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.

Heather Burkett-ocasio

I launched Events With A Twist *knowing* there was nothing else like it in Northeast Florida. Score! I thought I’d corner the market and see booming business in no time. But it took me eleven grueling months to book my very first client. The challenge? My services were *so* niche that people didn’t even know to look for me. Sabotage Mystery Parties, Video Scavenger Hunts, and Photoshoot Parties weren’t on anyone’s radar. If they didn’t know these existed, they couldn’t search for them—or realize they’d want them once they did. Read more>>

Mark Buske

I was born with congenital cataracts, so perhaps issues with my vision should count as “unexpected.” I stepped into the classroom during the 1986-87 school year, a mid-term replacement for the high school choir director. My first cataract surgery was just three years later, the week after we closed a production of “Annie, Get Your Gun.” I conducted the pit orchestra from memory, and returned to the podium in time for graduation, the world still very much a blur.  Read more>>

Joline Pinto Atkins

It was March 2020 when we were scheduled to break ground on the Portobello Cultural Life & Arts Center in Beaver Falls, PA. We had 400 RSVPS. The main drag was set to be closed down to accommodate food trucks. Vendors. It was to be a community-wide event with residents, business owners, county and state public servants. We’d been planning it for 6 months. You can fill in what happened next. Covid lockdown. Our project was immediately halted. In the months to come, material costs skyrocketed, if you could get them at all, and the project was placed on hiatus.  Read more>>

Lucy Arnell

While I was a student at the Institute of Culinary Education, we were making so many broths and stocks every day, from scratch. And, we would use the liquid to create our concoctions. Each class had a designated chef in charge of it, and it became clear from early on that this powerful base was an integral, important component of cooking. With SAUTERELLE, my original dream was to create a broth using grasshoppers in the traditional way a fumet (fish stock) or traditional broth was made – by simmering the bones / shells in liquid for about 45 minutes to an hour. Not quite as potent as a bone broth, which is actually more like a stock, a classic broth is light yet still nutritious, and adds umami flavor and nutrients to dishes that use it as an ingredient. It also makes for a delicious, nourishing sipping beverage, akin to a healthy snack or energy shot.  Read more>>

Dj Aphro-di

One of the most unexpected problems I faced in my creative journey was when my DJ equipment began failing me, forcing me to confront not only technical challenges but also deeper questions about my future in music. It was a moment of frustration and uncertainty that ultimately became a turning point, reshaping how I approached my craft. For years, I had relied on a Numark NS4FX controller—an entry-level “pro” piece of gear that had been my companion through countless gigs. But traveling with it eventually wore down the grounds inside the faders, causing sound bleeding—every DJ’s nightmare. I realized the issue after returning from a gig in Hawaii with my collective mate, Mr. Chibes. He hosted an incredible show, and I had the opportunity to use his FLX-10, a high-end controller with advanced stem controls. It was inspiring but also eye-opening. My aging laptop, once a powerhouse, couldn’t handle the demands of modern software. The stuttering audio during my set wasn’t the gear—it was my PC struggling to keep up.  Read more>>

Melissa Canastra-Han

Since growing my business the last 2 years, I’ve truly learned how large the creative business space can be. In our current age of being chronically online, there are so many pathways and platforms to choose from that allow you to enter your presence in any industry and space you want! During my creative journey, I’ve experienced challenges such as online perception and dealing with imposter syndrome. Being a handmade jewelry business, there is a constant conversation around “beating the algorithm” and making your business viral. It’s an emotional aspect of building a business that I feel is not spoken about enough. Read more>>