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.

Rooftop York

I’d say a more recent story would be within the last year of opening up the studio. Something that some would consider a failure or loss I considered a learning lesson. Recently, I had a client going through something at home and was causing him to leave state because of it. He reached out before he left or should I say lashed out before he left critiquing my work and ways that could only be disrespectful. Read more>>

Jina Mcmillan

I originally started out with a vegan gluten free restaurant named Better Bowls. We served all vegan and gluten free bowls similar to a burrito bowl. We started in 2017 at farmers markets and delivering meal preps to our community. After about six months we had the opportunity to open a brick and mortar location so we jumped at the chance and opened our doors in 2018. After Covid and struggling in general in a meat & potatoes town we decided to make the switch to a dedicated gluten free bakery. Read more>>

Susan Priver

Well, I fail all the time, as I’m human, but my biggest failure came at a young age. It came at a time when I had few coping skills as a 23 year old professional ballet dancer, That particular failure and recovering from it has led to some great things in my growth as a person and artist, allowed me to have compassion and empathy for others, and assisted me in finally getting a backbone of sorts in a very competitive industry. Read more>>

Jessica Manuszak

TW: Suicidal ideation, alcohol, prescription drugs, marijuana, eating disorders, medical procedures, and self-harm. Crowded by nurses pumping antibiotics straight into my heart, they were hurriedly trying to talk to me before pushing the button that would send my entire body into the MRI. Read more>>

Emilie Gosselin

Yes, I have failed in my art several times, but one of my biggest failures stretched over about a year. In the field of the arts, inspiration is a daily challenge. Sometimes we experience blocks that last several days, during which we feel powerless. Other times, it’s at the technical level of execution that we find ourselves lacking. Read more>>