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.

Fatima Stripling

The most unexpected problem I’ve faced while being in the film industry was the 2023 strike. One by the Writers Guild of America & the other by the Screen Actors Guild. The strikes led to a shutdown of many tv and film productions impacting the entertainment industry as a whole. Read more>>

Jonathan Englander

One issue I’ve run into repeatedly as an artist is motivation. This seems counterintuitive because obviously every artist wants to write and produce their music. Yet there come times when we “don’t feel like it” or things seem to get in the way, and we don’t always know why. For the past few years, I’ve struggled with this issue, and it came and went. I’d be in university, and I’d be much more focused on everything else around me: people, classes, etc. and I’d wonder why I wasn’t motivated to work on music. There were, and still are, times when I don’t have much going on, yet still can’t seem to find that motivation to sit down and produce on my laptop. I noticed one thing in common that many very successful artists do: use time. Read more>>

Alicia McKay

One of the most unexpected challenges I faced in my business was the closure of my brick-and-mortar cafe due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally, my concept revolved around creating a space where kids could engage in tutoring and Lego activities while their parents enjoyed coffee and snacks. When the pandemic hit, I had to quickly pivot to virtual programming, which was a significant shift from my initial business model. Read more>>

Asic

I have had an absolutely outstanding career in music so far, of course i’m not anywhere near where i’d like to be, in fact it still feels unfair to call it a career because i can’t pay my bills with it quite yet. But the amount of lives I’ve been told I have saved with my music has made it for me a career, a job, a mission, assigned by god. I’ve had many amazing people brought into my life and in this specific event that person is William Adam Horlacher, he went by ProdByTremor or Tremor, or as me and my friends knew him, will. Will met me when i was at my lowest point in life, broke, living off other people, addicted to all sorts of things, just a mess. Will was a producer, and the second he heard from one of our mutual friends that i made music, he decided he was gonna love me. Read more>>

Cheyenne Atkins

As a freelance sign language interpreter, one of the most unexpected challenges I’ve faced is navigating the variety and unpredictability of each assignment. We often walk into new environments—medical, legal, educational, or corporate—with little to no preparation time. Many times, it’s our first time meeting the Deaf client, learning their communication style, understanding specialized terminology, and figuring out who’s who in the room—all within 15 to 20 minutes before the assignment begins. Read more>>

BARBARA Fisher

I never in a million years thought my studio would wash away down a river, but it did. I’ve worked in the River Arts District (RAD) in Asheville NC since 1998. Last September, Hurricane Helene blew in and wreaked havoc on Western North Carolina. The RAD was particularly hard hit. Many studios and a ton of art were literally washed away into the French Broad River. My studio took on about 5 feet of water. When the flood receded, everything had been tossed around violently and I was left with a huge mess of mud and ruined art . I lost about 50 paintings, along with all of my supplies, tools, furniture, books, photos, etc. I was able to save about 20 pieces that were hung high on the wall. Read more>>