As almost any entrepreneur or creative will tell you, unexpected problems are to be expected. Below, you’ll hear some incredible stories that highlight and illustrate the kinds of issues and problems entrepreneurs and creatives are dealing with everyday. It’s not easy, but the silver lining is that dealing with unexpected problems is one of the best ways to develop antifragility.

Courtney Elmer

I’ll never forget it — the cold, flourescent light buzzing overhead, the blank wall in front of me, the feel of my husband’s sweaty palm as he tightly gripped my hand. We’d just gotten home from our honeymoon two days before, and there I was in the doctor’s office for a “follow-up visit” that turned out to be the day I was diagnosed with cancer. Read more>> 

Elizabeth Lambert

One of the most unexpected problems I’ve faced in my creative journey was mental and creative burnout. I became so wrapped up in posting content, forcing myself to make batches of content to split up, forcing ideas out of my head for the sake of having a post out on that day so I don’t lose followers, that I started losing my sanity. Read more>>

Ross Victory

The biggest obstacle and challenge I have faced is probably not prioritizing my mental health as early as I should have and the subsequent loss of opportunities- specifically around developing strict confidence and focusing on my personal goals. Read more>>

Prince Durocher

My name is Prince Durocher and I’m from Broward County FL. Most of you know me as Obeyprincee on all social media platforms. I started dancing at the age of 14. I was always dancing with friends and trying to be the life of the party! It was so much fun that I ended up making up a crew call Soflo Snap Squad just for fun. Read more>>

Lerae Funderburg

Toward the end of last year my Instagram account was hacked. I had over 17,000 followers and they were engaged followers at that. I invested a lot of time, money and energy in my Instagram account over the past 4 years – from engaging social media managers, paying for photoshoots, makeup artists, IG coursework and research, spending hours coming up with engaging copy. Read more>>

Leah Wolfe

Dogs can be unpredictable, so preparedness is important; but even the most diligent of dog walkers can have off-days. Sometimes the doggie bags run out, a client’s harness clip breaks, or a blind corner hides a trigger for a reactive dog. The job has other pitfalls too like the fluctuating costs of supplies, or the scarcity of shade. Flexibility is a must. Most importantly: stay calm, act fast. Read more>>

Victoria Poull

I’ve got the perfect story for you! In my first year of starting Honeycomb Pastries, I was taking any and all orders and requests that I could accommodate. I just wanted to get my name out! An order came in for a family friend, so I felt I couldn’t turn it down. They needed a gluten free, dairy free, vegan cake. I was very confident – I could do vegan cakes no problem, and planned to do a vegan cream cheese frosting to go along. Read more>>

Samantha Vargas

Being your own boss is a new experience. There are a few things I didn’t anticipate. The biggest thing is how easily your schedule can and will change. Back when I was in school I worked in retail, very easy and not much can go wrong. You show up, work your shift, that’s it. Read more>>

John Buoniconti

Our small family business is 6 years d. So half of our time in business has been under this Covid cloud. We found ourselves in a awful place a couple of months into this Covid pandemic. Read more>>

Brooke Sanzari

Over the past 14 years, I have had many unexpected challenges. The Pandemic presented my most daunting one yet: Not being able to provide in-person services to my clientele. I had just opened my dream storefront in a new state, after leaving behind a clientele of 10+ years… Just to have it sit empty for months! Unlike hair and nails, skin care services were not allowed to be performed. Read more>>