Having to overcome unexpected problems is a hallmark of entrepreneurship. Almost every business owner, artist, maker, and creative we know has had to deal with countless unexpected problems that arise in the journey and so we asked some brilliant folks from the community to share their stories of the unexpected problems they’ve faced along the way. 

Otis Hill

I started my business back in 2020 and haven’t looked back since. I got married in 2019 and we had our first kid April 2021. What I thought was having a kid would motivate me even more to push harder in my business, but I had no idea what was to come. Read More>>

Claudia Henao

Throughout my artistic career, I have experienced several major relocations between countries. Each move has meant closing a chapter built through hard work and beginning a new one from the ground up, adapting to new environments, cultures, languages and opportunities. These transitions have been both personal challenges and valuable opportunities for growth and renewal. Read More>>

Autumn Green

One of the most unexpected challenges I faced came while preparing to publish my second book, Elemental Convergence. As the publication date approached, I ran into a major issue with the book cover. No matter how many times I adjusted the file, the cover dimensions and alignment wouldn’t meet the formatting requirements for KDP and IngramSpark. Read More>>

Maretta Johnson Ross

There are many industries where people lie about their expertise. The entertainment industry has a lot of those type people. Early on in my career, I lost a lot of money trusting the wrong people only to realize I knew more than them. Read More>>

Katie Cole

One of the most unexpected challenges I faced was building a hair care company while fighting for my own health. My business wasn’t born from a marketing plan. It was born from pain, loss, and a desire to help others. I lost both of my parents to cancer, and later I found myself facing breast cancer while raising four children as a single mother. Read More>>

Lokho Kotile

One of the most unexpected challenges in my creative journey has been learning how to balance being a full-time creative professional while still nurturing my own artistic practice. I work a 9–5 in the arts as a designer and museum curator, which means I spend much of my day supporting artists, organizing exhibitions, creating programs, and helping bring other people’s creative visions to life. Read More>>

Shanna Delaney

Ever since I was a child, I felt most like myself when I was performing. From performing in my parents’ living room, to county talent shows, to high school musicals, I always loved expressing myself through music. Fast forward a few years, when I went to school at Kent State University and before starting my job as an English teacher, I met my husband, Eric Ling, and we started our first band, Bethesda. Read More>>