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.

Melissa Coloton

Last year, I was fired from my executive role, the first time I’ve ever been let go. As you can imagine, it was a massive blow that I never saw coming and one of the worst times in my life. On August 23rd, I woke up on a normal hot as hell 90+ degree day in North Carolina.  I got up and hit the Nespresso coffee (which never brews fast enough).  After some sips from life’s nectar, I got ready to roll into the office for the day (normally, I work from home.) So per usual, I started in on the positive talk, rehearsing my game plan for the looming thirteen meetings of the day. I changed my clothes 500 times for an outfit that didn’t annoy me, and off I went in the Audi.  I sped down 540, blasting some Megan Thee Stallion.  (Ps, if you don’t do this before big meetings………what in the world are you doing??) Read more>>

Elizabeth Jain

I grew up in India, around books and literature as my dad is an English professor. He was my inspiration and influence. I grew up wanting to follow in his footsteps, little did I know that it would make me reach a dead end. I completed my post graduation in English Literature and was working as a journalist when I met my husband who lived in the U.S. After moving to the U.S, a native English speaking country, my background in English literature proved unhelpful. If I had to land a job, I would have had to go back to school or research. Amidst the woes of raising a family, this proved impossible. My past, that I believed would be the seed for my future, proved to be futile. It took me years to pivot and find my footing again, in a different industry and role. Exploring creative passions and knocking on stubborn doors to prove my skills! Read more>>

Natalia Maganda

My first website failed and never got traffic. I started my online presence trying to sell clothing online and after not achieving sales in my clothing business, I started a sustainable fashion blog to learn how to drive traffic to my website. After that people started asking me to help with their marketing and I started designing websites for others, and that is how I ended up becoming a website designer for conscious businesses and mental health professionals. Read more>>

Tylar Duncan

My experience with failure has been a journey of trying, falling short, and ultimately discovering my true path and skill set. It’s a story of embracing failure as a stepping stone toward success. Throughout my life, I’ve ventured into various fields, each attempt adding more depth to my ability to pursue what I now know is my calling. In college, I was on track to become a lawyer, while balancing a job and pursuing a side hustle as a makeup artist. I gave my all to both, but ultimately, I failed at both. Then, I shifted my focus to launching a clothing business, starting with handmade swimwear. I quickly realized I wasn’t equipped for that either—I never quite mastered sewing! Undeterred, I tried a boutique clothing store, but once again, I struggled. Drop shipping turned out to be far more complicated than I had anticipated. Read more>>

Theophilus Caviness, Jr.

I have grown accustomed to the word, no. So, instead of giving up, I just took detours. Growing up, art was only looked at as a hobby. I did attempt to go to college for an art degree, but I was told my portfolio didn’t have enough “still life.” Instead of just re-creating my portfolio, I went to school for a degree in Electronics and Computer Technology. While in college, i developed a “mock entertainment company.” When I graduated, my mother helped me turn it into a reality. I began helping people create tv shows, movies, and music videos. All this time, I still kept drawing and coming up with ideas for books and shows. I directed a local talk show for a couple years and gained more knowledge about videography and editing. I began incorporating everything I learned the years. No matter how many detours life has given me, I have kept going and using my failures as moments of growth. Read more>>