Experience is often valued because of the lessons prior jobs have theoretically provided us with. While hearing about those lessons isn’t a replacement for actually experiencing it, we thought it would be very helpful to create a space where sharp and generous members of the community can come together to share stories and lessons learned at prior jobs for the benefit of others.

Dr. Lashonda Wofford

The most important lesson learned at my prior job was God will use people and unfavorable circumstances to launch you into your purpose. Read more>>

Ruby Jones

When I first started my career as a makeup artist, I worked in the film industry and my goal was to make a career for myself working in this industry. After experiencing the culture and work environment of the industry, I realized that it wasn’t the healthiest due to the lack of regard for work/life balance and health. Read more>>

Miguel Rivas

Learning the power and value of cultivating relationships. When I started my project a decade ago, I always knew the approach I wanted to take when it came to tell the stories of the people I was going to be working with, in order to do that, I needed to have a relationship with them and to do do that well you need time, there is no other way around that. Read more>>

Angela Wall

Before my husband and I became salon owners, I worked at a small local non-profit for a couple years. Prior to that I was working behind the chair as a hair stylist, self employed, but chair-renting. The most impactful thing I learned working the The Net FW (that small non-profit), was that culture matters! This was my first healthy job I’d ever had. Read more>>

Kisha Lee

One of the most important lessons learned from a prior job was simple: Presence. From my hourly jobs as a teenager at McDonald’s and Cub Foods (grocery store), to being a hairstylist and now spiritual teacher, mentor and healer, I’ve learned that the greatest foundational skill you can have in any career path is knowing how to be present. Read more>>

Evan Levy

I would say the most important lesson I’ve learned at a prior job is to not let others determine your own value and worth. I was a personal trainer full-time at a major commercial gym in New Jersey. By most standards I was doing pretty well for myself – lots of clients, making decent money, building a great reputation. But I was killing myself on my feet for 6 days a week and the gym was taking HALF my money. Read more>>

Tyler Hackbarth

The most important lessons were ones I gained through my military service. Crucial ideals such as, motivation, integrity, bravery and determination have driven me to constantly push myself as an artist through my bladesmithing journey. This ideology has substantially led to my success! Read more>>

Tiffany Jones

I have worked in the medical field for over ten years now. I started out as a patient sitter and CNA/PCT. I worked my way through college and graduated with bachelor’s degree in nursing. I always knew that I wanted to help people. I am a naturally empathetic person and I have always been able to hold space for people in challenging situations. Read more>>

Raquel Jensen

At one of the first jobs I had, my boss would always teach us to lead with kindness and compassion. He would teach us to never discriminate against anyone and to treat everyone the same. Not only did this allow me to make meaningful friendships with many different people in that job, but it taught me that I wanted to have that same mindset with my photography business. Read more>>

Tammy McDonald

If I’ve learned one thing from my time here on earth, it’s that life lessons will occur at any time. For me, these lessons have sometimes created challenges and obstacles that have stretched me and motivated me to create opportunities for myself. In 2019, my previous job would provide me with a life altering lesson. I can honestly say that I diligently worked for this company for years. Read more>>

Renee Segal

I love this question. My undergraduate degree was business with a major in accounting. While I was in school I had an internship with one of the big accounting firms and never got an offer to work with them. I had a health problem at the time so I assumed it wasn’t related to my performance. Once I graduated, I started my career as an accountant at Pillsbury. It turned out to be an awful fit. Read more>>

Brett Johnson

For pretty much my entire life the thought of doing the same tasks the same way every day has been something I’ve gone out of my way to avoid. From sweeping the shop, to mowing grass, to changing diapers. I’ve always approached tasks with the mindset of trying a different technique to see if I can do something better, faster, etc. Read more>>

Anne Bedrick

I taught children for 30 years. Teaching them is like studying with a great artist. They are masters at living in the moment and watching what paint or any other art medium is doing. They work with their whole beings. The important lesson I learned? To watch what is happening in front of me and how it can transform, marveling at the paint as it moves, and ready to stop when something beautiful emerges. Read more>>

Sonya Benham

As a hairstylist, I had to learned that not everyone is going to like my style and that’s ok. Some clients are going to become regulars and others will disappear never to be seen again. In the beginning, I perceived the latter as rejection and it stung. But as time goes on you realize how absurd that is – to think that your approach is going to be the right fit for every person? Read more>>

Veronica

I went to beauty school while I was in high school which allowed me to graduate high school with my cosmetology license and immediately enter the work force. Being in the beauty industry, many people want to jump into the realm of being self employed and setting your own hours. While there are lots of benefits to this, it poses the issue of jumping in without any kind of security net — but the raw ambition and drive of someone fresh out of beauty school can’t be matched! Read more>>

Adam Rivas

I was working for a bank at the time doing my best and giving it my all but it wasn’t emotionally fulfilling. It was quite draining to be honest. I didn’t feel like I was really making an impact and was constantly thinking how miserable I was there. Comfort got the best of me though and I kept asking the universe to give me better opportunities. Read more>>

Kim Wood

What is amazing to me as a business owner now, is how every ounce of hard work we put in through our youth ends up having value in our future career. Even when we are not aware of why the jobs we have will serve any purpose later on in life, they often do. Our hard work does not always feel rewarded, until one day we gain the clarity to how it enhances our lives. I was blessed enough to have had the opportunity to learn so many skills in the jobs I had when I was young, and bring those skills together to grow a successful small business. Read more>>

Bradlee Patrick

This story starts late in my senior year of High School. (March-April 2006) It was while attending a job fair I would receive some words of encouragement that would change the way I think about things. A Navy Admiral said to me, “The way you do anything is the way you do everything.” Read more>>

Alycia Yerves

Before I opened my business in 2017, I spent over 15 years working behind the scenes in the marketing departments of a few awesome theaters in New Jersey. It was always a whirlwind of creativity, personalities, excitement, and at many, many times: STRESS. But it would be impossible to overstate how much I learned back in my theater days. Read more>>

Jonathan Bolton

Definitely time management and beating procrastination. I’m sure most of us understand the ‘importance’ of it, but executing it is completely different. My previous job required and extremely fast pace. There was no time to talk yourself out of a task, no chance to trick yourself in to believing there is not enough time. While it was a simple job: making food, washing dishes, cleaning, etc., the fast pace of the work made far more aware of how long tasks actually take. Read more>>

Noel Ransom

The most important lesson or experience I had in a job that has helped me in my professional career is the fact that I am in control and in charge of my own professional development. All too often, employees look to the company to provide training, professional certifications, tuition reimbursements or career progression paths and expecting the company to chart their course. Read more>>

Amy Johnson

In 1996 I started my professional teaching career as the head band director of a 5A high school in Oklahoma. Typically, the jr. high director, or at least someone with experience, would be put in that role. I had just turned 23 and was hired to take over the position mid semester, in November, and of course, on Homecoming Day. Read more>>

Camille Knutson

Being a jeweler/goldsmith/artist isn’t really typical…you either work for someone else in their shop or work for yourself doing shows or running your own studio. I currently am doing both of these things and teaching. It’s kind of a weird combination but it works for me and I love being self employed. Before I decided to jump into my creative passions full time, I worked a ‘normal’ corporate job. Read more>>

Megan Kizer

Change Management– I have worked in non-profit, educational reform for the last 11 years before taking on this role as a studio owner. In this other aspect of my work, I have learned a lot about change management. Some of the components that stand out are how to respond to resistance and making sure to include messaging about the change that covers the relational and technical aspects. Read more>>