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

Rkhty Aaron

I worked for a small business throughout the pandemic and during that time, I carried out a variety of roles I didn’t expect to fulfill. I was in charge of Recruitment, Human Resources, Company Culture, accounts payable and a host of other duties. My previous roles didn’t not prepare me for the level of responsibility I would eventually take on. Read more>>

Shanae Brown

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my career is to not be intimidated by someone’s job title. It’s common to feel like you don’t measure up or that your opinions aren’t valued when you’re in a junior or mid-level position. You may be intimidated by someone’s title, or you might think the senior leaders in your company are like royalty. The truth is, they’re human just like you—they just so happen to be in positions of power. Read more>>

Edward Smith III

Many people get to a point in their career where they start to question if what they are doing is helping to make the world a better place… a lot of times, that answer will be “No.” This moment may cause you to build resentment towards your job and career path. For me, this was a moment when I felt the most depressed as I regretted the use of my time despite the financial reward. Read more>>

Mandy Carstensen

Throughout my various professional roles, I’ve learned the importance of customer service and the impact it can have on a business. While the services we offer may not be groundbreaking, I strive to differentiate my company through exceptional customer service. This lesson has taught me that by prioritizing the needs and satisfaction of customers, businesses can build strong and loyal relationships that drive success. Read more>>

Kelly Bennett

Money, money, money. . . they say that one must be either privileged or foolhardy to pursue a career as a writer, as writing requires time and money: time to imagine, create and physically write and rewrite thousands of words and pages; and because, like most art forms, pay checks only come after the work is finished, money to pay the bills so one can write. When the idea of becoming a writer struck me, I had neither of those things. Read more>>

Genevieve Custer Weeks

In my previous life as a ballet dancer I learned that that even with a tremendous amount of preparation (in my case, and most others, years and years of ballet training and typically many hours of rehearsals leading up to a performance), there is still always a moment where you have to step out onto the stage. I call it the Step on the Stage Moment… Read more>>

Raema Mauriello

I served in the Navy between 2000-2004. I didn’t have an assigned job title when I joined and the group I was in was asked if any of us wanted to train to become a search and rescue swimmer, because each ship needed a certain number to be certified for deployment. I looked around the room and nobody raised their hand, Read more>>

Samantha Martin

Working as an attorney is what led me to starting a nonprofit organization focused on gender expression. My first job out of law school I was told to dress less feminine to be taken more seriously. This experience was followed up with misogynistic interviews for new jobs (because I, of course, quit that one), “funny” comments from male mentors, and a constant doubt in my abilities from any potential employers. Read more>>

Phillip Destruge

I have been a portrait photographer for over a decade but in the interim I have been in the medical field for over 16 years. However, in 2020 I lost my job and I needed to replace my income within the next month but for obvious reasons I didn’t want to go back to working in person in an office with a full staff. Read more>>

Aimee Jackson

I first started working in children’s book publishing in the early 1990s. There was less pressure then to put out so much volume, so I learned to spend a lot of time on book development. Each book was treated like a piece of art, lovingly crafted from story development through illustration through design. I remember giant paintings arriving in the art department, or working with really unique styles of art like batik and wood and linocut. Read more>>

Lida Bunting

I worked for a general contracting company when I first graduated college. I was young and “green” as some would say. But, I was also eager and ambitious, so I worked long hours, asked a lot of questions and made sure to absorb everything that I was being taught. I worked with a ton of men. Most had been in the industry for 10-20 years, and were much more senior than me. Whether it was the architect on the job, the engineer, or the superintendents; for them, having a young female project manager running their job sites was new. And I felt like I was constantly needing to prove myself. Read more>>