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.

Grace Smith

We met while working at the same job, so a lot of our key lessons are shared. Our last job was very structured, and although some of the expectations felt a bit monotonous at the time, our takeaway was a new appreciation for optimizing processes and communicating effectively. People often think structure and creativity clash, but we’ve found that having clear processes actually gives us more freedom to be creative and keeps stress levels down. One of the best examples of this is bringing on MJ, a close friend and former colleague, as our project manager. We understood the risk of bringing someone else on so early, but we felt that removing some of the stress of client communication would be well worth it. A year later, we still talk about how it was one of the best decisions we made. MJ is now a core part of our team, and having her handle communication has allowed us to focus on growing the business and pushing our creative boundaries. A lot of our decisions come down to finding that balance between convenience and cost, and MJ’s role has been an absolute game-changer in making that balance work in our favor. Read more>>

Nicholas Murch

Spending 20 years in litigation support and working for several business owners with differing personalities and business styles gave me valuable insight on the do’s and don’ts of starting and running a business. Being able to use my experiences was the launching point but the management and fiscal responsibilities that I learned were the most beneficial. Read more>>

Alejandro Amezcua

I love how these kinds of questions make two funny things happen: first, it feels like visiting a giant library in your mind, searching for that memory you want to share. The second is that it always reminds me of when a friend asks you to recommend a movie, and you try to find something offbeat, fun, and a bit unknown, haha. But I think I have a story that I’d love to share. When I worked at one of the two biggest and most important TV networks in Mexico, we began focusing our efforts on the gaming and esports market. My main responsibility there was to create all sorts of brand integrations within our ecosystem, always ensuring the brand’s creative side stood out, so clients wouldn’t just feel like they were buying advertising space (which anyone can do), but that their brand was an essential part of the content we were offering. Read more>>

Aisha Murphy

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my professional career is the importance of setting firm boundaries in the workplace. Early in my career, I found myself taking on more tasks than I could handle and often saying “yes” to every request. While I wanted to prove my dedication and value, it quickly led to burnout and affected both my physical and mental well-being. Read more>>