We asked some brilliant folks from the community to tell us about the most important lesson their business or career has taught them. We’ve shared some of those responses below.

Elyse Jewel | Music Artist

I have learned to trust myself. It was tough to find my voice, but slowly, I realized that I am in charge of my career, not anybody else. I have come to find myself in every sense and have realized the sounds that feel most genuinely me. By being able to speak up for me, I have grown in confidence and evolved as both a person and an artist. Read more>>

Sharita Mullen | Chandler

The most important lesson that my business has taught me is patience. I have always been the type to think and execute immediately. Being a wife, mother of two boys, and a business owner keeps me on my toes. Home life requires my undivided attention and I assumed that my business did as well. I can blame or thank the pandemic for this, but it sat me down in a way that left me helpless, not in the sense of pity but in the sense that things will be fine either way. Read more>>

Claire Howell | Co-owner of Balcony Box & Avid Food Grower

Honestly, I feel like one of the biggest things has been learning to be flexible and how to respond to failure. When you start your own business, even with a team like we have, there are still a million things no one has ever done before, and you just have to figure it out and pivot quickly when things don’t work. I really don’t like failing, and as we have built Balcony Box, that has been something I just have to get used to. My business partner, John, told me once to look at failing with some excitement – it’s real-time, personalized feedback that can help instruct your next move. That has been such valuable and true advice, not only in our Balcony Box world, but in life in general! Read more>>

Shareefah Mason | Educator

Transitioning from a State of Texas Master Teacher to an Associate Dean of Educator Certification at Dallas College has taught me the importance of Black women truly becoming a part of the decision-making processes in education. In a field that is predominantly white, it is imperative that we begin to intensely diversify the teacher pipeline and the academia landscape so that the voices of all are heard. With the majority of the cultural mosaic in our nation’s classrooms being students of color, we should be compelled to ensure the teachers and professors, charged with educating and empowering our students, are a reflective collective of the students that are being taught. Read more>>

Samarra Samone | Singer/Songwriter & business owner

The two most important lessons that my career has taught me is patience and sacrifice. “Rome was not built in a day.” I understand more so, now that when you are building something of great value, it takes time, consistency, and HARD work. Being willing to put in the extra time and work that others aren’t willing to put in. You will have to make sacrifices that others aren’t willing to make, in order to build a successful business/career. Sacrificing doesn’t feel good, but is so worth it in the end. Read more>>

Shay Ramsee | Certified Wedding Planner

You can’t be everything to everybody. I use to believe that because I’m a wedding planner, all engaged couples are apart of my target audience. I didn’t understand the importance of niching down and creating an ideal client profile until I launched my business Moxie and Luxe. I decided to cater to non traditional couples and I instantly saw a spike in my business when I niched down. Read more>>

Liza Curran | Coffee Enthusiast

Do it scared. Everyone feels like a baby deer standing on shaky legs when they first start out, but when you look back on where you started and where you are it’s extremely rewarding. Read more>>