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

Kelsie Bentley

I became self-employed as a hairstylist when I was 20 years old. I LOVED helping my clients and seeing their faces light up when I would turn them around and they got to see their vision for their hair having come to life. Read more>>

Alex McClard

My first job right out of college was working for Disney. They have a reputation for being the best at customer service and the experience for their guests. Read more>>

Adrienne Logsdon

I’ve mostly learned from working with younger generations about knowing my “worth” in getting paid enough for my efforts. I have worked in many restaurant type jobs and started young. Read more>>

Lainy Chambliss

As a former teacher, I’ve learned a multitude of valuable lessons, both personally and professionally. Here are a few key takeaways: Read more>>

Milica Dodic

I have learned to create boundaries that allow me to strike a balance between my work and my life. In both my professional career as a film and television industry administrator, and as a creative business owner, Read more>>

Sarah Levenson

I had major imposter syndrome walking into my last corporate job. I had moved to an entirely new city for a role I ended up hating and nearly getting fired from, and upon realizing it was not a good fit for either them or my own sanity, I pretty quickly jumped ship. Read more>>

Nicole Saavedra

As a young kid, I always knew it was difficult for me to take direction. I wasn’t a child that like to get into mischief. I just didn’t like to be told what to do as most children, but this was deep down in my core. Read more>>

Janel Taylor

I worked in property management for 2 years. The first year was the hardest. I was driving 1 hour plus to work each day and the work days were early mornings that went into the evenings, especially on the weekends. Read more>>

Esha Thakrar

When it comes to applying for jobs, there is usually a wide array of applications, a pool of talented individuals who go through a process before receiving success. Read more>>

Micaiah Fletcher

It is always important to shoot for the stars in creativity with any project, however there are the realistic aspects of a project such as the budget. Read more>>

Leilany Celeste

Having just graduated NYU Tisch School of the Arts in May 2023, I had left school feeling prepared and confident in my ability to take the training instilled in me at Stonestreet Studios into the professional world. Read more>>

Samantha Chadwell

I worked at a privately owned cave for 9 years, which helped while I was obtaining my high school diploma, and both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Read more>>

Umeka Wright

One of the most significant lessons I learned in my professional career came from a job where I was constantly pushing myself to meet tight deadlines and exceed expectations. Read more>>

Andrea Cox

One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to learn is that my perspective as a disabled person AND a healthcare provider gives me a unique vantage point that is often misunderstood by my colleagues. Read more>>

Michele Young

As a retired Special Education teacher, I’ve learned how to stay focused and persevere over time. Teaching is stressful, and there were many times over the years that I wanted to quit. Read more>>

Karli Pendergraft

The most important lesson I learned at a prior job was asking for help when needed. In the past, I’ve struggled with delegating tasks, and tried to tackle as much as possible regardless of my stress level. Read more>>

Jenny McDonald

School gave me a great starting point and taught me a lot of practical and technical skills, but the one thing that isn’t possible to learn until experienced is how to manage relationships and work with all those involved throughout the design process. Read more>>

Rock Mitchell

My initial 15 years in the professional realm were rooted at a local utility company, a journey that commenced immediately after college. Opting for this path wasn’t about honing my creative skills in a conventional sense; Read more>>