24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week. Junior investment bankers regularly work 80-90 hours a week. Many other high profile professions require the same level of commitment. Often those on the outside claim that working 80-90 hours a week is bad/wrong/terrible/silly/etc but we’ve spoken with so many folks who say working that much has been the best decision of their life – it allowed them to develop a deep and strong skill set far faster than would have been possible otherwise. In other words, by working 2x the hours, they were able to generate 5x or more the rewards. And depending on where you are in your career, investing heavily in your skills and competence can pay dividends for a long time.

Rebekah Vinyard | Owner/Designer of Rebekah Vinyard Jewelry

Balance is something I’m constantly chasing in all areas of my life. It often seems that once I feel like I’ve found some, everything changes or shifts and I have to reevaluate. 2020 was definitely a year of reevaluation, and I know I’m not the only one. When I first started my business, I had two very small children (one and three) and a husband who worked full-time. I had to squeeze in work during naptimes, on the weekends, and in the evenings. I felt like I never got a break. Things changed slowly over time and we found a beautiful balance in our family that seemed to last for a long time. Last year, my business took a hit, and with it our balance. But that’s the way it goes. We’re learning how to rebuild and reevaluate what’s important and balance is always at the forefront of my mind. Read more>>

Brandon walsh | Content Creator & Small Business Owner

Learning that its ok to not finish a goal in a certain time frame has been both the hardest, & most important. As I’ve grown as both an artist & a content creator I’ve set larger & larger goals for myself. Balance is really what makes or breaks you. You have to know your limits and ask yourself if this goal is too much. That question is really hard to accept, but once you do you will start to enjoy the art the way you used to. Read more>>

Lesley Resendiz | Creative Manager & Businesswoman

Work life balance! Something I am still trying to figure out haha. It has changed overtime, but it has only changed because my priorities have changed as well. Before I used to think that I had to go out and meet people and “network” and then staying out late while I still had to get up and go to my 9-5 the next day AND still have enough energy to plan out what I’m actually working on. I realized that the small things you do every day eventually make a bigger impact in the long run. While I’m still working a regular job, I prioritize everything so that I’m not burnt out. The balance for me is pretty simple: get your money, plan your business, check on your family and if anything else has to come up.. it has to fit in that schedule. Read more>>

Jordan Alexandra | Fashion Designer

The term “risk averse” was coined because of people like me. I like security and the certainty that I am in control of making the best decisions for my own life, not leaving them up to chance. So when I graduated from Rice after aimlessly studying business and English, and realized I didn’t know what I really wanted to do with my career, I started getting uneasy. Taking time to “find myself” was not an option for me— way too big a risk. I needed the certainty of a paycheck from a 9-5 job for my own peace of mind. Luckily the summer I graduated college, I got a job working for a federally-funded research institute in a field I’d never even considered. Both the pay and my responsibilities were far different from those of the nebulous (but plush) corporate career life I’d always imagined for myself. So naturally, after only a few weeks working there, I began seriously questioning myself. Was I not the bright, talented, likeable young woman I had always thought I was? ‘Cause if so, how could I be so far from the reality I wanted? Had I gotten too comfortable. Read more>>