We asked some brilliant entrepreneurs, artists and creatives to reflect on lessons they’ve learned at prior jobs. We’ve shared highlights below.

Samuel Church

Right out of film school, I landed what I then thought was my dream job: working as the personal assistant to an Oscar-winning film director. At first, it had all the glitter and trappings you’d expect from such a role. I was already brushing elbows with celebrities, getting a real peek at the craft I’d only heard about in classrooms, and everyone was parroting in my ear that I’d made it through the door — now I just had to follow through, and I’d find my way. Read More>>

Robin Stearns Lee

As a teenager, I worked at the Dairy Queen in my Florida neighborhood. Handling the crush of customers wanting to cool down in the Florida weather with some yummy ice cream was challenging. It didn’t take me long to become an expert at whipping up an appealing banana split or chocolate malt with a smile. But I soon learned that my favorite job task was stepping back from the counter and refilling all the toppings, ice cream cones, and other supplies that had dwindled because of the large crowd of customers. Read More>>

Erin Clancy

I recently attended the Women Working With Clay Symposium, where artists and makers from all stages of their careers came together. One of the most memorable parts of the event was the live artist demonstrations. While these sessions often began with technical questions – about form, tools, and technique – they quickly shifted into more philosophical territory: When do we start calling ourselves artists? What does it mean to “make it”? Are there clear steps to becoming successful?  Read More>>

Emily Isaacson

I was hired for a position I was completely unqualified for: to start the music program at Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy, an inner-city school in Anacostia, Washington, DC. It sounded glamorous and inspiring, but the reality was far more challenging. I had $400 to teach 800 kids, each of whom received just 12 weeks of music over the entirety of middle and high school—and on top of that, I was also expected to teach public policy skills in music class. Read More>>

Kim Douglas

I was previously in radio. While it was fun and creative I can now look back at losing my job to format changes, etc and realize that it was actually good for me. Having things like that, stumbles, losses in life help you to dig in and find strength you might not realize you have. Moving forward into real estate, I felt like I actually had a “big girl job”, helping people buy and sell some of their most valuable assets. Every transaction is different, a learning experience. If things were easy, we wouldn’t learn. Read More>>