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

Sholo Beverly

My lesson believe it or not came from the beautiful little souls I cared for everyday in my business of running an in home daycare for 30 plus years! I use the exclamation mark, because it is a gift I will always cherish and miss being such a big force in my life. The lesson learned was “If I am not having fun in life with work, creating, and my spiritual practice that it’s time to stop. Read more>>

Tyler Wittkofsky

During my six-year tenure at a prior organization, I led the company to consistent recognition and awards, both professionally and personally. The pinnacle of my career at this establishment abruptly concluded one day with no warning. Despite referencing the employee handbook provisions requiring notice prior to termination, the at-will employment statute prevailed, leading to an unforeseen and immediate dismissal. Read more>>

Tracey Leinen

Separating business from personal has been a challenge for me. I’m an empath with high expectations that everyone should care in the same ways I do. My entire life I’ve given more to others than I’ve given to myself. In the work environment, it has created the biggest obstacle for me, creating letdown time and time again. Read more>>

Herschenia Brown

The most important lesson that I learned on a job that helped me as a business owner was that I should not anchor myself in a position or a company, but use those same transferable skills as an entrepreneur. It seems cliche’, but it has shaped my thinking around going into business for myself. Read more>>

Anh Bui

Back in college, art was an all consuming force for me, it was the only pathway I had open for myself, and something I strived for incessantly. Working constantly, getting a job, and solidifying myself within a creative space were my most important goals in life, but once I had achieved those things, I had to discover who I was outside of them. Read more>>

Kylie Westphal

Two things I have learned over the years that significantly impact the way that I manage and run my business: Passion and customer experience overall. Read more>>

Sandi Crosby

The importance of experience. No matter what happens it is the experience you offer someone that matters. How were you made to feel? For me my clients deserve a personalized luxury experience from start to finish, no matter the price point they are in. It’s the details we add when we know the stress of a transaction gets high and we can remind our people we are there for them and will get through it. Read more>>

Hannah Dorsher

A few years into my career as a therapist I got a job at a group counseling practice in my area. My friend had already been working there so I trusted the company immediately because of the connection. However, during the training process, red flags quickly began to surface. Read more>>

Paula Morizono

My job as an LAUSD physical and mental fitness teacher profoundly changed the way I taught and approached fitness. The knowledge and experience I gained by teaching thousands of students in the largest program for older adults in the state of California, helped me become an expert on how to keep fit not only now, but for life. I learned many important lessons including teaching exercise principles that could be applied throughout one’s life, how to quickly spot balance issues, functional weaknesses and their implications. Read more>>

Shayan Safar

“Stunts are you set”? It’s 3pm on a clear February afternoon. I’m standing in the middle of the San Gabriel mountains just outside of Los Angeles, the city where dreams come true. The ground is dusty and dry. In every direction there are tall bushes, large boulders, and uneven terrain next to me as if I’m going hiking with friends. I’m standing under the awning of an old house that looks like someone has lived there for 100 years. Read more>>

Eldonna Fernandez

I am a retired Air Force Veteran. I spent 23 years in the US Air Force. One of the core values is Service Before Self and I still live that to this day through my service to the women in Kenya. The Air Force also taught me about how to be a leader and strategies to operate under. Read more>>

Leanne Stiner Missy Warner

We have both worked customer service throughout the years. Between working in restaurants and retail we have both gained a lot of knowledge and experience of how to cater to the public. They say “treat people how you want to be treated” and that just isn’t how we look at it. Read more>>

Lissy Keller

The job I worked straight out of college was as an educator at the Saint Louis Zoo. Their education is so focused on wildlife conservation that I learned about many trends in retail that were less than ideal for the environment and wildlife that may be struggling to survive in their native habitats. In learning how to best educate others, I became better informed. Read more>>

David Crabtree

Fresh out of fellowship training in addiction medicine in Salt Lake City, I took my first big boy job with a large California based physician group. I was excited to return to SoCal and work with patients suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. The position was outpatient based and afforded me the opportunity to “run my clinic,” as I was the only addiction doc in the group. I served the western half of LA as well as Ventura counties, so there were a lot of people in need of my help. Read more>>