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.

Leah Staley | Adventure & Yoga Retreat Leader

The first art show I hosted had a “flow” theme. To market this event, I started asking artists and friends in outdoor adventure sports what flow meant to them and sharing the responses on the event page. Some people talked about the physical act of moving a brush, playing an instrument or utilizing a piece of gear. One friend, a rad mountain biker, said this, “I find flow in the f*ck ups. Anyone can find a flow state on the good days when everything is feeling right. I love to find it on the days I don’t want to ride, when my lines aren’t good and I’m not into it, then something in me shifts and I start to find the flow.” Read more>>

Gjergji Gaqi | Musician, Pianist & Teacher

Something that has become increasingly clear to me is that your professional skills – how well you do what you do – are only one of the many factors that determine a successful career. Working in the world of music specifically, there is always more to learn, and always improvements you can make, so there can be a temptation to use up almost all of your waking hours in the pursuit of the betterment of your professional skills (e.g. playing piano better). While it is necessary to seek excellence in one’s craft, an important lesson my career has taught me is to be very judicious and balanced with the use of my time, so as to leave enough of it to the building and maintaining of relationships, both personal and professional. Read more>>

Melissa Locy | Owner of Flatiron Coffee

I am a perfectionist and have been since I was young. You would think that this might help someone own a small, independent coffee shop, but the most important lesson my business has taught me is, actually, to let go. Of course, I take pride in all of the drinks I make, but figuring out that my effort has nothing to do with other people’s expectations was life-changing. What I want to create at Flatiron Coffee is an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome and they can get good, local products, but for years I wrestled with other people’s conceptions of what a coffee shop should be like. Read more>>

Natalie Elisha Goldberg | Trusts and Wills Lawyer

Be different. The same is boring. No one likes boring. That is why we are addicted to tiktok videos and twitter posts. Even though I deal with a complex area of law, I make it as simple as possible and put out bite sized pieces of content. You can hate the fact that people don’t have attention spans anymore or you can maximize your content for what the viewer wants. You choose! Read more>>