We speak with so many brilliant folks across dozens of industries and when those folks happen to be working for someone else, sometimes we can’t help but wonder why they aren’t working for themselves. How do folks decide between joining a firm or starting their own? We posed the question to the community and have shared some of their responses below.

Analy Diego.

I guess the term “starting out” could be interpreted different ways; I am a strong believer that a designer’s professional career starts the moment you land your first internship. So, on that note, my first internship and exposure to real-world design scenarios happened in 2008 with Pfluger Architects. During my time at Pfluger, I learned a lot about the importance of meeting a deadline, respecting a client’s budget, and understanding human behavior and how it affects design. Sadly, due to the recession my time at Pfluger was short-lived. Read more>>

Stephanie Davis

When I first started my career in real estate, I joined a large franchise company. I made that choice mostly because the company had the best brand recognition in the market, and I thought that would make building my business easier. The company also had an office close to my house, and the office manager read me well at my interview. He predicted that I would be a great agent, but I would struggle with overcoming my fear of not knowing what I don’t know. I could see that I would learn a lot from him, and I did. He helped me gain knowledge and confidence quickly, which definitely contributed to my success. Read more>>

Jeff Curley.

I started a Talent Agency to represent actors and print models back in the mid 1980’s in North Hollywood, California. While the volume of potential work there was fantastic, the competition was also very fierce. It was not until I relocated with my family to the Austin, Texas, area that my work as a Talent Agent flourished in a less demanding market. I set out to bring the skills of Hollywood to Texas talent, providing real-world fair and honest representation that was not designed simply to make money from the talent themselves, Read more>>