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.

April Willie | Clean Beauty Advocate

Unfortunately, “clean beauty” is a buzz term that most people tune out at this point. What I would share is that while it is buzzing around, it totally has a place in our generation. The US only bans 30 ingredients from personal-care products. (For context, the EU bans 1,400.) There are more than 80,000 chemicals on the market today. Many don’t have safety data – which means we are using skincare, makeup, shower products, lotions, deodorants etc. that may have harmful/toxic ingredients. What’s worse is that the Food and Drug Administration does not have authority to remove harmful ingredients from products we put on ourselves and our kids every single day. Read more>>

Tom DeGerlia | President and Senior Solution Consultant

The Web and web application development consulting business is unique because of the breadth of distinct disciplines that are required. Traditional web companies tend to offer either strong marketing (communication) capabilities or strong technical solutions, but rarely both at the same time. As a result, a third party is often contracted to supplement a more complete solution, which can result in inefficiency and unnecessary expense. Experts who thrive in this complex field exhibit a keen understanding of human communication and psychology along with a strong technical foundation of experience. At Denverdata Web, we have been dedicated to maintaining a team lead by some of the most highly qualified marketing and technology experts in the industry. The result is highly effective, and fine-tuned solutions that maximize ROI for our customers. Read more>>

Dawn Escarcega | Owner/Event Coordinator

Just Between Friends is a nationally franchised company that serves families in the local area. Kids are expensive! That’s why we created these local sales where families can SAVE MONEY and MAKE MONEY on kids’ clothes, toys, shoes, and equipment—in one safe, clean, organized place—saving you time and money for other things you need. Everyone deserves to feel good about providing well for their families. We help local families afford the brands and styles they want for their kids—all while saving hundreds of thousands of dollars. Read more>>

Christina Ebersohl | Concert Violist

A lot of people outside of the overall music industry understand and acknowledge that ageism is alive and well. Pop stars and rap artists are often idolized for their youth and potential. However, a lot of people don’t realize that the classical music industry struggles with the exact same issue. Follow any number of classical music social media accounts and it becomes apparent almost immediately. Videos are posted of young players with the title “Watch 14-year-old violinist play…” or “Listen to 21-year-old up-and-coming cellist…” You notice more and more that the younger players are highlighted on the accounts. Read more>>

Shane Kazimier | Realtor

That Realtors and real estate agents get paid way to much. However, most individuals don’t understand that we supply all the marketing materials for a listing, photos, video, and any ads we place. Not only that but we are not paid for our time unless we get the transaction across the finish line. This can be a challenge for a new agent as a commission check is never guaranteed. Transactions have numerous ways of blowing up and only 1/5 of the transaction the agent actually has control over. The other parts are done by inspectors, appraisers, title work, and lender or loan originator. Read more>>

Austin Liberato | Elopement & Wedding Photographer

When people think of the photography industry, especially weddings, people think of staving artist or a struggling industry. There are in fact a lot of people who struggle to make money, or do it on-the-side, because there is such a low barrier to entry. There is a high turnover of people who thought owning a photography business was all about shooting photography and the clients will come. When in actuality, 90% of what I do is the business side, and 10% actually has to do with clicking a button on a camera. With that said, there are a number of photography businesses that do very well and make a very good living. I attribute my success to my support, Read more>>

Michael C. Gadlin | Artist and Executive Director

Namely that artists are business people with problem-solving skills and not just creatives. The other important part is that our industry works like any sales model and isn’t something that artists do all by themselves. It takes a team of people to make an artist successful. A professional artist will often have a gallery [storefront] that represents the artist as a creator, supplying them with the artwork. They have people on staff that run the gallery, like any business. At the end of the day, the gallery works exclusively on selling the art created by the artist. The commission usually shocks people who are not in the business- the split of a sale is 50/50. Read more>>

Emily Alvizu | Upcycled Slow Fashion Designer

I’m in the fashion industry. When most people think of clothing they think of seasonal trends and colors. But when it comes to fast fashion (inexpensive clothing that is mass-produced to keep up with trends) the negative impact it has on the world is significant. From underpaid, overworked peoples producing the garments to the environmental impacts of microfibers and sky-high carbon emissions, there is nothing sexy about fast fashion. When I started Bohemian Scrapcity, my mission was clear: not to be any part of that. Instead I used this as the catalyst for my creativity by incorporating as much used material as possible into every aspect of my micro-business. Read more>>

Jenna Annunziato | Contemporary artist

People outside of the creative industry are not aware of the level of work that gets put into a completed piece of art. When I make a painting it’s a physical accumulation of all the successes and failures I’ve had, years of practice and studying, just like any other profession. People chalk it up to talent, while that is a compliment rooted in good intention, it assumes the work comes easy. I’m no where near where I want to be as an artist yet and that’s half the fun. Read more>>