Risk is a topic that comes up a lot in our conversations with entrepreneurs and creatives, but a related topic is investments. Investments come in many forms – investing your time, money, heart and soul, etc. So, with that broad definition of investment in mind, we asked rising stars in the community to tell us the stories of the best or worst investments they’ve made.

Madison McGhee

The best investments I have made while in the wedding industry will always be education. This industry is ever-changing and continuing your education in all aspects of weddings is the key to success. I take courses on Floral arrangement/design, photography, cake design, etc. The more I know the better and to be honest I don’t think you can ever know enough about anything. I enjoy learning from other professionals to see how they have perfected their crafts over the years. Learning how to pivot when something doesn’t work out as planned is key. Read more>>

Takara Smith

The worst investment I’ve made as a business owner would be any course that I paid for. There are a lot of people that offer courses and e-books teaching you about marketing, branding and other business related things. Although they were helpful, I still ended up in the same place in terms of business, drained. My goal was to become knowledgeable in all areas so that I could grow my business. Read more>>

Lauri Schoenfeld.

The best investment I ever made was signing up for my first writing conference and pitch session with an agent. Up until that point, I had envisioned what it would feel and be like to have my book in my hand, but I was terrified that I would fail and that my book wouldn’t be good enough. I sat in this space for a few years of the in-between telling people I was a writer, but not pursuing the next step. What shocked me the most was what I found when I stepped into going to that first conference. Read more>>

Mell Ali.

I would say my best investment would be buying my first piece of equipment. I’ve bee wanting to do music for a long time, since the age of five years old to be exact. So I came up with a plan. I told myself I should find a hustle like selling candy and chips and school and save up every dollar I make to buy me a laptop. I purchased my first laptop around around Summer 2014 and I took off from there. Read more>>

Adrienne Cain

I’m really not the type of nail tech that does the real long eccentric nails. I’m all for free hand art and embellishments, but when it comes to the filing and shaping of those super extendos, you lost me. I do all my work by hand and I have NEVER used a drill. There was a time when I was still fresh and new in the game, maybe 6 months in, and I was hungry. Read more>>

Jonathan Laurenceau

So a couple years back I was working overnight security and I was just wondering how I can make at least a couple more dollars to help get back into paying for studio time and what not. So I end up buying a used Canon Rebel T2i and I take some practice shots so I can get used to taking pics and editing, I ended up shooting a good friend of mines, Kay, event and people fell in love with the pics I took for them. Literally three days after I post the pictures on IG, I get my first two shoots then I was able to do my first rapping session in almost two three years. So me getting back to music was all due to that Canon Rebel T2i. Read more>>

Jon Bouffard

One thing that I continue to invest time and energy into are relationships. Especially, the relationship with myself and those around me. I don’t think I was ever particularly excellent at anything I did but, one thing I knew I was good at was reading people. From an early age, I knew that the people I chose to be around would determine a good or bad outcome in the future. The same thing applied to finding my life partner. Read more>>

Boris Amado

The absolute best investment I ever made was investing in myself. My dear brother John McAfee (no relation) told me right before he died to invest in myself. The absolute worse investment I’ve ever made was wasting & investing my time on drugs and hanging with lower frequency people. And when I say lower frequency people, I mean people that have no dreams, no aspirations to improve their way of life. Only the consumption of drugs and negative vibes is their main objective. Read more>>

Ariana Gray

The best investment I’ve made as a business owner was purchasing my mobile bar. I chose a bar that would stand out amongst other mobile bartenders’ set ups. My bar is on wheels, lights up with different colors and settings, has my business logo on the front and sides, and has a nice sized area to hold liquor and make cocktails. Read more>>