We’ve been fortunate to connect with so many brilliant, thoughtful entrepreneurs and creatives and we regularly ask them about the most important lessons they’ve learned over the course of their careers. We’ve shared some highlights below.

Nick Walker | Executive Chef

-My most important lesson was self taught, or self inflicted rather… -In this industry if you want an actual successful career, then you must understand that “fun and relaxation” are earned through hard, stressful, grit building work. You must sweat until your pores are dry, cook until your arm hairs are burnt, and work until your feet are numb from pain. Fun and free time is the reward. Everything else in between is your challenge to get through. Over coming this challenge for many years repeated will give you a successful, lengthy career. At the end of this career, you will have earned the time to have fun and be free… Read more>>

Lena Timmons | Fashion Designer & NYFW Producer

The most important lesson I have learned while in business is, patience. There was so many times I wanted things to happen fast and within my timeline…and it never did. Because, things will happen when it’s meant to regardless if it’s a day, a week or two years from now. Keep going, it will happen. Read more>>

Jefferson Muncy | Illustrator & Designer

Focus on supporting others without the expectations of anything in return. For years I was so focused on getting others to support my work. Once I started creating art purely for the reason of giving it away to support local businesses, my career started moving in a good direction. As artists, we have a lot of pride in our work, and tend to put it on a pedestal (whether we mean to or not). I think this comes from the image of the “artist” being so overly romanticized. Doing free work is part of the process of starting a career – as long as it’s on your terms. I’ve met some incredibly passionate people this way, and I’ve also been ghosted after a project. Making the shift to thinking about what I can “give” – rather than what I can “get” – has made the biggest impact in my career so far. Read more>>

Mason Adams | Songwriter

The most important lesson that being a musician has taught me is that everyone has the right to feel the way they want to about the music. Give the people their rights, and somewhere along the way you will find people that really feel your music on different wavelength. Not everyone is always going to believe in you or support your vision along the way, and that’s OK, because that’s what makes your fans unique! We want to give something to everybody, while also knowing that it isn’t always for everybody. Read more>>