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.
Roberta Frazzao
The most unexpected problem was definitely the pandemic in 2020. I quit my full-time job in 2019 and started my new photography business from scratch in February 2020 ( one month before the pandemic hit the world 🤯)
It was a hard season for me. But looking back now I see that the whole situation strengthened me and gave me the resilience every business owner Read more>>
Michael Diaz-Rivera
When I first started my cannabis delivery service, I naively thought that it would be as simple as selling weed. However, I quickly realized that there were many unexpected problems that I would have to overcome if I was going to be an established cannabis delivery service owner. One of the biggest challenges I faced was the need to maintain compliance with state regulations, as well as ensuring the safety and security of my team and clients. Read more>>
Janice Newman
My most unexpected problem that has affected my professional career and life has been adjusting to life after my brain surgery. In 2016, I had to overcome an unexpected problem that became a life changer, I had to have brain surgery. In November 2016, I was just finishing a divorce to end an abusive marriage. I was constantly having headaches and assumed they were from stress. My nurse practitioner scheduled numerous tests and sent me to see a neurologist. Read more>>
Bug Frances
One of the most unexpected problems I’ve faced as an artist, is finding myself in a state of little or no inspiration to create. When I was younger, I always made time for music. I always had time to write lyrics, practice riffs, or sing my favorite song, over and over until exhaustion. In grade school, I always had the idea in my head that no matter what was thrown at me in life, music was always a safe, and easy place I could put myself in. Looking back, my naivety as a child is clear as day to me. Read more>>
Annaleah Gregoire
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit I was working towards a sculpture degree at California College of the Arts. I had specifically chosen to study sculpture so that I could expose myself to many different tools and materials and figure out what worked best for me. The studios at my school closed, and I found myself sheltering-in-place and attending online classes. Technological and material limitations quickly became a serious consideration in my practice. Read more>>
Victoria K. Armstrong
In 2019, we were growing at an exciting rate. We’d opened our business in an underground, speak-easy style location originally and had just moved to a prime spot on the city’s historic downtown walking mall. Growth was good, customers were excited that we were there, and we were hiring. Then, 2020 brought about some completely unforeseeable changes. Food and beverage operations were disproportionately impacted by the COVID crisis, and I would be lying if I didn’t say that I had a moment of panic when I learned that there was to be a shutdown of restaurants and bars in VA (eventually leading to crippling capacity restrictions). Read more>>
Lauren Grier
The biggest problem that was unexpected were dealing with setbacks.
I’ve submitted business proposals and been given the Heisman more times than I care to share. I’ve had my food photography described as “too intense” for large ad campaigns. I’ve auditioned for TV network shows only to be told I need to be louder. Setbacks are a b$tch. As someone that has been an entrepreneur for over a decade, my secret for surviving setbacks was finally realizing that I wouldn’t always be successful. Read more>>
Lance Green
The worst unexpected problem has been the closure of gallery after gallery after the recession, especially in Santa Fe NM- In five years I moved to five different galleries after the closure of the ones I was in. Also the Taos gallery that I was in for nearly 15 years closed it’s doors in 2020. As a result of so many galleries either closing or floundering I have seen more and more galleries turn from being bold and willing to take risks to playing it safe and kind of dumbing down in order to carry what is in line with the trends and cliches that are familiar to the pedestrian buyer and more along the lines of what will be sure to sell. Read more>>