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

Emily Amburgey

Before my career, I working in the restaurant/hotel industry from the age of 16 to 24. During that time, I worked many positions in front of house and back of house. I absorbed an immense amount of customer service skills as I navigated through the good and bad situations that each day would bring. One of the most important lessons I learned was that when you serve the community, you have the power to make a difference in other’s lives. Some people go out to have a drink/eat to unwind from their hectic schedules or stressful jobs. How their experience unfolds can determine a positive or negative shift in their day. I knew that with my business as a hairstylist that this would be exactly the same and I wanted to make a difference. Read more>>

Paul Nash

Nobody is an expert in everything. Identifying your own weaknesses is actually a strength if you set aside time to learn and work with those who compliment your abilities with strengths of their own. The only weakness is failing to acknowledge that you are not always the best at everything and that others can contribute to your success as you can theirs. I have been mentored and supported by some really strong mentors and bosses who have enabled me to build my skills and interest areas. In turn I have been able to support the team grow to their own strengths and create a supportive and productive, inclusive work environment that really does achieve. Read more>>

Teresa Phelps

Ironically enough, I learned one of the most important lessons of my life when my government position was “unfunded” in mid-2019…after over 16 years of service. “What will I do?” “Where will I go?” I was heartbroken for months. I didn’t want to go to work. I pushed snooze every morning, dreading to be in a place where I felt angry and betrayed. Read more>>

Jennifer Chambard

I’ve always had a passion for helping women, especially with confidence. Years ago I worked with Victoria’s Secret and women empowerment was taught to us daily. Why women are special, why our bodies are so unique and beautiful. This gave me a strong foundation for wanting to help women, and as I opened my MedSpa, there were lessons I brought with me. Every woman deserves to feel sexy enchanting and that we should feel powerful in our journey. Something that was once said at a morning meeting all those years ago that always stuck with me, was, “If you aren’t helping the brand, you’re hurting the brand.” Read more>>

Rachael Reed

There’s been several important lessons at job’s I’ve had previously. It’s hard to pick out just one moment! I believe they’ve all helped me grow to the point of starting Empower and Elevate. I helped do administrative structure at a previous private practice, worked as an essential worker in the pandemic at a Residential Treatment Center, and supported a low cost community center. As I’ve worked in such different environments and learned about how to support a variety of people, it inspired me to provide quality care that is authentic and transparent. The overall lesson seems to be a theme of determination and having to adapt. Read more>>

Mandy Kimlick

Before jumping into the music industry, I taught elementary school. My favorite grade I taught was Kindergarten because the kids were so excited to experience new things and inquisitive about the world. They learn through their play and natural curiosity. That idea of wonder is something I’ve always tried to keep woven into me and how I approach the world. Read more>>

HP Newquist

In every job I had within an organization, the critical thing I learned–and observed–was what NOT to do. From peer interactions and handling tasks on to quality of work, it was evident that many people simply did not put in the effort or were not self-aware enough to understand why success eluded them. It’s relatively easy to find someone who does a great job, and want to emulate them, but it’s perhaps more important to identify and eliminate characteristics that you don’t ever want to incorporate in your own life. Being ungrateful, ignoring the contributions of others, and general disrespect are all significant obstacles to your own progress. You can see this occurring on a regular basis in any organization, and you can often identify the people who are behind it. Read more>>

Maria Pasquarelli

When I was 21 and just graduating from college, I found myself working for this arts education program teaching and directing Fiddler on the Roof. I was so excited to work in arts ed. I had studied theater in college and knew I wanted to work with kids. Well, day after day, I realized this organization was a hot mess. There was no real schedule, I couldn’t get a straight answer as to what my job actually was and I wasn’t getting paid. After two weeks, I knew I had to bail. I had just told another company (that I was very interested in working for) that I wasn’t able to interview for a job because I was already employed. It took quite a lot of courage on my end. I was SO afraid to leave that job – terrified of “quitting”. But every fiber of my being was telling me to run. Read more>>

