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

Tahira Christensen | Head Baker in Charge

“You need a business plan to start a business” Not having a business plan has allowed me to be open to anything presented to me and not be so ridgid in my thinking. When I started I thought I knew exactly what I wanted for my business and how it would grow. I did not. Opportunities have come in wholesale orders, events and sponsorships that I would have never taken based on my original “business plan.” Not having a business plan also made me able to pivot and change my type of business when the pandemic hit, I was able to leverage my resources and sell curbside direct to customers throughout the lockdown. Read more>>

Aaron Michalovic | Woodworker/Artist

Measure twice, cut once. “Measure once, cut once – any other way is inefficient” – Dave Corcoran , Bullhouse Boatworks. Read more>>

Diana Gomez | Party Designer

One thing about the creative industry that outsiders are probably unaware of is how time consuming it is. Most of the time, you have to work on designs, table layout, ideas, color coordination, and communicate with your client. Sometimes, I have to work overtime to get a small, or last minute detail done. You have to learn to be patient and dedicated in this industry. Read more>>

Jennifer Oshikanlu | BioEngineer and Founder & CEO of Hair CraQ

When people typically think of racial disparity, they don’t often think of the Hair Products under their bathroom sink. Black people with kinky, coily hair textures are the highest at risk group of developing Hair and Scalp Diseases in the world? This is largely impart to a lack of specialized hair care products and a lack of knowledge on healthy hair grooming techniques for this complex hair type. As a result of attempting to achieve well-groomed hair. Read more>>

Camila Vargas Claudia Bueno | Camila Vargas and Claudia Bueno – Unfolded Bloom Founders & Designers

One thing that outsiders are probably unaware of is the amount of work, the mistakes, and basically everything that happens behind the scenes. When we started Unfolded Bloom there where so many questions and basically, we didn’t know where to start and how. The only thing we knew was that, as new business owners, we wanted to create everything ourselves with our own effort and dedication. For instance, we designed our logo, stickers, and business cards with the help of YouTube videos. Read more>>

Chelle Neff | Founder of Urban Betty

I am a big proponent of combining spirituality and business in the workplace. Without one, you can’t have the other. I have been working with a spiritual mentor on a personal/business level for over ten years, which has changed my life. I have learned that the only person in your way is YOU. That’s a hard pill to swallow, I know. The minute you change your way of thinking on a spiritual/energetic level is the minute your life will take a shift. Another lesson is that we all have our own pie. When my pie is building up, it’s never taking away from yours, and vice versa. The opposite is true. Read more>>

Reggie Haynes | Entertainer & TV Network Owner

I can’t stand when people tell me to “pay my dues”. That basically means sell your soul in my honest opinion. I would rather create my own, so by the end of the day I will still have a soul and everything else. Read more>>

Rita Joubran | Owner/Old Country Olive Oil

There are so many things about the olive oil business that consumers are not aware of-where do I even begin? We live in a day and age where so many products are mass produced, over-processed, and altered. This is especially the case when it comes to olive oil. Did you know, for example, that there is more olive oil on store shelves than there is production every year? That’s scary to me because olive oil isn’t made to be saved, it isn’t at all like wine. The fresher the better, always. I suggest consumers research their source and really read labels. In today’s world many olive oils are blended with other oils or have been altered. Read more>>

Jennie Slaw | The Entrepreneurs Mindset

One Piece of conventional advice that I strongly disagree with is “Find a job that you can retire from.” When you tell someone that, especially a true entrepreneur or creative, you are casting your fears onto them. You are putting them in the same box that society groups everyone in. If everyone just tried to find a job they could retire from, there wouldn’t be any jobs. Someone had to of had the courage and vision to step out of the box, and say “I am going to create jobs that people can retire from” and those creators are in the 1%. Read more>>

Khyrie Neveaux | Podcaster

One piece of conventional advice I disagree with is, having a Plan B. Having a Plan B means you have some level of doubt about you achieving your plan A. Researchers found that once you begin thinking about a fallback plan, your desire to achieve your ultimate goal decreases! In a way, you’ve told yourself that failure is ok. Read more>>

Chaille Thomas | Customizing Connoisseur & Private Tutor

Some people view vinyl customization as just making stickers. There is a lot more work and time that goes into designing a personalized graphic; choosing fonts, finding just the right images, and finding something that matches the mental picture of the customer. After hours of designing the vinyl has to be weeded. Weeding is pulling off all the excess material. This can take time especially with small detailed designs. I love the process of making customer’s design ideas come to live but it can be a lot more time consuming than most outsiders realize. Read more>>

Dr. Jeanette Goodwill | Prenatal & Pediatric Chiropractor

Majority of outsiders believe chiropractic is about neck and back pain, but really it’s about is your nervous system functioning properly. Is your body adapting to the everyday stress? People do initially seek care because of pain, but they quickly notice less anxiety, less stress, improve posture, increase flexibility, and better sleep, so it’s definitely more than just neck and back pain. Read more>>

Simone “Queen” Hopes | Aesthetic Injector & Surgical Physician Assistant

I disagree with the following advice: “Quit your day job and follow your dreams” “No one ever got rich working a 9-5” I think it’s quite funny the negative connotation that having a “regular” job gets. Honestly, no one ever wakes up one day and knows exactly what they want to do in life. Of course, we have dreams, but sometimes your main job opens your eyes to your purpose. It sparks your hustle. Instead of the conventional advice of “quitting your job and following your dreams,” let’s change it to, “allow your day job to FUND your dreams!” Be strategic and intentional with your time. Read more>>