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.

Aileen Kermane | Female Rap Artist & Songwriter

The most important lesson my career has taught me is to keep patient and never give up. A lot of people say “time is of the essence” but I say (“time is what you make it”) Growing up I learned the hard way that even though you set goals you may not always make them on time. Yet, when you do it doesn’t make the victory any less sweet, In fact that triumph can be even more rewarding. Read more>>

Candenetra Moore | Web Designer & Content Writer

Being an entrepreneur teaches me that consistency will take you and your brand a long way. Before truly understanding this, I used to give up on projects and business ideas any time they weren’t moving fast enough in the direction I had hoped. Now, I am learning that just because the tree has not bloomed, does not mean the seed is not sprouting below the soil. Read more>>

Dr. Arshley Emile | Director and Cinematographer

The most important lesson I’ve learn in my business is that your real competition is yourself. There’s no need to compare yourself to others, especially those in your same field. We are all unique and bring something to our field that no one else can. I’ve made a commitment to myself that I will focus on my journey and my journey alone. The talent, skills and experience will make room for growth and abundance. Another lesson I’ve learn is that one should be deliberately slow. Don’t rush the process. If possible, stay there as long as you can because that’s where the magic happens, where growth lives and ultimately that’s where you learn how to better navigate your business. Read more>>

Jaysie DeWolf | Dog walker & Pet Sitter

The number one most important thing my business has taught me is how to be confident. There’s nobody there to tell you what to do, when. or how to do it. In theory it sounds easy, but in reality it takes a lot of mistakes to figure out a good routine. A lot of people along the way will make you question why they should choose you when there are others out there. I have had to believe in myself and my ability to not only run the backend of my business, but also knowing my worth and when it’s okay to say no. Read more>>

Stacy Joslin | Owner, Sunny Street Yoga

People first. It’s that simple. I’ve spent over 20 years in corporate America, and in the nonprofit sector before that, with multiple companies of varying sizes across a wide net of industries. One common truth across all of these settings is that the organizations that value people as the top priority ultimately benefit from that mindset, and the ones that don’t, don’t. I’m fortunate to have many friendships still in place today that I made years and years ago through work. Ask me what I did project-wise during that time, and I likely won’t be able to tell you, but conversations over a morning coffee, business trips and team dinners will stay with me. Having seen around me and felt within me what it’s like to be valued versus not valued, it’s crystal clear that only one road makes any sense if you’re to do good work and thrive as a business in the long-term. Read more>>

Huckleberry Starnes | Vintage Chainstitch and Chenille Embroidery Artist

Not to sound like an old man, but I’ve been running my business in Atlanta for 27 years now, starting it with a chop saw and making deliveries on the back of a motorcycle.  In that time I’ve gone through a lot of different phases, including working on projects in Japan, Taiwan and all across the US, but I’ve always been glad to return home to Atlanta and get back to my studio. This is where I’m the most productive (and happy) and I try to instill in people just starting out how important it is to set up an environment that sparks your creativity, summed up in my mantra “Take care of your studio, and your studio will take care of you”. Read more>>