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.

S.g. Prince

I think people might be surprised to learn that it took me two years and over 150 rejections to land my literary agent. For those who are unfamiliar with the process, it works something like this: you spend a year or more writing a book, polishing each page, hammering it into perfection. You create a query letter, which is a 300-word pitch and more difficult to write than the book itself. You spend hours researching agents who are accepting queries at this time (many aren’t), who represent books in your genre (many don’t), who want a work of fiction in your tone, in your style, by someone like you. You personalize the letter for each individual agent, naming books they’ve previously represented, comparing those novels to your own, all while trying to strike the right tone between “I am humbly at your service” and “you’d be lucky to have me.” You send these letters off, one by one, each with a little jolt of nervous energy. And then you wait eight to twelves weeks (yes, two to three months) in hopes that maybe, possibly, someone will reply with interest. Read more>>

Breonna Bowen

The launch of my first two businesses, Nectarous Co. (a skincare line) and GraclyWillo Group LLC. (short-term rental properties), happened simultaneously. I started these ventures without a clear strategy or defined workflows, driven by a personal need for change. For six years, I had worked at a startup. While I received minor promotions along the way, my requests for significant upward mobility were met with vague promises and new goalposts that hadn’t previously been discussed. By the spring of 2022, I decided to leave, with $3,000 in savings. I had experience making shea butter and an interest in real estate, so I decided to pursue both ideas, hoping I could make things work and cover my expenses. Read more>>

Austin Bell

I strive to ensure that every client who walks out of the salon feels glamorous, so when I fall short of delivering my best, it weighs heavily on me. Early in my career, my friend Kinsey wanted the “Pixie Miley Cyrus Hairstyle,” and I was confident she would rock the look, so we scheduled an appointment. On the day of, I bleached her hair without much concern, knowing we were cutting most of it off. I used heat and let the bleach sit until her hair was stark white. After toning, she complained about her scalp being tender, but I assured her it was just her first time experiencing lightener on her scalp and that she’d get used to it. Read more>>