Over the years, after talking with tens of thousands of entrepreneurs, artists and creatives, almost every success story we’ve heard has been filled with stories of failure. Unfortunately, in our view the media rarely covers these parts of the story – instead we often read summaries that make it seem like success happened “overnight.” However, what we’ve learned in our conversations with so many successful folks is that failure is core ingredient in the recipe for future success. Below, we’ve shared some fascinating stories of failure from folks who have ultimately found great success.

Ami Angelowicz

I’ve experienced two major career pivots—both triggered by layoffs—and while losing a job could easily be viewed as a failure, in both cases it turned out to be the catalyst for something far better. These so-called failures were actually the universe giving me the push I needed to realign with what I was truly passionate about. Read more>>

Nicolette Powell

I had the incredible opportunity to speak with a casting producer from season 16 of Shark Tank and was selected to submit a very lengthy and detailed application. Although I wasn’t chosen to appear on the show, the process was a huge learning experience. By filling out the application, I gained a much deeper understanding of my business and my numbers, and it boosted my confidence in what I’m doing. Read more>>

Luvigj Sati

This story took place in December 2023 about 2-3 weeks from Christmas. I had been working in a corporate office as an assistant property manager. I hustled for 8 months straight but unfortunately I was laid off from the job. I felt very cheated and upset after all the work I had done for them. Needless to say I felt like a failure and for 4 months could not find any job in my field or in any field for that matter. Read more>>