One of the most important lessons we learned is that our lives and our businesses will teach us along the way. We don’t need to know everything on day one because the challenges we face on day will likely be ones we are already equipped to handle. As we overcome challenges we get better and better and as the challenges increase in difficulty so too does our ability to tackle them.

We asked members of the community that we admire to share important lessons their business or career has taught them and have shared some of those responses below.

Shyne Webster | Founder, Brand Strategist, Creator

After going through a couple pivots and working with over 100 clients in under three years, the number one lesson my entrepreneurial journey has taught me is actually kind of ironic. It’s that your career, your business, your job – that’s your side hustle. Your main job is *yourself.* I’ve learned that my most important job, the thing I should focus on most, is to be a PERSON first. To make sure I’m working on myself, going to counseling, regularly spending time with my friends and family, reading books, having hobbies that I don’t monetize, moving my body every day. That’s my real job. My business is my second job, my side gig. Read more>>

Ronni Saxon | Pretend Player. Laugh Maker. Song Singer. Word Writer. Emmy Winner. Label Overthinker.

Enjoy. The. Process. Working in entertainment creates such wonderful opportunities to follow your passions without constricting you to one specific career label. The other edge of that sword? There isn’t always a clear trajectory to follow towards your goals. If there was a guide for “How to Succeed as a Multi-Hyphenate in Entertainment (While Really Trying),” I’d buy a signed copy. Instead, the industry I’ve always gravitated towards is something that I have learned to navigate in stride and, because of that, am now able to enjoy more every day. Read more>>

Evan Rosenblatt | Dancer, Choreographer, Kinesiologist, and Educator

The most important lesson I’ve received time and again is to not get too attached to outcomes. I grew up an ambitious person, and as one might expect, goals were a huge part of that. They certainly have been helpful, at times, to determine an aim and set foot to a path, but I’ve learned that my gut tends to be a better compass than my head. Read more>>

Maggie McCollester | Actress & Producer

Create your own magic! Don’t wait for someone else’s permission to do your own thing. As an actress, I began my career thinking I would stay in my lane and always work in other people’s projects. I didn’t dream of one day also being a producer and developing new works of my own – in part because I didn’t write, or know many writers, let alone screenwriters. Little did I know I would eventually marry one. And we would start our own independent content production company – Harbinger Moon Media. It’s been such a shift! Read more>>

Sabrina Santiago | Woodworker & Resin Artist

Like many individuals, My Business, Casa Cherrywood Carvings was born in the late summer of 2020. Initially a hobby to dabble into when I had the time, it became My new career path when all I had was time. Released from My former career in telecommunications after 11 years in June 2020, I immediately began the steps of initiating research on how to begin a sole proprietorship. Using my severance package to upgrade my equipment and hire consultants on how to start up, in two months I officially had my own business. Read more>>

Brandy Millan | Owner of Brandy’s Popup & College Student

The most important lesson that has helped me through my small business is to be resilient and consistent. Being very strong through the hard obstacles and challenges that are thrown at me as a small business owner can be very tough. But it is very important to have a strong and positive mindset and I believe that everything will have its timing and will fall into place. And also trusting the process as well as learning along the way is something that I always keep in mind. Read more>>