We love grabbing drinks with our entrepreneur friends because they always have the craziest stories. Sometimes it’s a big, unexpected win. Other times it’s a problem that came out of nowhere and couldn’t possibly have been foreseen. There is so much to learn from these stories and so we asked some of the brightest entrepreneurs and creatives in the community to share some of those stories below.

Jo Kelly

The craziest story about my program: Read more>>

Lisa Hammett

Last year I gave a TEDx Talk. My topic was Breaking Through Stress and Other Negative Emotions With Mental Fitness. In my presentation I shared how negative emotions, such as stress, anxiety, and overwhelm, impact our behavior and wellbeing. My presentation included a demonstration of how to intercept negative thought patterns in the moment, and shift to a positive mindset. Read more>>

Kelley Curran

One of my craziest times photographing happened recently in Southaven, MS while shooting for Goo Goo Dolls. There was no rain in the forecast, and this venue was outdoors with no overhead coverage. Suddenly, it started raining cats and dogs. Read more>>

Sarah Levinger

I once worked with a brand called Hoplark that made non-alcoholic “hoppy tea”. The brand had no problem keeping customers as soon as they entered their ecosystem but had struggled with acquisition and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in paid advertising to try and boost first-time purchasers. Read more>>

Susan Pack

Being a single mother of 2 since my daughter was 4 months old and my son was 2 and juggling life’s journey when being pulled in so many directions while trying to sustain a business. My daughter is now 18 and my son is now 20. Although they are older the title of Mom never goes away (thankfully)! The concerns and issues just change as children go through many seasons in their life. Read more>>

Mary Bateman-Mercado

Ask any TV producer and they’ll have a handful of crazy stories to tell you. There’s something about working with crowds of people, crazy anchors, kids, live animals, cooking with open flames, and breaking news on live TV – stuff just happens. Working as a television producer for more than two decades, I’ve definitely got my share of war stories. Read more>>

James R Smith

A nearby business to the winery/food truck that we work with often, The Big Bend Fungi Company, reached out about a chef competing in the 2022 World Food Championships in Dallas, TX who was seeking sponsorship from local Texas farmers for his dishes. We both decided to join together to sponsor and kept in contact leading up to the competition. The day before the competition, we found out his sous chef’s flight was canceled and he needed assistance in the kitchen. Read more>>

LaVondilyn Watson San Kitts

I had written an e-book the year before, and I didn’t really set out to write it. One of my friends, who was going through a difficult season, had asked me the question: How do I get through this? So, I began emailing her – and that email became an ebook called, By Faith… 8 Steps of Faith to Make it Through the Tough Times. I wrote it, laid it out, never published it. Read more>>

Chris Smith

Oh yeah, my “Cash Chaos” incident! Read more>>

Megan Dinnerstein

My name is Megan, and I own a consignment bridal shop that just opened this spring in Downtown Phoenix! When I was in the process of opening, a lovely young woman walked by my store and I let her try on dresses even though she wasn’t getting married quite yet—it’s my pleasure to let people play bride for a bit, because I definitely do it, too! A few months later, I got a DM from this woman saying that her friend was getting married in two days but her dress was not fitting properly—it was risking exposing her chest! I told her to tell her friend to come in ASAP and she did. Read more>>

Lisa Cassenti

I was diagnosed with breast cancer on Nov. 5, 2018. My daughter, Lianna, was just 9 months at the time. As a single mother, my mind was filled with the most terrifying of thoughts ranging from “how long would I have to see my daughter grow up?” to “how will I navigate cancer, being a new and single mom, and financially caring for the both of us?”, Read more>>

Caroline White

I’m very fortunate to have captured some of the top leading women and men in their fields (entrepreneurs, coaches, course creators, spiritual leaders, authors, speakers) – Marie Forleo, Amy Porterfield, Chalene Johnson, Fabienne Fredrickson, Michael Beckwith, Marianne Williamson, Kai Ryssdal from NPR. Those are some of the major positive achievements of my photography career, but people are almost always a bit shocked to hear: none of these people made my business suddenly blow up. And in fact, nothing of the sort. Read more>>

Anita Marie Conkling

Every new business focuses energy and resources on the “Grand Opening”, and we were no different. After 4 months of remodeling and a soft opening period, we chose the date of March 13, 2020 for our big day. It was Friday, the thirteenth, but we were undaunted by superstition, Yes, we had an unforgettable party, huge crowd, yummy buffet, open bar, and a band to introduce our new art gallery to the Springs, We sold six paintings that same night, and saw a gleaming future. Then, two days later the world shut down for …. the COVID Pandemic! We closed for 14 months, Read more>>