We asked some of the brightest and most thoughtful entrepreneurs, artists and creatives in the community to tell us about something they believe that most people in their space disagree with and we’ve shared highlights below.

Paige Rechtman

One thing I believe that many people still don’t understand is this: Pets become pillars for our mental health. Which is why many people report feeling more devastated when their pet dies than when an important human in their life dies. Read more>>

Barry Kostabi

I believe that fitness isn’t selling because it’s still being marketed like it’s about changing your body. That’s what the industry’s been pushing for decades—before-and-afters, “get shredded,” “burn calories,” “summer body” nonsense. It’s deeply ingrained. But here’s the truth I’ve seen again and again: what actually gets people to walk through your doors—and keep coming back—isn’t the workout. It’s the way they feel during and after. Emotionally, not just physically. Read more>>

Angela Clark

I believe that the true meaning of life lies in discovering our unique gifts and talents. Our purpose is not simply to possess these gifts, but to generously share them with the world. To find this gift, I encourage looking within and identifying those activities that ignite our passion and drive us without ever leading to burnout or boredom. When we discover that activity that holds our sustained interest and excitement, we have likely found our gift, the area in which we can truly excel and become masterful. Once identified, the next step is to commit to deep and immersive learning. We must dedicate ourselves to mastering this gift, pursuing knowledge and experience until we possess comprehensive understanding and skill. Read more>>

Victoria Graf

This is my favorite type of question, specially in the social media space. I think in general, and as an industry, we have just labeled my role/career as “Social Media”, but I see social media as more of a skill. I’ve worked in so many different industries—cultivated meats, the LA-influencer market, podcasts, housing, auto, scripted TV, celebrity brands, and in the end the day to day is different for each of these but the results will always be connection, strategy and storytelling. Social media is a tool first and foremost, and that isn’t necessarily the way that a lot of my peers perceive it. Read more>>

Dana L Cox

I don’t believe you have to sacrifice yourself to be successful. That statement alone challenges the core of how many industries operate. We’ve been conditioned to believe that stress is required, that burnout is just part of the job, and that loyalty means staying silent while you suffer. I used to believe that, too, until it nearly cost me everything. Read more>>

Megan Rose

One of the things I speak about that often goes against the mainstream is birth control—and not in the way people expect. I don’t believe women should be shamed for using it. What I do believe is that we’ve been conditioned to accept it without full awareness of what it’s doing to our bodies, our emotions, and our connection to self. Birth control was handed to me at a young age as a “solution.” I was told it would regulate my cycle, balance my hormones, ease my pain. What it actually did was numb me from the inside out and eventually caused me to have a hormonal imbalanced that impacted my quality of life. Read more>>