We asked folks we admire to share one piece of conventional advice that they disagree with.

Sohna Harzeez-Jeanty: Founder of The Bubble Pitt

Wearing white after Labor Day. If you can clean it, wear it. Well, I’ll clean it. Besides, we all need the basics in our wardrobes. White t-shirts and button-ups are year round staples. There is a such thing as winter white. Use all of the colors or none of the colors in your wardrobe. Read more>>

Tayler Davis-Robinson: Esthetician & Lash Specialist

I believe that faking it until you make it to where you want to be in life; puts your true feelings, and the purpose of your storm on the back burner. It can destroy something made specifically for you later in life. Of course, no one wants to go through anything tough, but I truly believe that everything we endure molds us into who we are destined to be. Read more>>

Tayler Walker: Food Truck Owner & Nurse Anesthetist

One piece of conventional advice that I would say I disagree with would be, waiting until the timing is PERFECT for everything. Sometimes, you have to just DO it, as Nike would say. Too many people get caught up in having the perfect credit score, business plan, launch, amount of savings, etc instead of just completing it! You will never have it all together as a new small business owner, that’s part of the entrepreneurial experience. What matters is getting your product in front of customers and SALES!. Read more>>

Phivi Spyridonos: Professor of Illustration at SCAD & Freelance Fashion Illustrator

“Study to be a lawyer, accountant or doctor that’s where the money is at”. This is something I kept hearing over and over again when I was growing up, not by my parents thankfully, they were always very supportive about my decisions of studying illustration. I did though grow up in Cyprus, a Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea, a more conservative place in which not everyone grows up recognizing that the Arts can be a profitable career choice and not just a hobby that you entertain yourself with until it is time to go off to college. This whole mental sabotage of “the starving artist” concept puts so many creative minds to rest before they even get a chance to blaze their own artistic path because of this fear of others that has been bestowed upon them. There are not a lot of people in the world that they get to do what they love every day, I consider myself one of the lucky ones. Read more>>

Ena Ramille: Artist

One piece of advise that I disagree with is that you have to have an art degree in order to be considered a serious artist. I know plenty of artists who are pour their souls to their craft, who practice and make art as a full time job. While going to school never hurt anyone, you can benefit just as much by taking studio classes that interests you without breaking the bank. Everyone’s life experience is different than everyone else. And that is part of what makes each and every artists very unique. Read more>>

Jake Keeble: Musician & Vocalist

It seems the big plan when you’re growing up is to go to college, get a degree and start working your way up the chain of command. I realized early on that I wasn’t too keen on the conventional path, and in order to achieve my goal as a performer I had to go a different route. There’s nothing wrong with it, but sometimes it can be difficult to follow your true passion or gift when society tells you success comes with a degree. Read more>>

Melody Kiser: Musician, Songwriter, Performer

Throughout my entire life, I’ve been told numerous times that “If you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life…” For years and years, I believed this whole-heartedly. It was actually something that gave me a reason to pursue a career in the arts. I was convinced that if I chose a career as a musician, I would never feel like I was working, and everyday would just be fun and perfect. This, without a doubt, is not true. When choosing any career, you are inevitably going to have to work. In a creative field, like music, you are going to have to bust it, especially in the early years, as you are the owner, operator, marketing team, performer, self-advertiser, loading crew, booking agent, salesman, driver, writer, promoter, and secretary. Even if you find success and have the means to hire people to help you, it’s exhaustingly hard work. Therefore, I want to change this piece of advice… “If you do something you love, it makes the hard work worth it.” Read more>>