One of the most under-the-radar benefits of entrepreneurship is its ability to build fortitude and make the entrepreneur a more formidable person. Challenges – particularly the crazy, unexpected ones that take on a life of their own – build character and confidence. And the unexpected surprises to the upside, the crazy good moments offer a high that’s hard to reproduce elsewhere. The charm and the challenge of entrepreneurship is dealing with the crazy things that happen and so we’ve asked some fantastic business owners and leaders to share some of their stories with us below.
La-Shonda “Lala” Rice
The craziest thing that ever happened to me and my business is… my business. That’s right! The start of my business was not intentional. I started crocheting at the age of nine. I would never have thought that I would have a fiber business. Back in 2010, I created my first crochet doll it was a design that only the creator could love. My company was called Lala’s Custom Crochet. Read more>>
LISA VOSSEN
There are so many things that come to mind when asked what is the craziest part of owning my business. Small business comes with many ups and downs, from life events, economy, clientele, merchandise supply and all the costs involved. How my business began is a crazy in a positive way. Read more>>
Ashley Johnson
As a business owner there is always a story about how we came to be right?-My craziest story that I will tell generations well after my own children is how Two Cute Boutique was born. Professionally I was titled: Certified Wedding Planner; Personally I was titled: Wife and twin mom. Read more>>
Hilda Centeno
Let me start by saying that I’m a lover of music, standup, tv, film, theater, sports, and books. These elements have shaped me to be the artsy individual I am today, and continue to inspire me. Read more>>
Susana Canete Moey
Working in health care over the years, I’ve noticed that people are becoming more sick earlier in their lives. I realise that we are putting more of the bad stuff into and on our bodies. Being passionate about health and wellbeing, I decided it was time to take action and bring my part. I am also very proud of and love my city, Adelaide, South Australia. Read more>>
Nick Heid
The craziest thing that’s happened to me since starting Surf Fishing In So Cal was when I guided a client to catch a land-based record yellowtail. I was guiding a father-son duo and we were out targeting leopard sharks when our shark rod starts going absolutely insane! Read more>>
Je Brown
One of the craziest things that have happened to me as a business owner was throwing my business into an opportunity. I started branding my business by doing small vendor events around Indianapolis. I quickly came to understand that these pop-ups and small vendor events would not be the cause of my becoming well-known and successful. Read more>>
Matt Graham
I was living in Athens, Greece, when I received an astrological reading: it was a prediction that soon I would suffer a great personal disaster that would destroy everything in my life. Read more>>
Darci Henry
What is the saying, truth is stranger than fiction, Often times with my job, I am walking into unknown stressful situations or family dynamics such as a wedding or black tie gala. What I have learned is that everyone wants to feel special and included. Read more>>
Esther Zufelt
One of my clients referred me to a family member, stating he needed a couple of my services. I called and texted him several times; however, I had difficulty reaching him. After several attempts, I contacted my client and informed her that it had been two months, and I had yet to get a hold of him. She asked me to keep trying. Read more>>
Pamela Evans
On the first day, our second business opened (in the midst of the Pandemic) my phone rang. I picked up the phone after several rings, the kind where you know someone is trying to reach you to find out that John Oliver’s father had had a heart attack. At the root of our business is a love story of myself and John Oliver but we have had to face an uphill of personal trials. Read more>>
Desiree Sirowy
Have you ever used toilet paper as a form of payment to your favorite place to eat? Well, many of our community members did in 2020. We wanted to find a way to get toilet paper out of people’s hands and into the hands of first responders’, elderly, and those who truly needed it. Read more>>