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.

Taylor Borchmann

If I were to start my writing career from scratch, I would run away from trying to “fit in” to the traditional publication narrative. I chased what I thought traditional publishers wanted for so long that I lost myself and what I loved to write about along the way. I was too focused on writing what I thought would sell, trying to make my novels too literary, and being everything to everyone. In the end, I was writing for everyone else but myself, and I found that I hated everything I wrote. The moment I gave up trying to write the next bestseller, I found joy in writing and I found peace with myself. It sounds cheesy, but it’s true. It’s easy to get caught up in the NYT Bestseller list (which, let’s be honest, the big publishers control with book orders) and forget about your friend’s kid whose favorite book is the one you just wrote. I wish I would have learned that lesson faster. But practically speaking, I wish I had started researching independent publishing and advertising sooner as well. Learning the ins and outs of Amazon and how to create an eye-catching cover would have saved me a lot of money. I still want to sell books, after all. I just want to sell the stories I love writing and not the ones that publishers tell me I need to write. Read more>>

Michael Prettyman

If I were starting over, knowing what I know today, I would commit myself absolutely, and understand that one must not wait for permission to become oneself. I would like to tell my younger self, and any young people reading this, that commitment to a vision is not selfish and it is not egotism. Commitment to a personal vision is a form of altruism- nothing good was ever done in a vacuum. Excellence in art and in scholarship may be done in isolation, but the work is only completed when another person sees it. It has to be as good as you can make it. When I started, like many artists my resources were limited. At times I took this as a kind of failure, but I never should have. Limited material resources is a state of grace, it is a gift because it forces you to look for the real resource, the source of resources, your own inventiveness. It’s not selfish to devote your time and energy to a vision, even to a totalizing degree. BUT- dont expect a parade. You have to do it for yourself before it can be of use to anyone else. Read more>>

Daniel Bagherpour

If I could go back in time and tell my younger self a few things, there are three things I would advise him to do differently as an entrepreneur. The first is to protect and cherish time with family, the second to stay connected to your support network, and the third to discover and invest in yourself. Had I known the value of these things at a younger age, I could have gotten a lot farther a lot faster. Read more>>

Meral Kat

It’s tricky — if I started over the way I think I should’ve, I don’t know if I would have had the same opportunities, if my path would have been the same, or if I would even have found photography. That being said, I’ve loved my journey thus far, but I’ve always struggled to find opportunities for diverse shooting in my photography. I have shot a lot of sports teams because that is what has been accessible to me the most since my partner and I both work in sports, but I would love to shoot more engagements, events, and portraits. Read more>>

Tara D’amico

If I had to start all over again in this business as a bridal stylist, I would focus a lot of my marketing budget towards Styled photo shoots, branding shoots, and bridal expos Partnering and collaborations with other artists and wedding vendors and venues Staying on a consistent schedule for social media (pre planning my content for the week has been super helpful) Load up on those insta stories!) (social media should not be the whole strategy but should be part of it) Read more>>