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

Tammy Shweiger

Straight out of school my first professional role was as an auditor of a big four accounting firm. The client/auditor relationship is inherently riddled with tension—an auditor is typically viewed as an unwelcome visitor, creating what the client sees as unnecessary work. My role was to look for mistakes and ask lots of questions about how and why people do their jobs. Read more>>

Skye Bohmer

As I finished college I began working at a “paint your own pottery” shop. Right after I graduated, by the age of 23, I became the manager. Looking back now I can see how young and unprepared I was for the huge responsibilities I was taking on, but I learned a lot. Read more>>

Megan Berger

I worked as a Security Guard / EMT in a casino for 5 years. I came to this job after years of being isolated to being around thousands of people everyday. I saw every walk of life come in the door. I saw every type of person with a gambling addiction. Read more>>

Haley Smith

Surrounding yourself with people who fully embody integrity is so important. Especially in spiritual and healing spaces, it can be really easy to get wrapped up in leaders who aren’t in integrity with their spiritual teachings, which can be really harmful. I’ve encountered a lot of people in positions of power who have a rhetoric of social justice and building a better world, but end up being toxic to their employees. Read more>>

Stephen Horney

When can I start my own practice? It was a question I’d heard asked, but never answered. There are so many factors that go into an answer like this and I wanted someone to nailed it down for me, but no one could. I’ll tell you the story of how I knew. Read more>>

Kristie Bulach

I was blessed to have two very different experiences at photography studios prior to me opening my very own. My first boss I worked for almost 7 1/2 years all throughout high school and college. What are the lessons I learned from him was to find your niche. Read more>>

Alise Armour

When I first moved to LA in 2013, I was lucky enough to land a job at an audio post production studio as a client service representative. Little did I know that this job would teach me so much about working with celebrity talent and the top post production studios in the country. Read more>>

Mike Gallagher

Always exceed members expectations. Work hard to serve others. They taught me how to develop other coaches. They taught me teamwork, how to teach classes, leadership, understanding the sales process and the importance of program design and assessments to help clients reach their goals. Read more>>

Lauren Burke

I have worked in the restaurant industry as a server and bartender for seventeen years. I learned so much in all of those years, in all of those interactions. I learned how it felt when I was treated like less than human, and how it felt when I went into a space of judgement of the people I was serving. Read more>>

Julie McAllister

My career as a cake artist came to be over time. Originally, I went to college and grad school for Advertising, which set the stage for working at various marketing agencies over the course of my 20s. As a lifelong hobby baker, I always had a pull in the back of my mind for a career in a culinary field. Read more>>

Chevonne Ariss

There’s 2 actually. Before I moved into stained glass full time and ultimately started Cracked, I was a hairdresser and makeup artist for about 15 yrs. I use so much of what I learned from being in the salon or on set in my glass work. Beauty is in balance, regardless of where you find it. Read more>>

Krista Covell-Pierson

One of the most important lessons I learned at my previous employer was the value of taking care of your team members. I was blessed with three incredible mentors at my first job after college. They took me under their wings and helped me more than I realized in the moment. Read more>>

Matty Dalrymple

In 2019, the company I worked for went through an organizational restructuring and gave me the choice of interviewing for a job I didn’t want or of taking a severance package. The choice wasn’t difficult. I took the package and left behind my decades-long career as a project manager in the corporate world. Read more>>

Tracy Thomas

I come from a service background. Right out of college I jumped into the Oil & Gas Industry. I stayed at the same company for 10+ years before moving into the Independent/ Assisted Living Industry for another 10 years. Both required constant interaction with people. From the time I arrived at work each day until the end of each day I was busy helping others. Read more>>

Vanessa Howe

Know how to do every job you have to ask other people to do. Step up and do the small stuff. Take suggestions from the people who do the job every day. Read more>>