We asked some fantastic entrepreneurs and creatives to tell us about their first job in their field. Check out their stories below.

Nikki Robinett

Even before I applied to PT school at Regis University, I knew that my dream job was to work with children. As graduation was approaching, I was adamant about finding a job as a pediatric physical therapist in a setting that promoted collaboration with other professionals. There were several big companies hiring in Denver, although many of them wanted a PT with experience. I found another posting online for a company that a friend was working for in Phoenix, and it even advertised that new grads were welcome; I was so relieved! I loved going to ASU and was happy to return to Phoenix, so it all seemed to align well! I was so excited, as I was able to fly down and meet with the owner and see the new space and the buildouts they were doing. Read more>>

Tynetta Stafford

When I got my first job in the healthcare field I was so nervous, anxious and honestly terrified. I was going into a behavioral group home with men twice my size. I can remember me wanting to quit that house and requesting to go to another house that had women. At the time that wasn’t available so, I told myself I could stick it out. I was more than happy that I did because I built bonds with the guys and I also learned so much. My goals/aspirations were to become a house manager but that didn’t happen. I moved on to be an entrepreneur/ independent provider working with individuals with developmental disabilities which I honestly love. Read more>>

Jai Huntley

Alright yall, story time. So I was going into my second year of my graduate program. Before I officially hit my second year of the program, I was in the process of looking for my internship. I was looking for an internship for about 2 months. In the process of my search, I wasn’t receiving any call backs. During my search, I began to realize that the resources on the internship list were outdated. It was the week of the deadline to have landed an internship and I was growing stressed and discouraged. I came across a resource that I haven’t reached out to. It almost feels like it appeared out of the blue. When I reached out, they almost instantly got back with me and asked me to come in for an interview. Here’s a side-note: My application deadline was on a Friday and I was in the last week of needing to turn in my internship paperwork. During this week, my internship interview was on that Wednesday. By the grace of God I received an email the same day expressing that they wanted me to be part of their team!!! **Praise Break** Read more>>

Shelby Frederick

My first job in the field of massage therapy was at a local upscale day spa in the heart of downtown Columbus, Ohio. It was like stepping into the pages of a luxury magazine, each detail meticulously designed, from the cucumber-infused water to the heated towels. The spa, nestled in the Arena District, where famous athletes and artists frequently visited, exuded an atmosphere of excitement and exclusivity. The thrill of not knowing who might end up on your table added a touch of intrigue to the experience. Read more>>

Rosie Watts

I started out as a shop manager, a grunt really. Scrubbing tubes, mopping floors, answering the phone and booking appointments. It was long hours and little pay off really, very little came of it and it felt like a waste of time as the apprenticeship I was promised never materialised. But everything happens for a reason and we are most certainly the summation of our experiences. I was one step closer. After I left my new mentor offered to open the door for me a little and lent me machines, equipment and the space to tattoo under his wing. Again, it wasn’t much, it wasn’t the comprehensive apprenticeship I’d always hoped for and there’s still now gaps in my understanding of this craft which I’m always trying to close, I’m eternally grateful for that opportunity though and I’m a grafter who never wants to stop learning. Read more>>

Everett Dietzler

I knew that I wanted to work specifically with the LGBTQ+ community when I was searching for my practicum site during grad school. It was a whirlwind of a semester with classes, working full time and participating in the outdoor experientials required for my program, keeping me beyond busy. I didn’t realize that there was a limited number of positions available at the organization I was applying to, so I had to search for other organizations that were serving the LGBTQ+ community in a flurry. The clock was ticking and I was really starting to feel the anxiety of having to find a site that didn’t support working with my communities. That’s when I came across iAmClinic. Their mission and values deeply aligned with mine and I crossed my fingers that they would have room for a practicum student. I called them up and asked if they were taking on practicum students for the upcoming semester and to my surprise, they were! It was such a warm and welcoming environment from the very beginning, that I immediately starting thinking about staying on for my internship. Read more>>

Tatum Abadir

My journey to becoming a Personal Trainer started long before I ever thought about fitness as a career. Initially, I was a special education teacher, a role that required an incredible amount of patience, dedication, and emotional investment. I loved working with my students, but it was intense. The days were long, the emotional load was heavy, and over time, I started to feel the cracks. Burnout crept in slowly, but before I knew it, I was completely drained, both physically and mentally. At that point, I needed a change, so I shifted into technology sales. On paper, it seemed like the perfect move—stable income, less emotional strain, a new challenge—but it didn’t take long for me to realize that something was missing. Sales wasn’t fulfilling to me. It felt like I was constantly chasing quotas, focused on numbers rather than people, and I wasn’t making the kind of difference I truly wanted to. Read more>>

Debbie Crall

When I first began my fitness journey in 1981 and had no idea I would end up where I am today. I had quit my job to stay at home with my 3 small children. I began working out at home to an exercise show on TV every morning with a very popular- Joanie Greggains. She was very informative and talked about the exercises she was doing along with nutrition tips to help get you in shape! I was shocked to hear that ketchup had so much sugar!! After a few weeks I thought to myself, dang I wanna be her! I want to do what Joanie Greggains does. She is helping people get healthy. And She looked amazing in that cute little outfit! That was it!!! I decided at that point that I wanted to start teaching aerobics so I starting calling around to all the gyms. Presidents Health Club was the first place I called and when I asked if they were looking for any aerobic instructors they asked if I had experience. I said, no but I’ve been working out at home for 3 weeks tho. She said no and that they were looking for “experienced” instructors. Since I’m a go getter type of gal I hung up the phone and said, NEXT? Read more>>