We asked insiders and experts from various industries to tell us something they think outsiders are unaware of and we’ve shared a few of those responses below.

Jacquin Headen | Interior Designer & Fine Artist

When it come to interior design, many people don’t realize the extensive level of detail it takes to create a spectacular design for clients. Sometimes I go through THOUSANDS of products just to find the perfect rug, for example. A designer like myself with great attention to detail and a spirit of excellence will go above and beyond to find the perfect selections. The amount of time it takes to research and curate a space for each unique client would be shocking to people, but it’s all a part of the process. That’s why interior design is a career you really have to love, and I must say that I love it!. Read more>>

Audrey Wolfe | Professional MMA Fighter and Instructor

The amount of work and dedication that is required to fight professionally and or run a gym. I have people daily that come in and say they want to be a fighter. To be a moderately successful, you have to train hours a day for years. To have a moderately successful gym, there are so many moving parts and so much that happens behind the scenes. By the time I made my professional MMA debut, I had trained in martial arts for over 25 years. I had competed in karate, kickboxing, boxing, and gi Jiu-Jitsu and No Gi Jiu-Jitsu before I ever thought of putting them together and climbing into a cage. There is an old saying in the fight game, “everyone wants to be a champion, but no one wants to train like a champion.” There is so much truth to this. Daily, you have to wake up and work through minor and major injuries and push yourself through the good and bad days to be successful. While a fight might only last 15 or 25 minutes, there are years and years of grueling training leading up to that moment. Read more>>

Natalie Koons | Knit & Crochet Designer, YouTuber

When you imagine the knit and crochet industry, you probably think of a sweet elderly white woman knitting with metal sticks on a scratchy, burnt orange blanket. Am I right?! Maybe in 1989… but fast forward to 2021 and the modern day knit and crochet community is wildly diverse. Walk into a yarn shop and you will see young professionals, mothers, men, college students, likely half or more of the group under 50. Business owners in the industry have to keep up with ever-changing popular dyers and designers to keep their customers coming back. Will it be speckled yarns made of soft wool this year or scratchier “woolly wools” in muted colors? Are we doing the cropped sweater thing again?! The knit and crochet community is expansive on social media where many of the most prominent figures have a followings in the hundreds of the thousands. Knitters and crocheters aren’t afraid to advocate for each other. Discussions about racial-equity and size-inclusivity are common. Read more>>

Mike Hatfield | Songwriter, Recording Artist, Performer

The Extremes ! As a Songwriter, A Recording Artist and a Performing Musician. I live it seems, in two extremes. A solitary life, working alone. And other times entertaining crowds of people. Always communicating with them. Sometimes thru writing and recording. And other times performing. Another extreme is the discouragement from lack of progress and the joy of accomplishment. This extreme can and does happen in the same day , even the same hour. As songwriting is creating something from nothing, It is easy to wait for inspiration. And it is great when it happens. But when it doesn’t ( the discouragement ) you have to stick to it, with an instrument and a pad of paper and bang away, Until sooner or later you will start to form something.( The joy ) And then it’s just ,keep at it till you’ve finished. Recording is much the same, And the solution is the same…. Keep at it til you’re satisfied ! Preparation is where the work is involved for a Performance. Read more>>

Anne Redelfs, MD | Gardener of The Soul

Although most people are aware that they have a soul, they don’t realize that their soul requires development. Just as every human who is born into our world needs physical nutrition to grow to physical maturity, we also need soul nutrition to grow to psychological maturity. I define the soul as the psychological body, which includes the emotional body or heart and the mind. If our emotional bodies are to reach maturity, they must be fed through the sharing of authentic feelings. To maximize their developmental impact, we must express these authentic feelings constructively and creatively. If our minds are to reach maturity, they must be fed truth in a manner that meets our developmental needs. Discovering, processing, and sharing the truth of our life experiences as well as our authentic feelings and thoughts about this truth are what drive our developmental journeys. Read more>>

Sharmeen Jariullah | Makeup Artist and Owner/Creator of SharJar Makeup Artistry

The beauty industry is a wonderful, inclusive, and creative space, and I am happy to be part of this world. One of the things that outsiders to the industry are probably unaware of is that working in beauty is not just all glitz and glamour but also requires immense mental and physical dedication, technical as well as creative skill sets, and strong business acumen. While beauty application and creativity are an essential part of the industry, those outside the industry are probably unaware of how physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding the work is and that in order to be successful in virtually all parts of the industry-whether working for yourself, for a small business or in a corporate retail setting-one needs to understand how to run a business. Numerous times throughout my tenure in beauty retail and management, clients have said, “your job is so fun, you just get to play in makeup all day!”. Read more>>

Marshall Harris | Professional Artist

I’m a full-time Professional Artist. That means that I go to my studio like most people go to, or used to go to their office. Making good art is more than a full-time job. Along with being the maker of art you also have to be your marketing department, your products distribution and shipping department, your project production and logistics department, the accounting department, and finally your own department of Human Resources. That’s sometimes the most difficult one because artists are sometimes temperamental. Read more>>