There is so much to learn from investments that went really well as well as those that went really poorly and so we asked some of the wisest creatives and entrepreneurs in the community to tell us the stories of their best and worst investments.

Mario McTier

The best investment I have made as a business owner is investing in myself. I feel it is the best thing you can do as a brand or owner because if you don’t bet on yourself, how can you convince or have other big into what you are presenting. You must’ve exemplify boldness and confidence with anything you put your face on. It’s contagious, furthermore the consumer will take on the identity of the brand! Read more>>

Madison Arnholt

The worst investments (there wasn’t just one…and they all had the same underlying motivation) I ever made were hiring coaches and joining business growth programs from a place of inner insecurity. Early on in my business, I assumed other “more successful” entrepreneurs knew better than me and put their guidance above my own intuition. On social media, it looked like and sounded like they had it ALL figured out and I fell for the marketing that was perfectly designed to make it seem like it would be the answer to all of my problems. Read more>>

Cami Franklin

I’ve been in business for 18 years. I have always worked out of my home. For 15 of those years, all of my work was done while sitting on the floor at my coffee table. As my business grew, my incoming and outgoing projects covered the dining room table and no matter how much I tried to stay organized, I was just too busy with the next deadline. Read more>>

Alicia Holder

The best investment I have ever, or will ever make, is investing my time in myself and the things that bring me peace and joy. Your time and energy are your flame- the thing you use to guide yourself along your path in life. Being an artist is who I am fundamentally as a human. It is not the residue left over from multitude of experience, but rather a language thru which experience speaks- in “real time” Read more>> 

Maleny Mikels

Something I’ve learned along the way is that the best investment consists in investing in yourself. I know it might sound a little cheesy but, it makes the whole difference in your life, regardless of what you do for a living. As a professional musician, I had always thought that investments would only be buying new gear, taking different music lessons, working on new music projects, paying for studio time, videos, etc… Read more>>

Rhiannon Livardo-Stuiso

The best investment I made with my business was education! At the age of 12 I knew I wanted to be a photographer and followed that passion no matter what. I decided to not to go to college right after high school and as soon as I graduated I got my hands on any type of photography job I could – besides freelancing. Read more>>

Emma Fulenwider

Hiring coaches has been both the best and worst investment I’ve made as a creative in business. I hired a mindset coach years ago who aligned perfectly with who I was, where I was at, what I needed, and what I had saved up. I bought a six-month program with her, and it got me absolutely nowhere. Read more>>