We asked some of the brightest and most thoughtful entrepreneurs, artists and creatives in the community to tell us about something they believe that most people in their space disagree with and we’ve shared highlights below.

Delaluna Answers

Astrology is a controversial subject causing a divide between believers and skeptics. It has been a source of fascination for centuries, with believers attributing the positions and movements of celestial bodies to shaping human behavior, traits and destiny. Skeptics argue that astrology lacks scientific evidence and relies on vague statements that could apply to anyone. Astrology holds tremendous complexity and intricacy. Far beyond daily horoscopes and zodiac signs, astrology is an ancient system of divination and insight that can provide profound understanding about oneself and the world we inhabit. Read more>>

Eric Booth

I embrace the role of AI and LLM generative tools for generating and refining creative content. In hushed conversations and behind the scenes (at least in my network here in Austin, TX), a cadre of creatives is harnessing the power of AI to shape and refine their artistic endeavors. Yet, let’s be candid—some prefer to keep their dalliance with this digital muse under wraps. Why? Many feel that it is a threat to the marketability of their work or services, preserving copyright/ownership, undermines their comparative advantages due to finely-honed mastery and craftsmanship, or is an existential threat to the creative ethos. Read more>>

Jenny Silbert

Our entire business is working with trash, and we completely flip the design process on its head. In my past life in architecture, and in many design fields, people typically design first and then find materials to fit. We start with materials – sourced from the trash – and from those materials we figure out the best, most long-lasting designs. Our goal is to keep valuable material out of the landfill for as long as possible. Really everything about Rewilder flips our typical production and consumption model. We call it Reverse Materialism — a movement where every thing you buy means one less thing in the landfill. Read more>>

Sheena Jenkinson

After crossing over from the underwriting side of the mortgage industry and helping other people start their business, I realize that it’s not a lot of working together. That should take place in order for everyone to be successful. Particularly in the mortgage industry I strongly believe real estate agents in loan officers should be on the same team and should work hand-in-hand; after talking to so many loan officers, and so many real estate agents, they are more divided than they should be the industry has turned into. What can you give me versus less work together and help our client which is typically a mutual client, whether your a buyers agent, or a selling agent as a real estate personnel And there’s a loan officer helping to close the deal . Read more>>

Jennifer Lind Schutsky

I believe you should NOT niche down. I believe you should do more, expand more, be bigger than what you think you’re capable of. Most people in the photography industry or art in general believe that you have to niche down to be considered an expert in your field and while I think that is true to some extent, I also think that you can limit yourself before you even know what you’re good at. I am currently doing more than I ever have in my industries and that’s because I say, ‘YES!’ to the opportunities that present themselves to me and I wait for the invitation and I accept the invitation when it’s presented to me. I don’t force what I want to do in my industry on others. Read more>>

Mateo Toro

Our business was born around the premise that a good cup of coffee is the one you like the most. The third wave coffee world is an amazing one, but many inside this industry tend to think that in order to call it a “good” cup of coffee it needs to be made a certain way and nothing should be added to it or removed to it to keep this title. We do things differently. Read more>>

Keray Brown

People in my industry do not share hair care, secrets, such as products used, because they feel like they want the customer to come to them for everything. I am not a gatekeeper. I believe that you have to educate your client, even letting them know good products, so that they can maintain their hair at home. Sometimes clients come into financial hardships, and that would be unrealistic of me to expect them to come up with money to sit in my chair. Read more>>

Brittney Murray

You’ll hear a TON of branding professionals harp on having a niche. I don’t think this is a bad thing per se because niching down has its merits. However, there’s a lot to be said for being a jack-of-all-trades in the branding game. I believe the real magic is in being multifaceted within your brand. I look at it like this, when you go to see a magician do they thing would you be satisfied just watching them pull a coin from behind your ear? No! You’d want to see what else they’ve got up their sleeve. Branding is the same way. Read more>>

Stephen Covic

In the world of making content, there’s a big idea that many people follow: focus on just one thing. This is often called ‘niching down.’ Everywhere I look, from online classes to advice from top creators, the message is loud and clear: choose one topic and stick to it. They believe that by doing this, you’ll become the go-to person for that topic, attract more followers, and really stand out from the crowd. While I’ve seen this work for a lot of folks, I can’t help but feel there’s more to the story. Read more>>

Carolyn Baccaro

We believe that you can create and sell clothing while remaining environmentally conscious, and so do the artists and makers we collaborate with. Unfortunately, the prevailing approach to thrive in the retail industry today is to acquire low-cost, mass-produced clothing and significantly increase the price. This is the standard model adopted by most major retailers (hello, Shein!). Given that the clothing industry generates an immense amount of waste, we are dedicated to championing makers who prioritize sustainability. Although we still sell select new clothing items, our store comprises over half vintage items and 25% handmade, sustainable clothing. Read more>>

Yu Mao

In the film industry, there are usually two types of people. One is idealist, and the other is profit-oriented. The former has a romantic dream, and they can stay in poverty just in order to make a movie of their own one day; the latter, of course, follows the market and makes something whatever they can earn the money. Many people are trying to find a balance between the two, but they often lose themselves in the way to find it. Idealists are more likely to be carried away by the market because money can easily change people. When the determination to make movies or make money is too strong, they tend to become aggressive, and this eagerness gradually swallows people up at the end. Read more>>

Karen Yankovich

During my career, I often found myself the only woman at the table was me and I learned fast that if I was going to have a say, I needed to come across as confident, even when I wasn’t. When I began my current business, I realized that many women did not get the same sort of work environment. Because of that, the typical advice for building a business, usually aimed at men, didn’t fit us. Read more>>

Katie Hart

Everyone has their fears – the world around us is a really scary place. I’ll avoid listing all of the political unrest, climate issues, and frustrations each of us faces when we wake up. I’m here to remind you that there is something you can do about the anxiety you’re feeling. In a world where it sometimes feels like you’re a only a drop in the bucket, you can fight fear and anxiety with community and philanthropy. Read more>>