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.

Edna Harding

I want to share something deeply personal with you—my own rollercoaster journey through some really tough times. Imagine navigating a cutthroat corporate world, encountering deep betrayals within my church when I tried to blend faith with business, and facing severe personal trials, from enduring abuse to surviving an accident caused by a drunk driver. Read more>>

Cayla Spring

One of the most unexpected challenges in my creative journey emerged from the hardships of discovering my autoimmune condition. When I first started experiencing symptoms like unpredictable weight fluctuations and persistent feelings of inadequacy due to my health, Read more>>

Karen Laos

In October of 2021 I heard a ghostwriter on Clubhouse and became mesmerized that I could have a published book by Spring of 2022 with his help. Read more>>

Kyle Jordan

Life took a dramatic turn when I was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor. Battling a pituitary adenoma and undergoing emergency neurosurgery, profoundly influenced my music. Read more>>

Drew Isserlis Kramer

In the Summer of 2022, I launched a creative experiment titled, Lady & the Floofs. It began with the creation of a character: The Lady, a quirky and bohemian British caretaker of Floofs. Read more>>

Shane Brady

As of June 2023, my wife and I were ready to begin pre-production on our second feature film — HACKED: A DOUBLE ENTENDRE OF RAGE FUELED KARMA. We had our budget set, dates set, and cast and crew locked in. Read more>>

Genie Espinosa

As a creative, I found myself struggling with more than unpaid invoices or eternal projects. When I started working as an artist, i thought learning and giving my best every time would be enough to keep moving forward but I found myself struggling with imposter syndrome, Read more>>

Veena Venkersammy

From Passion Project to Production Puzzle: Making 2020 Worth It for Cleoblvd Hi my name is Veena Venkersammy. It’s a pleasure to meet all of you.  Read more>>

Soufside Kathleen

Honestly as an independent artist I come across unexpected problems very frequently, but the most frustrating was a technical issue on my music distribution’s end Read more>>

Lizzy Yang Liu

During my time at film school, I thoroughly enjoyed the creative freedom I had, as the educational environment provided great protection for creative individuals. Read more>>

Jonathan Fox

Last March I was riding my bike in Austin when a van swerved across the bike-lane causing a crash and really horrible accident. I broke my spine in two places, fractured my ribs and elbow, suffered a concussion, and needed stitches in my head. Read more>>

Beverly Brown

One of the biggest problems I faced at the beginning of my business, which is really still where I am is an unexpected conflict within my actual career that would require more of my time with regard to my client service, Read more>>