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

Amenda Tate

There have been many lessons learned at previous jobs. I have a broad and diverse job history, which has provided me with a variety of skills and experiences. I am not the kind of person that learns one thing and feels satisfied with growing in expertise in only that. I am a curious person, driven by an insatiable “need to know.” I want to know how to do it myself, how it works, and why. Then, once I know it, I want to know more about other things. Read more>>

Arthur Sibley

One of the most important lessons/ experiences I’ve had in a job was the benefit of learning how to accept criticism. My last occupation allowed me to be a part of and often lead projects. For any given project, before the project was turned in or accepted, it would be reviewed and critiqued either by peers or a supervision team. These groups held no punches. Timing, presentation of self, presentation of the project, and content presented were key. Read more>>

Ashlee Garrett

I was a teacher for 4 years before I transitioned into entrepreneurship. Conventional education taught me more about myself, than anything else. Who was I, truly? Why was I actually here? How would…could… I make a difference here? Why would students want to listen/learn from me? And what would this path reveal to me about my strengths, weaknesses, and greatest fears? As much as I trusted what I had to offer, the journey humbled me. It enlightened me. It ripped me apart and pieced me back together. Read more>>

Ashley Govan

An important lesson I learned from my job as a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) nurse at a local children’s hospital is simple but important; Nobody is going to look out for you, except you. I worked there for four years (part of which included the pandemic) and in that time I not only learned how to take care of some of the sickest kids in the country, but I also trained new nurses to do so. I was part of the recruitment and retention committee – without any extra pay – with the goal of keeping up spirits & morale in our difficult unit. Read more>>

Christopher Smith-green

I’ve worked over 50 jobs and I’ve hated all of them. Most of the time I would work just hard enough to keep the job. Other times, I would work hard until I burned out, or got more workloads. It’s pure slavery. Even if you do well, they push you to go even harder and raise the quota. If you fall to do so, your hours can be cut, etc. People are comfortable working regular jobs (for stability), but even that can be taken away from you. An escape plan is paramount. Read more>>

Dawn Taylor

Give a shit. We live in a disconnected world where everyone feels alone, lost, frustrated, isolated and through our actions (how are you… I’m fine, cell phones up the whole time, inviting everyone to join a party/dinner/coffee etc) we are not helping ourselves. I was a manager of a road building company and everytime the foreman or owner would be mad at the employees for whatever reason, I would go to site to talk to them. 9/10 times they needed someone to care. Someone to solve a problem, someone to listen, someone to hear them out. Read more>>

Doreen Velin

Since grade 3 , i Dreamt of being a teacher. I followed that path throughout high school even teaching for a week a grade 5 class. Receiving my final government exam marks from grade 12 I saw that I failed my Eng. 91. My parents not having education , did not have a solution. My dreams were destroyed in that moment. I had so much material saved thoughout the years in preparation for my career. Then I found out that I could get into Riverview Hospital for training for a Registered Psychiatric Nurse. Read more>>

Emily Frederick

n my journey toward becoming a business owner, one of the most significant experiences that shaped my approach was my time spent volunteering with Bible Study Fellowship (BSF), a nonprofit para-church ministry. but first, a little bit about my background. After completing my bachelor’s degree in business, I worked in the mortgage industry as an underwriter, and then loan officer. Once I had kids, I decided to stay home with them. However, my desire to stay busy and contribute to my community led me to volunteer where and when I could. Read more>>

Jen Beirola

I have learned that the universe will guide you back if you get off course. I initially chose a safe route when I was transitioning out of the military and back into civilian life. I went from active duty Air Force into a civilian contractor/full time reservist position. That job was really misrepresented and a terrible fit. I felt like I was in a rat race without the freedoms of civilian life and the pay was not great. My new boss wanted to fire me but, I fought tooth and nail to stay. I was in a full on desperation survival mode mindset. Read more>>

Jennifer Henderson

I’ve had many jobs prior to starting my own real estate business which helped me become more successful. I developed my sales and communication skills as a mortgage broker and then a college professor. I maintain an instinctive understanding of my clients’ needs and goals. My proactive attitude and enthusiasm along with my ability to listen and problem solve, continuously ensure positive results for my clients. Read more>>

Lauren Hope

Every job has taught me how to be a successful business owner; I have a medley of hard-earned lessons and experiences under my belt! I was trained as a culinary chef at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, but when I became a military spouse and the Army moved me away from my big dreams, reality hit hard. We moved to a remote area that had no fine dining and I needed a job to help my family. So —armed with my Culinary Institute of America pedigree and Best Student Chef title by Food & Wine Magazine in 2005— I took a job at Panera. Read more>>

Leilani Kyrie

The best lesson that I learned from one of my mentors was to move through your fear. And with every new stage, comes new fears. So keep pressing forward. Every single person at every stage of their business or career has some sort of fear, so you can either let it hold you back and not do a single thing, or you move through it.  I choose every day to move through it.  Read more>>

Morgan Rogers

During my time working at Disneyland in my mid-twenties, I learned a valuable lesson that has remained with me: exceptional service, while cost-free, significantly enhances the overall customer experience. Read more>>

Nilaja Montgomery

While in a previous role within a tech giant company, I got the best advice I had ever been given about promotions and climbing the corporate ladder. It was this…there are no ladders, only maps. At first, I couldn’t believe my ears as I had come to my boss’s boss to ask how do I hone my skills for the next position within the company. She told me to hone the skills that I enjoyed honing the most. And actually, as I type this, I am realizing that talk is what really made me realize that I wasn’t happy in the corporate sector. Read more>>

Staci Bernstein

I’ve already had a career in the arts, and there were tons of lessons that were learned from that. I feel like the biggest one was the power of collaborations and involving the community. I remember a friend of mine who was a modern dancer telling me that she had done the best work of her life and it was a solo show and nobody had been there in the audience. It was Grant funded. She spent months working on it and like four people showed up. Read more>>