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.

Madi + Cam Reeves

The craziest thing that happened in our Pilabarre journey was when my co-founder Madi, and I literally lived in our warehouse to get the business off the ground. Picture this: It all started in a cramped 500-square-foot apartment in Dallas, where we bootstrapped everything. Designing grip socks that empower you to step into self-love through movement. Madi had dreamed of becoming a personal trainer, but we realized we could touch more lives with Pilabarre, creating products that remind you to prioritize yourself, because every workout is an act of respect for your body and spirit. Read more>>

Qiana Tompkins

Business Story (That’s Still Unfolding)
I’ve built my business in a tent.

Yes, a literal tent—in the middle of the woods in Williams, Arizona. No WiFi. No electricity. No espresso machine. Just a $100 tent, a trusty iPhone XR, and a pawn shop Chromebook running on pure willpower and a Cricket hotspot. Read more>>

Chris Lascelle

Let me set the stage: Millions of viewers were ready to tune into Barack Obama’s presidential address to the Canadian Parliament, a live broadcast that almost ended up being completely silent because of a single broken cable. I was the lead broadcast engineer, and it was my job to fix it. Read more>>