Experience is often valued because of the lessons prior jobs have theoretically provided us with. While hearing about those lessons isn’t a replacement for actually experiencing it, we thought it would be very helpful to create a space where sharp and generous members of the community can come together to share stories and lessons learned at prior jobs for the benefit of others.

Cayla Goff

I started attending Florida A&M University spring semester of 2021. Coming onto campus, I was excited to meet new people and truly experience the college life. I was first a Business Administration student, but decided to change my major to Broadcast Journalism the following semester. This was the best decision I made of my entire educational career at FAMU. The school of journalism at FAMU taught me how to strive for everything with confidence. I always had a passion for writing and I knew I had the talent for it. Read more>>

La’Trece Bartley

In college, I took a course on Organizational Management that taught me a valuable lesson: people are a company’s greatest asset. By studying successful and failed corporations, I realized that how a company treats its employees has a significant impact on their business outcomes. I found it fascinating that so many companies prioritize endless meetings and strategic planning sessions over recognizing and valuing their workers. This seems backward to me. To me, the employee is the customer. If you value and take care of them, they will take care of your external stakeholders and customers. Read more>>

Dr. Ashley Finke

I was homeschooled from kindergarten through high school. My mom’s method of teaching was to customize learning for the student. My sister and I learn best via different methods. I preferred reading and writing, and my sister preferred listening and hands-on activities. While we both experienced the different forms of learning via reading and listening exercises and hands-on and writing applications, my mom allowed us to do the majority of our work via our preferred learning styles. The method of teaching my mom used for my sister and me for our schooling influenced how I teach my students. Read more>>

Brielle Killip

Early in my career as a graphic designer, I worked at a small firm where we all had to do a lot of different things. I was a graphic designer and also IT tech support for the office of 5. I think that definitely helped reinforce the importance of being willing to learn something new and helping out the team. That firm also gave me the opportunity to work directly with clients and learn the importance of building and maintaining those working relationships. Sometimes situations would be difficult, but we’d stick together to solve those problems and come out stronger on the other side. It’s the long-lasting relationships that make my work extremely rewarding. Read more>>

Tom Spisz

The most important lesson that I have learned at a prior job is; it’s not who’s right, it’s what’s right. Far to often an individual in the workplace will pull rank on an inferior employee just because they want the team to utilize their idea. Knowing or avoiding the thought that their idea is truly not the best for the situation. This can lead to failed projects, team destruction, and loss in profit for the company. As a team, regardless if the person has been there for 1 month or 1o years, the consensus should always be determined by what is right for the project not who thought of the solution Read more>>

Patience Riley

One interaction can change the trajectory of a person’s story, and it can be the difference between life and death. At the beginning of my career, I worked for a mental health crisis line, and I remember two phone calls vividly. These are two calls I will never forget. One was from a person walking along the road to a nearby bridge, while the other was sobbing in their room with pills. Read more>>

Lynda DeFuria

Some of the most important lessons I’ve learned within my time working in the industry are the ones that I’ve had to re-learn, sometimes multiple times. Read more>>

 Jera Bean

I graduated from college with a degree in Fine Art and an emphasis in graphic design. For about five years after college, I worked as a graphic designer at advertising companies, start ups, as well as freelance work. Read more>>

Akilah Trinay

Just a month before I began my teaching career, I was working as a publicist assistant in Manhattan Beach, CA. I had decided that I wanted to work in the Entertainment Industry long before and I did everything necessary to make that happen. I had a little experience with radio KPFK 93.7FM, a talent management agency, and a network television station. Since graduating from California State University, Los Angeles with a degree in Communications, I knew I wanted to work in that industry. God has always been a very integral part of my life and brought things together that no one could ever understand or fathom. From the time I was in elementary school, I knew I wanted to work in the entertainment industry in some facet. Oprah Winfrey’s ability to achieve so much totally amazed me, despite her challenging and turbulent upbringing. My goal was to be a talk show host, just like her—in the beginning. As I grew older, I refined my goals based on my new experiences. Read more>>

Kat Knutsen

A big lesson that continues to guide my decisions as an artist-business owner has been to understand the true overhead, material, and labor cost to any project I take on. Read more>>

Dr. Danyell Russell

Prior to opening my own practice, I worked in insurance based outpatient physical therapy clinics. One of the most formative things I learned while working in those clinics is how, unfortunately, insurance can dictate the quality of care that individuals receive. Read more>>

Barbara Hoover

Surprisingly, my background is in corporate insurance claims handling! I started my career at State Farm right after I graduated high school and worked there until 2020. Starting my career at such a young age with a fortune 40 company, it truly taught me a lot. I was young and “uneducated” but I had drive, an intense work ethic, and I’m pretty stubborn, so I wasn’t going to not be successful working for such a large company and working my way from an entry level position up the corporate ladder really opened my eyes to what hard work is. Claims work is intense and you are continuously working with people who are dealing with some of the worst things that have ever happened to them. You have to learn to meet people where they’re at, not take things personally and you have to learn to cultivate your communication skills to a wide array of people. You learn that not everyone, actually very rarely, will anyone, agree with what you’re doing, how you’re doing it or your decision making, and that’s okay! Read more>>

Taylor Aseere and Caitlin Schrader

Knowing your worth is extremely important in this industry. We have both been in unfortunate situations where management made us feel insignificant, easily replaceable, and downright worthless. This has taught us a valuable lesson in knowing what you bring to the table, and having confidence in that. These experiences have given us the opportunity to foster a positive environment as business owners. It is crucial that everyone at the studio feels valued and important and has a safe space to speak their mind and share ideas. Don’t ever let anyone dim your light or try to convince you that you are worth less than you are as an artist. Read more>>

Malcolm Bowens

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned while at my previous positions was the ability to be humble in all aspects and not just physically however mentally as well. Over the last 7 years I’ve experienced a level of humility that has broken me down to a level to the point where I thought I couldn’t come back from. From being laid off to being terminated with a mutual understanding has been a rocky and unbalanced roller coaster. The term struggling artist has no chance up against bi-weekly checks suddenly replaced with empty account balances and bills that need to be collected still reoccurring. I never thought I’d be in a space such as I’ve experienced however the term perseverance has definitely shown me otherwise and continues to inspire me to keep pushing. No one ever wants to be humbled especially when they already consider themselves to be however when you are mentally humbled that can take a toll on you, one that I almost didn’t come back from. Mental Health is something I don’t take lightly and I’m an advocate for anyone who has struggled with this as I have. It’s important to speak up about anything that distracts the mind in a negative space and to know that it’s ok to express yourself without being judged. As an up-incoming Business Owner one of my values is to strive to be your Authentic Self and not apologize for it and to Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Read more>>

Beth Hobart

When I am looking to hire talent, I check to see if they have ever been a server in a restaurant. If they have been, I know that typically that person will be a hard working self starter, someone who can usually navigate different personality types and situations, and will go above and beyond to make someone’s experience a great one. Well, that is the hope, anyway, because my own server experience is what shaped how I have grown my business over the past 18 years. Read more>>

Jennifer Wofford

We spend a lot of our lives hearing how important it is to be true to ourselves. Being true to yourself will only get you so far. Read more>>

 Zorriana Smith

The most important lesson that I learned is to always make time for self-care. If I am not taking care of myself then I cannot be at my best in any job. When I am 100%, I can give 150% to work. Read more>>