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.

Tyler Walsh

The best investment I’ve ever made has been in myself – my health, my career, and my content. Committing to infinite learning has been essential in every endeavor, from reading and journaling to meditating and working out. Consistently creating content and putting in the daily reps has sharpened my skills and built momentum. Building healthy relationships has amplified my growth, personally and professionally. These habits have created an exponential impact on my career and life. Read more>>

Autumn Leffew

The “worst” investment I ever made regarding my business was starting a brick and mortar studio in the heart of Grand Rapids (city center) the month before COVID 19 locked the world down. It was nearly 2020 and I was very excited to invest my hard earned savings in a lease and furniture to have a studio space I could rent out to the public (as well as shoot in). I was thrilled when I got the keys to a brightly lit expanse of space that provided me with brick walls, hard wood floors, a break room space, bathroom, and an office. I began setting things up as the world shut down. I kept pushing along despite worrying how long lock down would be active because I believed I could force my way through and recover. A year later and I was still shut to the public, having lost $20,000 and a bit of my stamina. It was shocking and disappointing to come so close, yet so far from such a wonderful goal. I had to walk away at the end of it and scale back my business for a time. I was pretty devastated, but have since learned to be more kind to myself about it. No one knew what was coming, and I haven’t given up the hope of trying again some day. Read more>>

Celeste Gluz

We invested our life savings into opening a brick and mortar in Hawai’i. It was an amazing experience but it also taught me what I can’t do and what is not sustainable for me. We ended up closing it and moving it online! Best decision ever that cost the most amount of money, time and effort! Read more>>

Emma Alqattan

Any investment in my personal growth has been incredibly valuable. I’m a self-development enthusiast—you’ll usually find me in the bookstore or diving into new learning experiences. But over the past couple of years, when I felt lost and disconnected, I decided to dig deeper into personal healing and learning in a more intentional way. I explored various modalities like somatic work, theta healing, and coaching, and these have truly transformed my perspective. The important thing is finding what resonates with you—there’s no one-size-fits-all. For me, tapping into my authentic self, letting go of limiting beliefs, and expanding my consciousness has shifted my worldview in ways I didn’t expect. It’s been a journey of growth and discovery, and I can honestly say that investing in myself during this time has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Any investment in understanding yourself is absolutely worth it. Read more>>

Alexandra Shurun

The best investment I have ever made is the time I spent pursuing my teenage dream. When I was 13 or 14, living in my homeland Ukraine, I watched the famous american TV show Twin Peaks. I fell in love with the little town portrayed in the show, it felt so realistic as if it and its characters really existed somewhere. I started to dream about visiting filming locations which were mainly located in North Bend, Washington. I was so far away from there and my dream felt the same. I graduated from school, entered the university, started working, married and had a son, but somewhere in the back of my mind I always had a question “Will I ever get to North Bend or not?” It is worth mentioning that it was close to impossible to get a US visa if you were from Ukraine. Something like 80 pages of questionnaires and plenty more documents had to be provided for a tiny chance of not being denied. Read more>>