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.

Tulani Bridgewater-Kowalski

Navigating gauntlets, balancing competing needs, and managing personalities are skills I developed managing a bar. In some ways, those skills were more transferable than what I learned during my college internships; though I learned a lot from those early steps into what would become my career. Read more>>

Vanessa Barnes

I have gained valuable experiences that have shaped me as a business owner. My previous roles were with women-owned businesses, where I observed them strategizing with clients, handling marketing, and managing overhead costs. These experiences taught me the key factors that are essential in different situations. In all micro, mid, and macro environments. Read more>>

Charleson Agustin

Being a clinician almost 2 years out of physical therapy school has been eye opening to what you can prepare for and what you just have to experience. My biggest fear coming out of school was burning out and becoming a generic PT without a heart. It’s scary how common that fear is a reality when I talk to some clinicians in the field. And that fear is something that you start to familiarize yourself with as you go through PT school and hear how much of a “mill” your career can be. Read more>>

Jennifer Rugh

I have a background in wedding planning, but I had not been working in the industry for over 20 years. Before and around the time I was working as a banquet manager booking weddings, I was also bartending and waitressing. As a venue owner, all of these skills have proven critical. I think it is critical to be able to fill every position I might need in this job market when employees are difficult to find. Read more>>

Katherine Silverman

I worked as a waitress at an all-day diner one summer during college. The restaurant was very well-run and had an excellent training program. New employees had to rotate through doing every job in the restaurant: prepping food, working the line, seating guests, etc. The restaurant was also very focused on customer service. Read more>>

Cat Rian

I’m really grateful to have grown up in such an entertainment-centric place, Las Vegas. When I was 17 I got my first residency at a Las Vegas hotel: singing one-two nights a week as the lead singer of the resident band at The Delano. I was the youngest and only female member of my band, so landing this gig was both super scary and an amazing learning opportunity. Read more>>

Michael Simmons

Prior to being a business owner I was in law enforcement for 15 years. I did everything from working in the jail, being on patrol and becoming a detective. Being in law enforcement taught me that being engaged in your community and being able to actually stop and talk with people, you learn so much about life, mistakes and advice that help you or others in your life journey. Read more>>

Carolina Alvarez

I’ve always held a full-time job while pursuing my creative projects. I feel it’s a misconception that creatives feel that they have to choose one (the full time job) or the other (creative venture). I started my professional career working in customer service/showroom sales for a plumbing company. Sounds sexy right? Read more>>

Debbie Potts

In my “past life” as a small business owner, I learned that I can’t do it all and stay healthy! We need to put the oxygen mask on first and take care of our health to be the best boss, coach, trainer, spouse and friend but sometimes that isn’t enough. I owned a boutique “all in one” health and fitness studio for ten years in Bellevue, WA to help clients of all levels have a home base location to improve their health and wellness. Read more>>

Liz Adams

I have learned a lot in this business so far. One big lesson I learned early on was not everyone has the same passion and motivation. There are two crucial parts to being an artist, the artistry and the business. An artist that is willing to treat their artistry as a business or at least understand there is a business side is going to find success. Read more>>

Mardi Miskit

In my previous career as a marketing and brand manager, I had an incredible boss who taught me something invaluable: how to set boundaries, particularly with my time. She was the kind of boss who would encourage you to leave your laptop at home when you went on vacation so you could truly disconnect. She also supported me when I would speak up and voice my thoughts on something that needed to change—whether it was design-related or how workflows functioned within a team structure. Read more>>

DOES

As long as you keep on creating, you will develop yourself. It might sound cliché but success is not going to happen overnight. I learned in my football days that you have to keep repeating and keep training yourself. No action is the same. In football you can kick a ball five times and each time the ball moves differently. By continuing to practice, you will get better and better at understanding technique and the game. Read more>>

TreSoRaw Tv

The Most Important Thing I Learned From Other Business That Helped Me With My Best Is , Dont Settle , Work Hard Everyday . If You Can Get Up & Go Work Hard For Somebody Else You Can Do It For Yourself . Read more>>

Samantha Jo Harvey

I danced for 10 years with the Radio City Rockettes and lived the dancer life in NYC/LA for 12 years. There’s no real way to prepare for the pressure of auditions, learning choreography extremely fast, cramped in rooms with hundreds of women all vying for the same position. You’re navigating the mental + emotional landscape trying to do your best and then also praying you’re the right height, shape, weight, size, hair color, style, aka the right ‘everything’ to actually book the job. Read more>>

Mia Counts Lynch

Before pursuing writing novels, I worked in state government and non-profits. Part of my responsibilities were to write training manuals, pamphlets, grants, you name it. Writing is a skill you must practice, but the biggest lesson I learned was to write for your audience. This applies to any job and industry. Read more>>