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.

Taylor Ballam

I’ve of course failed more than once. I’m always making mistakes. I could write a long list of all the mistakes and areas I wish I could have done better or hope to do better in the future. Today I wanted to share one of my biggest mistakes in business I’ve ever made, bringing on a partner. As of today, I’ve never shared this story on paper, only to close friends and family I know. I don’t want to sit and dwell on this mistake and beat myself up, but maybe I need to do a better job of reflecting and writing down what I’ve learned, and how I hope to be better. Read more>>

Miranda Flores

I failed at starting my photography business… but hold tight, and let me explain!

After several years of being a hobby photographer, with the support and encouragement of my husband and family, I decided to quit my job and pursue photography full-time. At the time, I didn’t have consistent work—just the occasional shoot or wedding here and there—but I was determined to find a way to make it work. I handled all the legal stuff, spent hours picking the perfect business name, and agonized over creating the “perfect” website. I threw myself into trendy social media posts and videos, all in an attempt to attract business from the comfort of my home. I even tried a little bit of networking, but it was intimidating, and instead of pushing myself to focus on it, I’d get caught up in other tasks to convince myself I was still making progress. Read more>>

Sarah Tomer

I was a vendor at a popular craft show. Money was spent on the vendors fee, the travel, hotel fees and the supply needed to make wreaths. It was an expensive show as a small business owner. This 3 day show cost thousands and I only sold 2 wreaths.
This was a total loss for my business. But I didn’t let it get to me. It was a learning experience. I brought those Easter wreaths to my October show and sold 13 out of 15. The learning experience was, location. My normal area where I need to be. My local and regular customers always come back to see me. And always do your research. Never give up. Read more>>

James Dixon

Failure has never had too much trouble finding me, and in my line of work it’s the key ingredient and building block to what you do next. One of my most vivid memories of failure would be my first MMA fight. Like most young aspiring athletes, I had visions of success forming a haze in front of my reality. Having a relatively easy, successful start in kickboxing I was naive to the differences between the two sports. The build up before the fight had me thinking I was 10 feet tall and bulletproof. When I got to the fight I assumed it was going to be just like any other competition. I walk in, throw a few punches, create a little drama, pull out a win, go home and celebrate! However, once the fight started, it turned out my opponent and fate had an entirely different plan. Read more>>

Sharon Ann Rose

“Failure will only remain alive in the eyes of its beholder,” I hear a voice say from deep within. I soften, exhaling into it.

When we gain new perspective about our supposed defeats, we discover maturity awakening. She beckons us into conscious relationship with time’s seasons and cycles. The wisdom gained along our path far outweighs any predetermined destination or outcome.

This is my story of failure… actually, it’s a revelation of grace. Read more>>