We asked some brilliant entrepreneurs, artists and creatives to reflect on lessons they’ve learned at prior jobs. We’ve shared highlights below.
Tyrell Ware
One of the most important lessons that I have learned and still learning is to always stay ready. There is a saying that goes, “if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready. Atlanta is a great industry for modeling and acting but sometimes the jobs can be spaced out. Meaning there are times when you aren’t working in your field as much. I remember my agent called me a few years back and and he had a job for me. Read more>>
Juanita Barkley
An important lesson that I’ve learned at a prior job that has helped me professionally is to document everything; this includes your actions, interactions with others, planned activities, goals, targets you’ve met/exceeded, projects you’ve worked on, etc. Effective documentation has helped me to stay consistent, meet targets and keep track of progress/results. It has also helped me to mitigate risks and has protected me from unfair treatment. Read more>>
Dr. LaNail
I am a leader. I’ve always been told this and the truth is, I’ve always known it too. My dad calls me a “treadsetter” but I think he likes to say that because he’s a trendsetter and he raised me to be like him…or maybe I naturally am like him. Who knows? It’s that whole “nature vs. nurture” thing. But I know that I set trends and it’s not in fashion, usually. Usually, it’s in the professional services lens. So, when I was a young 21-year-old solider, an Officer in the US Army, I didn’t quite know how to lead. Read more>>
Brittany Adams
Well, for starters, my career was initially in politics. Which is about as far removed from fashion/styling as it gets haha! I worked in Washington, DC for a few years post college – flying all over the country, working long hours, & loving it. I did fundraising & policy with a little event planning forcefully thrown in there too. I talk about it all the time but the skills you pick up in a fast paced, high stakes environment like that transcend to so many areas of life. Read more>>
Jessica Shumway
When I was fresh out of college with a bachelor’s degree in Child Development, I wasn’t sure what to do next. I wanted to either get my teaching license or go on to get my Master’s in School Counseling. But for the moment, I needed to work because my husband had just started school to get his Master’s degree and one of us had to make some money. I decided to take a job working in an office on campus that was largely filing and entering information into the computer. Read more>>
Katelyn Richards
The most important lesson that I ever learned in my career was to pay attention to what I was most curious about. Curiosity is a sign of openness and a sign of things that will be life-giving. If you’re curious about something…there’s a reason for that! Pay attention to what it is and be willing to pull at that thread and follow that trail- you’ll be amazed at where it will take you in your career. Read more>>
Lakeya Allen
The most important thing my last job taught me was about time. working daily to complete someone else dreams was not helping me reach my very own dreams. so i traded punching in a clock to working full time but on my own time building my own dream. I was over worked and under paid and it hit me how much time i spending driving and working then driving and being to tired to spend that extra time with my kids because i was losing myself. When it hit me that i had not time for my kids and my self for self care i had to make a change and build my own dream had to happen. Read more>>
Alma Reyes Villagran
Before starting my career, I worked for the banking industry, there was something that they began to implement a few months before I left the company and it was something called ” personal growth”, I didn’t know much about the subject at that time but they gave us 2 hours a month paid for us and we could use it however we wanted, whether it was studying, reading , Read more>>
Dr Marlene Siegel
All health challenges are either caused by a deficiency of essential nutrients or a toxicity overload combined with mitochondrial dysfunction. It was my quest to heal my horse that had saved my daughters life. She took me down a lot of rabbit holes Read more>>
Danny Houk
Before pivoting into the field of fine art, I spent nearly 15 years doing various types of design work for different companies. I always maintained an art habit on the side, no matter how measly. In my art practice, I worked when I wanted, did what I wanted, and could pause projects whenever I felt stuck. Read more>>
Marisa Burgett.
I learned that I cannot spread myself too thin. I cannot give my all to something if I am trying to be everything to everyone all at once. I was trying to work full time on my design business, trying to scale my design education business and be a full-time stay-at-home mom to my twin newborns all at once. Read more>>
Ria Barkr
Backstory, my mom is my voice teacher she was signed at 17 so we’ve had a studio in our house since I was a kid. When I was 14 she took me to Atlanta to audition for Americas Got Talent. When we were waiting in line my mom made me practice and I was so scared to start just singing around strangers even though I had been on stage my entire life. I remember her saying, “do you wanna make a mistake out here or with the judges?” Read more>>
Auston Taber
There was a small “mom and pop” solar shop that I had been working at for several years. I was dying to get in with a big “Corporate” solar company, thinking that would be the way to go. I had already tried applying to the local big one without success. I didn’t give up though, I persisted and kept applying and going in. Read more>>
Bobby Bakshi
The biggest theme in several jobs and work experiences has been empathy for others. I learned the hard way, when leaders only focus on results and treat people as “resources” – the outcomes are not good. In reverse, when leadership, starting with the CEO, truly walk the talk of humanity first, amazing things are possible. I am fortunate to have worked with amazing people who lead in this way. When leaders balance getting results with developing people, meeting them where they are, and personally caring for people — great things are possible. Read more>>
Farzaneh Sodehtoodenia Korani
During my work and artistic life experience, I realized that it is necessary to create from the things that exist around us, not to depend on anything other than creativity to create, in fact, to create an artwork, it is necessary to focus on available time and tools. If we do this exercise every moment, we are not just an artist in big projects, we are a person who can have more options based on the conditions and do the best creation. Read more>>
Melissa Phillips
Small or minimal can go a long way. I had the pleasure of working with a client who endured too much physically. One health and physical limitation after another. After working with countless physical therapists and other trainers this client found no relief, had not increased strength and through time was dismissed to find a new fitness professional. Working with this client, we moved slow and found other ways to cater to her needs. There are times were we need to step back and take a look at a situation and realize small and minimal is necessary to make bigger progress. Read more>>
Jess Crosby.
Take Accountability! I was once task to send a state wide customer satistaction survey throughout Michigan, it was an honor and a BIG responsibility, I was the youngest women on my team, so I wanted desperately to “get it right” – I was charged with coming up with the questions on the survey, what the measurment of success was, etc. My Vice President of our region believed in ME! Read more>>