Over the years, after talking with tens of thousands of entrepreneurs, artists and creatives, almost every success story we’ve heard has been filled with stories of failure. Unfortunately, in our view the media rarely covers these parts of the story – instead we often read summaries that make it seem like success happened “overnight.” However, what we’ve learned in our conversations with so many successful folks is that failure is core ingredient in the recipe for future success. Below, we’ve shared some fascinating stories of failure from folks who have ultimately found great success.

Rachel Pesso

As entrepreneurs I have found that failing is truly built into being successful. We must overcome and go through certain things in order to gain more clarity in the direction we are meant to go. This has occurred many many times in my 10 years of running my business, RP Creative. In most circumstances, the areas that I feel I have “failed” have led me to some of my greatest successes. Read more>>

Richard Dillard

My failures is where all the gold is buried. Often successful entrepreneurs tend to not mention the failures because negative social exposure and criticism is a lot to take on. However if you were to ask a entrepreneur who took the stairs opposed to the elevator , you’ll find his journey is filled with failures and disappointments. I’m not an exception to the rule. Honestly I seldom enter in business agreements with business men and women who haven’t experienced a high level of failures in the past. My personal story is I went from homeless to 7 figures within 7 years. I started my first financially successful business while sleeping in my car to eventually into 100 sqft office space that served as my professional office during the day to my housing at night. I’d shower and groom myself at a local LA Fitnesses until I was able to afford actual housing. I learned a lot about myself during those trying times. I learned through the experience the type of business man /entrepreneur I was. I was built to withstand adversity and still provide quality service and uphold a level character and integrity that accompanies in my life; still til this very moment. I’m proud to have experienced the challenge and to have catapult myself into established position using the tools I took with me from the journey. Read more>>

Patrice “Patty B” Boone

I have failed more than once and would never trade my journey for another. One time does stand out specifically though, Read more>>

Kristin Vogt

Failure has been an incredibly sore topic for me in my business. I have grown immensely in my confidence around the creative aspects of my endeavors, however the business management side of things can really evoke a lot of shame in me. I have-like many other creatives in the last number of years- awoken to how violent our hyper-capitalist society really is. As a white woman pursuing visual arts, I’ve had all the privilege enabling me to get started: access to finances supporting my pursuits through my loving partner, internship opportunities with family friends who grew up in the same affluent white neighborhood…zero financial debt from my higher education. I walked into my new business with fears around the risks of putting myself out there – but with no real idea of how financially risky it could be. In short, one could easily say I was naive. As a result of this lack of preparedness, I found myself struggling to make steady income from my business. Like many new business owners, I needed to work multiple jobs to make a living wage, but I was unable to healthfully manage the two to three jobs/internships I was committed to .(Now, I am fully aware that MOST folks have no choice but to manage the exhaustion of such a schedule). I felt for years like I was barely scraping by, until an unhealthy dynamic at one of my work places enacted me to quit that job entirely and essentially take a mental health sabbatical from my business as well as other endeavors. This choice, which was made possible by my inherently privileged situation, was nonetheless quite devastating for our financial situation and we kept crawling deeper into debt in order to give me to space to attend to unhealed trauma which was being triggered aggressively by our violent work and social systems. In truth, finances continue to be a source of severe strain on my partner and I, who since COVID have had a little one who is now two, and have had to manage the ordeal of unemployment. While my partner has a steady position and income, it is not sufficient for our family of three in these times of recession. It’s been rare for me to find other folks in this industry of creative services who are transparent about the financial difficulties. The costs (financial and emotional) of running a business are astronomical, especially when you’re attempting to “keep up with the jones” and the “hottest technology”. The creative businesses that I see most flourishing appear to be grinding for it. Despite our ongoing financial hardships, I’m in a privileged position to be pushing for something better; a business that flourishes, but does not grind me (or my family) down. This is the dream, one that has yet to materialize. I am hopeful. But, until then, I’ll be looking for full time jobs and my husband will take his turn staying home with our little one. I plan to run my business on the side. We will see how this goes! Read more>>