrepreneurs, artists and creatives, almost every success story we’ve heard has been filled with stories of failure. Unfortunately, in our view the media rarely covers these parts of the story – instead we often read summaries that make it seem like success happened “overnight.” However, what we’ve learned in our conversations with so many successful folks is that failure is core ingredient in the recipe for future success. Below, we’ve shared some fascinating stories of failure from folks who have ultimately found great success.

Dan Ramm

I’ve been a writer/Producer for Television for nearly twenty years and during that time I’ve had some success and plenty of failures. It was during the summer of 2022 when COVID was still very much a concern that I was asked to pitch some ideas for a scripted drama to a network I had done some work for in the past. I presented three ideas and they selected one. I developed it a bit for them and they ultimately passed on the idea. The problem with that was they now owned that idea that I thought was pretty darn good. But one of the ideas they didn’t select I felt was better than all three. And had more potential for ongoing stories. Read more>>

Analisa Foote

When I first conceived the concept for Wildeflower Collective in 2019, I was driven by a clear vision: to craft a space that championed individuality and inclusivity through a nurtured, supportive community for both artists and clients. I wanted to challenge the norms of traditional bridal beauty by bringing my experience and passion in skin-focused makeup and effortless styles to the wedding industry— natural, elevated beauty for modern brides was a movement, and I wanted to bring it with me where I planned to establish new roots. Read more>>

Jasmine Garcia

In the time before my business career, I worked three jobs. I could grind my way through life. But, when I began actually running the business, I faced an entirely different form of work: Thinking.

To succeed in business, more than physical, it takes mental stamina (or in Rory Vaden’s words: mental toughness). I was physically tough, but mentally weak. I ignored my fears, thought terrible of myself – it kept me from growing. It blocked the sunlight to my growth. Honest, I’m still breaking it down today, but I’m grateful for my boss, who encourages me to keep humbling myself and learning because it increases your strength. What I’m about to say next, I used to think it was stupid, too. But it’s so simple, if you can’t do it, there’s something to consider. Read more>>

Richard Soliday

Starting a business is often a labor of love, passion, and vision. For me, it was all those things—and more. It began with a dream shared with my best friend of over 20 years. Together, we embarked on an entrepreneurial journey, determined to create something meaningful and successful. Little did I know, the dream would come crashing down, only to be rebuilt into something far greater than I had ever imagined. Read more>>