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.

Alonzo Johnson

COVID gave me opportunities and downfalls. When COVID happened, it left me figuring things out for myself. I was unemployed, due to layoffs, and began sending out job applications and reaching out to my networks, whether it was the contacts on my phone or the hundreds on my LinkedIn, I was aggressively searching for employment. Read more>>

Betsy Goodman

Last year I participated as a vendor at a two day conference and expo event. It was the largest event I had participated in up to that point. I also signed up to teach a wax seal workshop as a part of the conference. There would be 210 attendees at the workshop. For reference my workshop size is usually around 12 people. Just the scale of the workshop was intimidating. I marketed the class as a lettering and wax seal workshop. As a part of the workshop attendees could opt in to purchase a $30 kit to go along with the workshop. Read more>>

Mai Le

Failing and succeeding are the yin and yang of my life. My many personal and professional failures, as hard as they were in those moments, have spurred my successes when I have recognized and accepted them. Three areas of failure that I would like to share are related to school, parenting, and startups. Read more>>

Uzuri Umoja Boatwright

Before, I wouldn’t have shared my story of failure in such a public capacity but this is necessary. Thank you for first providing this platform and space for authenticity. I was struggling with my own health issues the past three years and I was not supported in a manner to heal myself while aiding others in their own healing. Read more>>

Duane Martin Jr

As a photographer, I have always prided myself on my ability to capture the perfect shot. So, when I was hired to photograph a high-profile event , I was confident in my skills and excited for the opportunity. However, things did not go as planned. Read more>>