One of the best things about video games is the ability to restart – you can use your learnings to move faster and avoid obstacles. We often think about what we would do differently if we were starting over in business and we figured others probably think about this as well and so we asked the community to share their thoughts with us.

Jessie Heim

I started working as a photographer fresh out of college—I was reaching out to the the Associated Press on how to improve my portfolio before I was 21, and you know what, they were super helpful. Looking back, I’ve learned so much, not just about the technical side of photography, but more importantly, about how to actually build a career around it. Even since I last interviewed with you, I’ve continued growing and learning in big ways. Read more>>

Dohyeon Lee

I think I would focus on further developing my collaboration skills. In the design field, especially within a company, there are so many different teams, and I’ve come to realize just how important communication and teamwork are among them. I also believe that building strong bonds with teammates is another crucial aspect of collaboration that I need to improve on, so I’m keeping that in mind as I work on strengthening this skill. Collaboration is one of the most essential elements in a design company—working with teammates you’ve built trust with can significantly speed up the process, and exchanging ideas often leads to better, more refined outcomes. It’s an area I still find a bit lacking in myself, so I’m continuing to work on it. Read more>>

Daniela

First off, I would’ve started creating content for myself much earlier. After 15+ years in agency life—building campaigns, elevating brands, and staying behind the curtain—I finally realized I had all the tools to turn the spotlight on and be the main character. I spent so long perfecting strategy for others, I didn’t give myself permission to explore the wild, wonderful world of personal content creation. Spoiler alert: it’s not always easy to monetize, but it’s full of more possibility than a travel aisle in a Tokyo vending machine. Read more>>

Ethan Ramsey

If I were to start over today, I would try to utilize social media a lot more. During my apprenticeship, I kept it a secret for almost a year because I wasn’t sure how it would go. I’m seeing fairly new apprentices online having thousands of followers in a pretty wide audience. Social media isn’t real life but I’m sure it helps. Read more>>

Jessica Miller

When I started in real estate 13 years ago my mentor gave me two pieces of very sound advice. He said, if you do nothing else, learn the contract (referencing the Residential Purchase Agreement, or offer) and… make videos. He told me videos were the future, but of course I didn’t listen. I let my fear of being in front of the camera prevent me from jumping in and making beneficial content that could have helped me share valuable information while growing my online presence. Fast forward to the present, and many agents who got in front of the camera were able to amass a strong following and gain credibility, allowing them to in turn attract more clients. Read more>>

Breonna Baker

When I first launched Bre Brands Consulting under the umbrella of Streamline Media Agency, I was full of passion and promise—but not yet power. Like many new entrepreneurs, I was eager to build, eager to prove myself, and—if I’m being honest—eager to be liked. Read more>>

Severiano Saiz

Scorching hot take but I wouldn’t change a thing. Learning happens from mistakes, failures, difficulties. Sure, I have learned a lot of hard lessons that way… but those lessons is what we are after.
I started the business with one credit card, a Shopify storefront, and a subscription to Adobe. If I had a ton of resources from day 1, we probably could have skipped a ton of steps along the way– but I never would have learned the critical lessons that came with having to figure it all out. Those lessons are what guide me today, and will continue to inform my choices and direction moving forward.  Read more>>

Nicole Frazier

If I were to start my cake business over today, I would be way more consistent starting out. Fortunately, I am naturally skilled at cake decorating and most tasks weren’t too much of a challenge for me but starting out I know if I were more consistent, I would be well versed in more areas. Although I’m sure I could achieve the cake trends that I have yet to try, I feel I should have set aside time to at least have attempted them by now, and I haven’t. So I’d be more consistent, I’d push my limits more, and I’d make sure to go to things like pop up shops to get my brand out there to more people. Read more>>