Helping more people thrive doing what they love or are passionate about means helping more folks learn from those who came before them and so we asked successful entrepreneurs, artists and creatives to tell us what they would do differently, knowing what they know now, if they were starting over.

Melanie Rae

We have always lived in an influencer economy. Those who are known are trusted even if they are dubious in nature. Celebrity athletes are tapped to sell cereal. Actors beyond their prime time sell insurance and financial services to their generation. Influence breeds trust which fuels interest which leads to sales. Read more>>

Brandon Paul

Knowing what I know now, there’s quite a few things. I would 100% start off by going out and shaking hands; this industry is about connections and relationships. I would go out and intentionally meet more people, expand my network and develop relationships right away. I would also be very open minded, less and less opinionated, abolish thoughts of competition, and try to have more patience. Read more>>

Matthew Peters

If I were to start over today. (I’m going to try to summarize and not turn this into a novel) One of the biggest things that I would do is tell my old self to get out your own head and move forward. Read more>>

Diliana Malaish

I think about this question every now and then and ask myself this question over and over. Sometimes I feel like I should have but then if I did, would I of been the person I am today? Because experiences do shape you as a person. If I was to start over I would maybe of changed my course to something that would have prepared me for the industry in a more commercial and behind the scenes out of the public view experience. Read more>>

Dominique Franceschi

I say “simply”, because it’s far from being a simple task, or at least at the beginning it wasn’t for me. Throughout my training, most teachers and mentors kept trying to fit me into a box so I would be more “hirable”, and in the process I started hiding or altering parts of myself to blend in. As a result, I was not bringing anything new or unique to the table, just parts of other people I was told were “good for my career”. Read more>>

Kathryn Hager

First, I do believe that failures are wins in some way and you have to fall at times to really figure things out. Read more>>

Nassib El Mourabet

If I was to start over, I would do 4 things differently. 1- Educate myself about investing so that I could coast through economically challenging seasons when freelance isn’t cutting it, and also give myself greater freedom to tackle personal work. Creative career pursuers, I feel, don’t get taught enough about business, finance, and being savvy with money. Read more>>

Randy Trevino

If I were to start anew in the wedding photography and video business today, I’d double down on the digital side of things from the very beginning. Knowing just how much social media and online marketing have transformed the industry, I’d put my energy into building a strong online presence. That means not just posting photos, but really crafting a strategy around SEO and social media to draw in clients who are looking for exactly what I offer. Read more>>

Jasmine Jenkins

When I look back on my life I can’t help but to look at the different routes I could have taken that would have put me so ahead of the game. First thing I would have change was going to college and got my license in esthetics while I was still in high school. In my high school they offered technical classes and I could have graduated with little to no debt and still be in the field that I am in now. Read more>>

Chad Price

I do not think I do anything revolutionary with my morning. I typically wake up around 7:00-7:30am, have green tea, and check emails. Then I try to get a workout in prior to meetings, but sometimes I might have to squeeze my workout in after my first call or meeting. Read more>>