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.

Allison Lee

When I first started as an esthetician, I was eager to do it all—lashes, brows, waxing, makeup, facials, massages—you name it, I signed up for the class. I invested a lot of time and money trying to master every service in the esthetics field. At the time, I thought being a “one-stop shop” would help me grow faster, but I quickly learned that spreading myself too thin wasn’t sustainable. Read more>>

Paige King

The best investment I have made in my photography business is investing in furthering my education as a photographer. It is easy to feel stuck as a creative, to allow “imposter syndrome” to set in. When I have spent time and money investing in learning from other creatives, I have in turn been able to hone in on exactly who I am as a photographer and what I want my client experience to be. Read more>>

Angela “Lakshmi” Norwood

In a relatively small town like Bend, many businesses still utilize grass roots marketing (coffee shop bulletin boards, local print newspaper, word of mouth). Since relocated from a larger market to open my business, I don’t think I fully appreciated the importance of these organic networks. So I committed to a lengthy (and costly) marketing and branding process with a local agency. I was fortunate to work directly with the founders, who truly understood my mission as a traditional yoga school focused on the internal arts. Over months of conversation, we formulated a clear mission and message through values exercises and brainstorming sessions. I enjoyed those meetings, and the process of defining my unique offering, and I felt like I was doing something productive while the brick-and-mortar space was being built. Read more>>

Sabina Demidovich

I like to tell myself that even with my “worst” investments, whether it be in new projects, collaborations, or just taking a chance on something different, I have learned lifelong lessons that made me a stronger human being and artist. But as for my more successful investments, I would say it has to be shifting into the role of producer and co-founder of M96 Productions. In 2024, M96 Productions came to fruition with my writing partner, Madison Coyle. Since starting, we have produced sold-out cabarets, Off-Broadway concerts, community events, film screenings, and even holiday spectaculars around Manhattan. It has been the most rewarding, life-changing experience of my career. Read more>>

Ken Reynolds

Investing in a photo booth has been the most impactful decision I’ve made as a business owner. Despite being less than a year into launching FotoLab Studio Houston and already facing startup debt, my wife and co-owner, Brittany, and I prayed & deliberated extensively before choosing to acquire a portable photo booth. We opted for the best photobooth in the business, an elegantly handcrafted wooden design, featuring a 24.1 MP mirrorless camera, studio lighting, and an engaging rear touch screen. This significant investment has enabled us to capture cherished memories at diverse events beyond our Houston studio at POST Houston. Read more>>