We asked some brilliant entrepreneurs, artists and creatives to reflect on lessons they’ve learned at prior jobs. We’ve shared highlights below.

Rosy Crumpton

Prior to being a health coach, I worked in social work/behavioral health. I worked with people- a very wide range of people. The organization I worked for served as the go between the person receiving services, the service delivery professionals, partnering community organizations, and not to mention the people I shared office space with. Read more>>

Carol Kaemmerer

In my prior position as a marketing communications consultant for a Fortune 500 company, I learned the importance of consistency in brand messaging. Having worked on many product launches, I learned all the steps, from naming the product to developing taglines to developing key messaging for each audience. Read more>>

Ilona Erskine

That you are your own advocate in your personal and professional life. Create what you want and if you can’t in that current situation look for people or resources to connect you to what you want. Read more>>

Ryan Wieczorek

I worked at a job prior that had a very boring and unenergetic workplace environment. I stayed there for about a year because they paid well but ultimately I started dreading coming to work and found myself counting down the time to leave. I ended up leaving and going back to bartending, just because the energy was high and the environment was fun. Once I started a company, I knew that keeping employee morale up and keeping a very energetic work environment would be something to focus on. Read more>>

Shannon Polson

My previous career position before becoming a solopreneur was a manager, personal trainer and group fitness instructor at a Wellness Center that I spent 10 rewarding years at. The Wellness Center was located within a hospital setting, so I was fortunate to train and learn about various audiences, from employees and community members, to student athletics all the way up to the elderly. Read more>>

Emily Pieri

My previous job before I launched Addie Joy Company was as a retail manager at a multimillion-dollar jewelry chain. One thing this position did for me, was help me manage/ understand how to manage the stress or pressure of holding a large title or of performance. Towards the end of my time of 8.5 years, I really felt lost. I felt robbed or lied to. Read more>>

Katie Dettling

Prior to owning Tutu School, I had the great fortune to pursue my passion for dance as a professional ballerina. I was on full time contracts with several different ballet companies from age 18 – 32. It is probably obvious how this career uniquely prepared me to teach dance, but possibly not as obvious are the lessons that have helped me as a business owner. Top of the list are: self motivation and reliance, tenacity, and being open to what makes me uncomfortable. Read more>>

Kelly Lynch

I spent a decade working in Emergency Medical Services prior to becoming a therapist. While emergency services became a proving ground of sorts for me, for many reasons, one of the most important lessons came from my instructor, Dawson Blackmore, in the process of taking the class to become an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician). Read more>>

Candice Zinner

I didn’t graduate high school and I didn’t go to college. I got my GED, learned on the job, read self-help books, and took courses through the library online. I was a young mother at 19 with no passion for a career. I worked dead-end jobs, but was always willing to learn every detail/aspect of the job so I could perform at the highest level. Read more>>

Christina Islam

So, let me spill the beans about one of the most valuable lessons I picked up during my previous job—it was all about learning to wear many hats. Before diving into the world of entrepreneurship, I was employed in the IT field. Let me tell you, you learn a ton while resolving technical glitches, managing projects, deciphering contracts, and more. Read more>>

Harry Zimmerman

I was a Camera Assistant on A-list feature films for nearly 30 years after graduating from film school at USC. Among my credits are: THE BIRDCAGE, THE PATRIOT, THE NEW WORLD, BRIDESMAIDS, AVENGERS, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, & THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the best Directors, Actors, and Cinematographers in the business over the course of my career. Read more>>

Andy Moss

One of my most influential jobs was working as a route setter at a rock climbing gym. The work was physically, mentally, and creatively demanding. Every day we began with a blank wall, created our routes, climbed them, critiqued them, changed them, climbed them, analyzed them, adjusted, climbed, tweaked, climbed, repeated, over and over, until we reached a finished product. Read more>>

Jennifer Chipman

I’ve learned many lessons throughout my design career, but these are the most important to me and an integral part of Bond: Stay Authentic:
The spaces my team and I create should always be a reflection of our clients. It is important to let clients’ personalities, lifestyles, and energy shine through in the design of the homes. Read more>>

Juliana Heredia

Recently, I ended my 10-month internship at Ulla Johnson in New York City. I wasn’t supposed to take that internship because I had already flight tickets bought to go back to my home country. – but within two weeks I had an interview with my future manager who offered me the internship and the next week I was moving all the way to New York City on my own and three suitcases(carrying 4 years of college life). Read more>>

Tom Catt

Before I blossomed into the Venus flytrap you see today, I was a retail worker and you learn some LESSONS when you work in the world of retail and food services. Especially in late stage capitalism. The first important lesson I learned is that people, as a whole, a generally illiterate and refuse to read anything before approaching you. Read more>>

Tony Scherber

Be sure to put yourself first and make you happy. It’s about work-life balance and if you only focus on the increase in merits/annual reviews to make you happy, you won’t be able to fully feel satisfied with your accomplishments. Be sure to take the time to disconnect yourself from work when you aren’t there. Read more>>

Rene Romano

The most important lesson I personally learned at work is how valuable connections with other people are. Whether it’s with a professional colleague, friend or family member, each relationship you build with another person adds another beam of support to what you’re building for yourself. Read more>>