Often we don’t have to reinvent the wheel to learn something new – we can just ask experts in the field who can draw on their experience to enlighten us. Below, we’ve shared insights insiders from various industries have shared with us.

Matt Ernest | Owner of Matt’s Sneaux Kones

What we do when we show up for an event may seem easy, but it is a lot of hard work. I am thinking about and working on my business more hours per week than I ever put into any prior career. If I am not making fresh batches of syrup for events I am running around DFW filling orders, checking on equipment, reordering supplies, checking on our trailer, etc. It is fine with me though because I love what we do and we get a lot of repeat business which tells me I am doing it the right way. Read more>>

Kendall Thomas | Creative Retail Manager

I think people are generally unaware of how operationally intensive it is. Yes, working in retail is creative thinking but also requires logistics when it comes to ordering from different vendors, strategic thinking in knowing your market or audience and financial awareness of your margins and product turnover. Read more>>

Brittney Lemons | Second-Hand Fashion Stylist

There are many things about my industry that outsiders may not be aware of. The one that I find most important is the fact that the second-hand industry will be the #1 RETAIL Industry in the next 5 years. It has been stated that by 2024 the second-hand industry will be worth more than $24Billion. With that being said that saying that people are starting to realize the its about the Quality, not the Quantity. So now my quote is, “In with the Old, out with the new!’. Read more>>

Kristen Parks | Owner of Stumpy’s Hatchet House Fort Worth

One thing that most customers do not realize is that axe throwing can be a workout. Most people who enter Stumpy’s Hatchet House do not throw axes the whole time but if our customers do throw axe a lot, they leave with a feeling of a light workout. For instance, during the winter time customers come in with a lot of layers on but about half way through most of those layers are off and we have turned the fans on for them. Read more>>

Jessica Norwood | Candle Shop Owner & Author

The process of making candles can seem somewhat simple. However, the process as I found out is much more complicated. From finding the right products to use, and even mastering formulas needed. I actually tested my products for months, and invested a lot of money to find my perfect formula. It takes a lot of patience and time to make candles. As safety for any candle maker is the main priority. Many new candle makers find out that candle making is a process, that times time to perfect. Read more>>

Alvionna Brewster | Nurse Entrepreneur

Nurses make incredible entrepreneurs, however, entrepreneurship isn’t taught in school. Generally speaking, society thinks that all nurses do is pass meds, give shots and follow doctor’s orders. Although those are very important tasks within our profession, we do A LOT more. I have met some amazing nurse entrepreneurs who are changing the landscape of healthcare in the USA. These nurses own CNA schools, LVN schools, private practices, teach CPR, write books, are speakers and own homecare, home health, assisted living companies and much, much more. Because entrepreneurship can follow a process similar to the nursing process, nurses have the skillset to be excellent business men and women. Read more>>

Queen Cole | Motivational Speaker & Podcast Host

Industry outsiders are probably unaware of the amount of rejection you receive as a podcaster. When I first started I was not aware that so many people would say, “No” to being on my podcast or not respond to my request for an interview. I use to be confused asking myself, “Who doesn’t want to share their story?” Quickly, I realized that everyone isn’t ready to share their story. Read more>>

Janna Hopkins | Director at Bethany CDC

I am the Director at Bethany CDC in Dallas, TX. The childcare industry can surprise people who have never worked in it. Perhaps they think it’s easy or just an outlet for kids to play. They are so wrong! Childcare encompasses so much more. There’s so much thought that goes into the lesson plans that my teachers create. It’s guided by standards and goals. Every activity that takes place during the day is a carefully thought out lesson that takes into consideration the children’s ages, the goal they want to achieve and how it will be a developmental appropriate lesson. Preschool is such an important part of a child’s life. They are playing to learn – we create an environment where they are challenged and engaged. Every part of the day is structured by these wonderful teachers so the children are happily learning and enjoying school. It is definitely not as easy as some people may think! I applaud our staff for being the most dedicated, creative and loving teachers!! They make us successful!. Read more>>

Dana Schultes | Theatre-Maker & Actor

One thing about the theatre industry that outsiders probably aren’t aware of is how much it costs to put together a professional play. At Stage West’s level, which might be considered mid-sized, your average production costs are between $35,000-$75,000. I wish more people knew that so that when they saw an average ticket price of between $35-$45, they would understand why. Frankly, those ticket prices are also subsidized by a lot of grants, too. At Stage West, and really at most non-profit theatres like Stage West, we work really hard to ensure that there is a wide range of ticket prices from Pay What You Can to the top price. That top price is emblematic of the cost of the production itself. Read more>>

Kyle Shafer | Music Educator & CEO at Zera Music Company

Some people don’t realize how varied the quality of instruction in this industry is! They tend to look at the price tag and assume everything will be fine, but when you look under the hood at the methods some studios and teachers are okay with, it’s alarming. They don’t plan for each of their lessons, there’s no structure whatsoever, and a lot of the time there isn’t even a complete understanding of theory, which means students receiving this instruction are limited to learning a song at a time instead of being able to learn the language of music. This is why we developed a way to keep instructors accountable to be a trusted source of top-quality instruction so our families don’t have to worry about the investment they’re making in their child’s future!. Read more>>

Albie Robles | Voice Actor/Narrator

Voice acting is actual work. It isn’t just talking into a microphone. It requires training to learn diction, timing, breath control, etc. You have to acquire gear and learn to use it properly. You have to work on setting up a proper recording space. You have to learn to edit and process your audio to very specific standards. Also, voice acting is a freelance job. Most of the job is finding work. You write proposals. You send marketing emails. You look for contacts. Read more>>