Your life and your work present opportunities to learn constantly. Some of those lessons can change the trajectory of our lives. We asked some of the brightest stars of our community to share the most important lesson they’ve learned along their journey.

Mia Lorick | Attorney and Founder of Sharply Suited

The most important lesson I have learned is that there is no substitution for preparation. No matter how talented you are and no matter how many resources you have, you should always be on time and you should always be prepared. If you’re giving a speech, don’t wing it. If you’re giving a presentation at work, think through anticipated questions and how you might answer them. Having talent is great but, there are a lot of talented people in the world. What sets successful people apart is that they do not rely on talent alone. They are hard working and never walk into a room unprepared. Read more>>

Avery Lucas | Photographer & Future Teacher

The most important lesson I’ve learned along the way is to just go for it. If you want to start a photography business, go for it. If you want to take concert photography, go for it. If you have a really creative idea for a photo shoot, go for it. If you keep waiting to get started you never will. I think it’s so important to be passionate about what you are creating so if you feel inspired to create something, go for it! Read more>>

Chris N. Cheetham-West, MBA | Author, Digital Marketing for Results

I learned many lessons on being consistent along my journey of writing a book. Often times I would not write anything for months. I realized that the book would never get finished if I didn’t set dates and consistently write content. Read more>>

Sarah Pandey | Travel & Lifestyle Blogger

Being a social media influencer, the most important lesson that I have learned along my journey is to push myself out of my comfort zone and to stay genuine. Over the last few years, I pushed myself to produce unique, valuable content that engages a loyal audience who loves to return to my site again and again. You can be a great writer and content creator, but what you really need is to be able to connect with people through your personal stories and experiences. It is all about being authentic and not pretending to be someone else. Read more>>

Summer De La Garza | Nail Technician & Nail Instructor

The most important thing I have learned is to never give up on my passion. Being an entrepreneur and owning your own business isn’t always easy! There are always going to be obstacles along the way. You must give your all when it come to having your own business even through the good and bad times. I can honestly say business has not always been great. There was times I struggled, times when I didn’t have any clients coming in or making any money, times I wanted to just throw in the towel and say “I give up!” Read more>>

Magdalena Silva | Owner | Fashion Reloved, LLC

Be patient and celebrate the small achievements too. Read more>>

Shellsy Malveaux | Lifestyle Blogger/Book Club Founder/Coffee Shop Owner

During this journey, I have learned some great qualities about myself, along with the bad. I have learned that keeping your balance in life is ESSENTIAL. I constantly struggle with time management and prioritizing all aspects of my life a.k.a. ‘I can be a hot mess’. With where I am going in my life, especially my career taking higher heights, I had to get my life together. Taking the time to say ‘no’ to certain situations and people, not allowing negative energy into the atmosphere, and being at peace with silent meditation is just a few things that helps with my balance. I can’t control the outside world, but I can control how I respond to it. Read more>>