Having to overcome unexpected problems is a hallmark of entrepreneurship. Almost every business owner, artist, maker, and creative we know has had to deal with countless unexpected problems that arise in the journey and so we asked some brilliant folks from the community to share their stories of the unexpected problems they’ve faced along the way.

Keves Colleir

Being a personal trainer requires a lot of patience. Over time this patience is tested through adversity and challenges, and sometimes requiring you to reevaluate your decision on being in this side of business. Read more>>

Raven Skye

I’d have to say the biggest unexpected thing that I’ve faced in my creative journey was back in the summer of 2015. I had been in a really good flow with my art prior to that, having worked diligently to get to the point where I was enjoying a flourishing art career, when things changed in the blink of an eye. I was the passenger in a near death car accident while I was living in Ontario, Canada which abruptly halted my art career. Read more>>

Matt Hawley

My biggest issue has been myself. 8 years after starting Hawley Inspections I was at a business conference when I signed up for a coaching program. 8 months later as I prepared to go to that coaching program’s big yearly conference I got out of the original CDs and started listening to them for the 3 rd time. Even though this was my 3rd time listening to these CDs it was my first time hearing the question that would change my life forever. Read more>>

Reggie and Emily Thomas

The biggest unexpected issue we faced was shipping. We had a supplier that was outsourcing t shirts overseas after a few months that we were in business. That country had a major Covid-19 lockdown to the point where our supplier could not even go to work. They were accepting orders that they couldn’t fulfill and it was a total disaster. Read more>>

Lynnae Tanner Ruff

I was just minding my own business one day in August of 2016, when Lady Grey Beads got pulled into a potentially disastrous situation for a small business owner. The headlines that ran on Fox 2 news station, Webster-Kirkwood Times & St. Louis Post Dispatch newspaper read, “Trump supporters mistakenly target Webster Groves jeweler” & Webster Groves business owner relieved as mix-up over Ivanka Trump subsides & Made in St. Louis: Jewelry designer’s grace trumps controversy.” Read more>>

Loppy Rae

I always knew that I wanted a career in art, but the problem was how to get there. Growing up, I knew that careers in art existed, but I was unaware of just how many options I had. I took a few painting classes, designed some terrible logos for friends, and even dabbled in photography for a while. Straight out of high school, I got accepted into an art school and chose graphic design as my major. Read more>>