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.

JC Jones

I moved to Los Angeles, CA in 2009 in pursuit of my creative dreams — I was so naive! A year to the date I was diagnosed with HIV. Already being insecure about my sexuality, this added unexpected layer produces shame, low self-worth, bad relationships and a plethora of other things that tried to derail me from my creative destiny. Read more>>

Mary-Ellen Long

So far (knock on wood) the greatest and most unexpected problem we’ve faced has been Covid-19. We were still in our infancy phase at the end of 2019 when rumors of the disease began surfacing. As 2020 began, our in-store classes started getting cancelled, vendors were starting to short ship orders, and then all at once everything was locked down. Read more>>

Travis Flack

When I was a disgruntled teenager I had my first chemical photography class and my world changed. The entire process of making images was so much slower than how my brain works that it allowed me to think and be present in the moment. Sure, I still slammed doors and listened to hardcore punk but now I had a camera to take a little of the edge off. Read more>>

Luh Red

As an artist especially in today’s generation we commonly are tied in different activities in which some can hold us back from getting to where we need to be. I was in the streets and a lot came with that. A lot of my music is prone to what I’ve experienced or seen from my life of the streets with a razzle of storytelling. Without exposing too much i can say ive had my rough share of back and forth with law enforcement courts and judges, I’ve had run ins with opposition tho i never really referred to anyone as such that be them on that time and i have to get on that time with them to let em know im not a walk in the park. Read more>>

Matt Wollner

As a photographer, my Instagram account was an essential tool for sharing my work and promoting my business, @PhotosByWolly. I had built a sizable following over time and had a build a library of my work. However, one day, I attempted to log into my account and found that I could not access it. After trying multiple methods to regain access, I realized that my account had been hacked. Read more>>

I Am H.I.M

Where Do I Start? I Come From A Broken Home, My Biological Father Was Addicted To Drugs, My Mother “Joanne” Used To Hide Money In Her Panties When She Went To Sleep Because My Father “Nelson” Would Steal Money To Purchase “Crack Cocaine”, My Mother Left My Biological Father, My Mother Fell In Love With My Step Father “Primo”, Moved Out Of Lakewood, New Jersey, I Was Raised In A Drug Zone People Call “The Jungle” (Church Street South Apartments) In “Pistol Waving New Haven” Connecticut, I Grew Up Fighting, All My Friends Are Dead, A Person Named “Carlito” Got Shot, A Street Gang Named “The Latin Kings” Assassinated A Person Named “A – Love” In Retaliation For Carlito Being Killed, Read more>>

Allison Crow

The most unexpected problem I faced in my professional career was the emotional agility and self-trust that would be required for the journey – and the realization that despite my strategic or coaching skills being top-shelf, my skills in emotional regulation and managing life and work with a neurodivergent brain were pretty weak. Read more>>

Patricia Adams

One unexpected problem that I definitely had in the last industry. I’m deathly gonna say retention when I first started off I didn’t know anything about bonder sealant about how the humidity should be at your last room. This is definitely the best the biggest problem for me, Read more>>

Christine Savoy-Joseph

Everyone wants to become a “small business owner”, as if it’s the newest trend nowadays. Yet, no one wants to really put in the work. Owning a business is beyond stressful and that’s why many don’t last. As for myself I have been in business for 3 years now. I’ve had some hard times, and that’s because I’m still learning how to operate my business. Read more>>

Paulina Migalska

As any creative person knows, the art of making something from nothing can be quite therapeutic. And while I certainly appreciate the therapeutic effect that my crafting has on my mental health, I’d be remiss not to observe that I made my biggest creative breakthroughs, at some of the hardest moments of my life. In retrospect, I look at these moments with calm and appreciation. But they also remind me of the pain, fear, or anxiety (or all of it) that consumed me a the time. Read more>>

Cassandra Johnson

The most unexpected problem I have and continue to face with my business is obtaining a Medicare Certification. It is very challenging to network with physicians regarding patient referrals. when most of those referrals are Medicare patients, and your company is not Medicare certified. Read more>>

Robert Upton

One of the most unexpected problems that I had, and still have some times in this industry, is not being authentically me. Not being responsible enough to stay disciplined, and on top of my craft. I find it to be something that has hunted me in the past because I’ve missed major opportunities because I wanted to fit in. These decisions made me lose a lot of time and a lot of connections because of my lack of care for myself. Read more>>

Butch Cappel

Going into business with an abundance of information, all bad. All things dog are learned through experience, or from books, videos, or classes and seminars from experts that have excelled in dog shows or dog competitions of various types. Read more>>

Tamesha Calhoun

Initially Princess Lash was intended to be an e-commerce site that utilized the drop shipping method. In 2019, I was working so hard to set my site up properly and ensure that I had the best products . I spent a generous amount of money to order samples to test products, restocked on current products, invested in marketing, website design and etc. Read more>>

Suzanne Paulinski

It has definitely not been a smooth road, but a rewarding one. One of the biggest struggles was that, in the beginning, I thought knowing my industry in great detail meant that I was prepared to start my own business. I had graduated college early, with straight A’s and a job waiting for me at a respected label in NYC. I had experience in every major area of the business and was confident I could help musicians grow their careers. Read more>>

Timm Knight

On this ongoing journey, I have certainly faced numerous obstacles primarily in the area of obtaining funding for my film projects. Thankfully I have a mentor who believes in me by the name of Jerome Dorn who was there to assist with my first project. I believe wholeheartedly where there is a will there is certainly a way and because of that I now have four short films under my belt. Read more>>

Jason Gorley

CiferNoise was founded in late October 2019. By the end of February, we were ready to go to launch. Our first major client was scheduled on March 13, 2020. Little did we know coming into 2020, we would be on the verge of a pandemic. COVID had gripped its hold upon society. Events had come to a halt, society to confined to their living quarters, and businesses closed their doors. Read more>>