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.

Kurt Hoffmann

Although I feel that I’m still really early in my journey as a filmmaker, I can already look back on countless pivotal points in my path. Each point was prompted by a roadblock that discouraged, grounded, and educated me. The first big roadblock I ran into occurred on one of my very first shoots, and that experience has affected how I’ve approached my journey since. Read more>>

Rita Patel

Probably my most challenging issue to date was a honeymoon client calling at 10:00 p.m. having airlines canceling their flight 9 hours before they were due to depart. It meant they would miss their connection to their final destination. My heart sank when I received the call as my client called me in despair. I tried to keep them calm and keep my client optimistic that I will try to do my best to get this fixed. I was determined! So I got on a call with the airlines with a dedicated travel agent line so no one has to wait 3 or 4 hours hold time. Read more>>

Alisen Boddy

The road to where we are now has been bumpy but so worth it. Evolving the business from what started as a hobby to the thriving business it is today has been challenging. I personally have had to battle through a couple of work related injuries while also shaping and executing on the vision for our business. Read more>>

Meg Denbow

This past season, we experienced the terrifying Marshall Fire on December 30th. I was at our WinterSkate ice skating rink when I saw the sky literally turning black with smoke, and I had to try to safely evacuate the rink as soon as possible without panicking. WinterSkate is such a special place for the people in our community, and to see the kids and families out there who have lost their homes and pets brings forth so many emotions. Read more>>

Kevin Winger

It can be challenging to always channel creativity or “be in the zone” I think about the past two years and the public health crisis and all the time at home that most of us had all of the sudden. One would think that this would be a boon for artists, being able to really concentrate and be prolific with all this new-found time. It was quite the opposite for me, I focused more on process and conceptualization of new art projects during this time and less on actual painting. Read more>>