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.
Adrian Francois
The best investments you’ve made reflect a strategic blend of entrepreneurial ventures, financial acumen, and innovative thinking. Here’s a detailed breakdown: ### **E-Commerce: Dropshipping and Selling Physical Products** My expertise in e-commerce, leveraging **Amazon** for its scalability and fulfillment network alongside **TikTok** for its viral marketing potential, has revolutionized how you approach selling physical products. By mastering TikTok’s algorithm to drive traffic and sales, and pairing it with Amazon’s infrastructure, we created seamless systems for product discovery, distribution, and profit generation. Read more>>
Cassandra Panek
The best investment will always be time and education. It’s so important to practice your craft, to experiment, to try new things and give yourself permission to fail as you learn. I see so many photographers in particular think that quality images are about having bigger or better, newer or more expensive equipment, but the truth is one of my favorite artists has been doing photography with a glorified desk lamp! Art is about challenging yourself to use the tools you have with purpose and intention, not about chasing better tools. Read more>>
Jourdan Baldwin
The best investment I’ve made so far is a DJI camera. As a content creator, I already had a main camera, but like many influencers, I often felt anxiety using a bulky camera in public places. It drew too much attention, and sometimes discouraged me from filming altogether. I ended up relying on my phone camera instead, but that came with its own challenges including inconsistent quality, which was starting to affect my vlogs. Read more>>
2late
The best investment I made recently was hosting my last event. It was a rooftop party and concert in Brooklyn to celebrate my single release. I lost money on it but it was a great investment for two reasons. First, it was a learning experience. I learned how to curate an entertaining event, how to successfully promote it and how to identify the financial pitfalls. Second, it was a higher quality form of marketing and brand development. I could spend the same amount of money running ads and doing playlist campaigns but that only generates passive engagement. Read more>>
Avyana Chapman
The best investment I’ve made so far has been putting my time, energy, and passion into creating my own business and brand. While I truly enjoyed my time working in the tech industry and corporate America, I learned some tough lessons along the way. No matter how dedicated you are or how much hard work you put in, you’re often viewed as just another number in a larger system. When budgets tighten or priorities shift, all that effort can suddenly feel futile when it leads to separation from the company. Read more>>
Aerial Guest
The absolute best investment I’ve made has been in my continuous education and personal growth. It’s been a journey of realizing that the world around me is shaped by my thoughts, actions, and the people I choose to surround myself with. Transforming on a deep level means aligning my actions with my goals and the person I aspire to be. Read more>>
Tiara Reid
The best Investment I have made as a business owner was in myself. Over the years I have spent over $20k dollars on mentorship programs, self-help books, therapy and self-paced digital courses to improve my leadership skills, communication skills and overall business performance. This investment has been PRICELESS! Being a busy healthcare worker, I had limited access to successful entrepreneurs daily; however, with social media I’ve been able to access experts from around the world and this has been a game changer for me. However, ‘Scroll carefully’ because I can also say that the worst investment, I’ve ever made has been with my time scrolling on social media. Social media is designed to ‘get you locked in’. These companies have hired scientist and utilized AI to ensure that it hits just the right amount of dopamine in your brain to keep you scrolling so ‘be mindful’ and don’t make someone else a billionaire without grabbing some skills for yourself. Read more>>
Ezekiel Dela Cruz
The most significant investment I made at the beginning of my career was in a mentorship. As a new business owner, I recognized the importance of learning from someone who had already navigated the challenges I was just starting to face. However, I knew that finding the right mentor was critical. I looked for someone who aligned with my vision for running a photography business—someone whose approach to storytelling, client relationships, and business strategy resonated with my own aspirations. Read more>>