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.

Nina Clapperton

The best investment I made in my business was actually investing money into it. It sounds like such a simple thing, but for 4 years, I was trying to bootstrap the whole operation. The only thing I purchased was my domain name and hosting, and I went with the most budget option out there, which meant that I often spent more time dealing with technical issues. Read more>>

Jennifer Bleakley | Huntress Florals

The most invaluable investments I’ve made have been time and money spent on professional and personal development. Whether I invest in floral design classes to further master my craft, business trainings, or various healing modalities – they allow me to learn more and continue to evolve in different ways. I value growth and consider myself a lifelong learner – it’s never too late to try something new or continue to grow in any area you desire. Read more>>

Amy Lee Westervelt

The best investment I ever made as a business owner was in social media templates for my business. They were the first time I really felt like a real life business. Seeing mock-ups with my logo and workbooks and images with my face on them that looked so polished and professional, really skyrocketed my confidence as a leader. I still use the Biz Template Babe templates to this day! Read more>>

Stacy Thomes

One of the best investments I ever made was offering my organizing services for free. When I made the decision to start my business in 2009, I had no finances to invest, but I did have some free time and a knack for what I felt was a valuable talent. At the time, Professional Organizers were few and far between, so the competition was not a threat. I believed that if I could organize some spaces for friends and family, I could document the process, gather some positive reviews on Yelp, and have my husband help me build a website. Read more>>

Ashlie Bradley

The best investment in my business was investing in my photography education. When I first started photography, I thought I didn’t need to pay for education and that I could get by without it. It wasn’t until I started getting into newborn photography that I realized I needed to take classes. Once I took my first class and saw how quickly I progressed from it I was a firm believer that it was the best thing I could do with my money. I took all different photography classes and every time saw significant improvement. Read more>>

Rachel Nicole Oliver

One of the best investments I’ve made, both in terms of time and money, was my college experience. I know plenty of incredibly talented creatives who haven’t stepped foot in a college classroom, but for me, pursuing a college education played a pivotal role in my artistic journey. Read more>>

ASHLEY MEDRANO

One of the most impactful investments I made as a business owner was allocating resources to enhance our online presence and marketing strategy. A few years ago, our business was doing well within our local community, but we recognized the need to broaden our reach and attract a larger audience. Our business, which specializes in the Event Industry for Boutique Event Rentals +Floristry, has gained a loyal customer base locally. However, we realized that in order to scale and thrive in the digital age, we needed to establish a stronger online presence. Read more>>

Thomas Gleaner

I have long felt that you will never go wrong investing in yourself. This can obviously mean a lot of different things. One example is when it became evident that making and marketing my art was to be my life’s pursuit, I felt it necessary to learn as much as I could about the materials that I was going to be using. If I was to commit an inordinate amount of time to my practice, I should honor my efforts by doing whatever it took to acquire the best materials possible. Read more>>