Amanda Catarzi Hengst

I’m extremely grateful for my 8 years of experience as a social worker prior to becoming a business owner. Working in highly chaotic and emotional situations forced me to become an excellent communicator. I learned how to rapidly de-escalation a negative experience as well as celebrate and multiply positive ones. These skills were easily translated into sales, negotiating, and brokering deals now on behalf of Automation Empire and Wholesale Automation. Without my prior experience, I would have had a much steeper learning curve and not able to bring as much value as I have to both companies. If you’re ever working a job and are questioning why you’re there, take a step back and ask what and who you can learn from. Read more>>

Jazz Williams

At the end of my freshman year of college, I picked up a job as a teaching assistant at an art studio in Tampa, Florida called North Hubert Art Studio. The state was very new to me and the people were even newer, but I resigned myself to the job as an interesting way to save up for my upcoming sophomore year at MICA for more supplies and bigger projects. I hadn’t considered myself to be a teacher in any regard, at the time it was even a bit difficult for me to call an artist. I felt my artmaking had no focus and there was no singular way of working that I could feel fully committed to, not even painting. I saw the children and I identified myself as a student along with them because I was willing to learn, too. Read more>>

PAIGE HELMS

It is a challenge for me to look retrospectively and identify a singular important lesson from previous jobs and experiences as there are multiple that had equal weight in developing who I am as a person and a mental health provider and served as catalyst to propel me forward. With that in mind, I would like to talk about three experiences I had at different stages in my career that have stuck with me and that I often share with others. My very first clinical experience was at a long term adolescent treatment facility near Denver, Colorado. I started my practicum in January that year, it was cold and snowy and I was intimidated and very anxious about how on earth I was going to put on my “professional” mask to hide my deep imposter syndrome. Read more>>

Chandra Jordan

I worked for a very busy event venue at one time. We had a big wedding we were planning for quite a while. I had counted all the linen, chair covers, sashes, centerpieces, etc. at least three times and the day of the event at least 6 sashes were missing. I am not sure as to what happened to them, but I had to make something happen and fast. Fortunately, being a decorator myself I had similar decor in my private stash. I ran home and grabbed 8 sashes (2 extra just in case) in a very similar color and came back to the venue to added them to the room. So basically, whatever can go wrong will, go wrong. The best things you can do is always think on your feet and be as prepared as possible for emergencies that may arise. Oh, and a having a full tank of gas never hurts. Read more>>

Brandon Robinson

When I was 20 years old, I worked at a group home that housed convicted sex offenders, who were all minors. The home had 10 beds for young males between the ages of 12 and 17. Boys of this age can sometimes, maybe most of the time, be offputting or repulsive in their own right, not to mention the societal stigma associated with someone who has offended or abused someone else in a sexual manner. These boys were essentially classified as someone who could never repent or perform enough restitution to ever be accepted in society again. The label they had received would follow them for many years to come. Read more>>

Alexander Bozicevich

My worst experience taught me the most. They say failure is the greatest teacher, after all. In this case, I was the manager of a CBD store for a year, and it was quite the adventure. I was in my mid-20s, and the going was tough. I had gone on countless auditions but booked very little paid work. My survival job at the time was at an ice cream shop, and even though I often worked six or seven days a week, I was just scraping by. More than that, I was embarrassed to be twenty-five and still working at an ice cream shop. By any metric of the quarterlife crisis, I was falling short. Read more>>

Charlie Alexander

My business partner and I both used to work at a local nonprofit. After way too much mistreatment, unfair wages, and ableism, the staff decided to unionize. Both my business partner and I ended up getting fired. I was fired for what was, in my opinion, an act of retaliation since I was the main person pushing back against the management team. When I started my business, my business partner and I promise each other that we would always give each other the respect we deserve. We would never follow in the footprints of our previous employers. I learned a big lesson from that experience which is this: there is power in collaboration, equity, and respect/kindness/love for the people we work with. Read more>>