We connected with some of the most resilient folks in the community and one of the most insightful questions we had an opportunity to ask centered around whether there was ever a time they almost gave up. Highlighting some of the responses below.
Ben Meredith
There were actually many times I thought about giving up, whatever that means to each individual. To me it meant hanging the hat on my freelance career and going back to the corporate world I cut my teeth in. This happened mainly in 2024. My industry, especially in Los Angeles, was suffering greatly. Read more>>
Eddie Curi
Theres many times that I almost gave up, be a musician is really hard and requires tons of study and practice. Many times you going to do shows, venues don’t want to pay you or pay you less that was settle. Read more>>
Elvira Zamora
Every day I want to give up and I am not alone in this feeling. Many of my peers struggle a lot in a world that tries to bring down the beauty in art. Art is dangerous and the powers that be do not want society to create, instead they want workers and spenders. Read more>>
Julia Lytle
Every week! As a business owner, doubting yourself comes with the territory—but most days my vision and determination are stronger than those doubts. The time I came closest to really walking away, though, was in the spring of 2024. I’d had a tough stretch. Read more>>
Michael James
Every single year and I’m not joking at all. Sometimes I’ve even begun the process of quitting only to fall back in within a few hours or days. I’ve learned that it is impossible for me to divorce myself from music. That’s a really powerful thing to learn about yourself; it means you’ll be fine no matter what if you just keep going. Read more>>
Bianca Varela
Yes, there was a time I almost gave up. Early in my career, I was still learning how the music industry really worked. A talented producer reached out to me on SoundCloud and wanted to collaborate. I was excited and jumped at the opportunity because I needed beats for my project and loved his sound. Read more>>
Lily Monge
Hahaha, if I’m being honest I feel like every other day I want to give up. Being an entrepreneur is not easy. We have a lot of responsibilities and our business relies on us and only us. So when bad days come I’m ready to shut everything down haha but when good days come it keeps me going. Read more>>
Jennifer Han
Yes, there were many times I wanted to give up. I opened three businesses and each one failed. But rather than seeing those experiences as defeats, I now view them as invaluable lessons. Read more>>
michael foulkrod
as a young artist in NYC in the 80’s it felt like you didn’t have a chance, no matter how talent you where. Read more>>
Marika Takeuchi
Yes many times. Being successful by doing something creative is very hard in many ways. But every time I felt that way, I always got encouraged by messages from my fans telling me how much my music helps them heal, or there was some life events that I couldn’t help writing about for me to process. So that is really why I keep writing music. Read more>>
Heather Yesenia
Yesss, so many times mostly because life has been funny and it’s been throwing me the most random curve balls. I get it though “that’s life” and sometimes we’re going to be given certain situations that are gonna try to break us and that’s ok; it’s ok to cry about it and want to give up. Read more>>
Monica Lakey
I believe that we all go through difficult moments, and I have experienced that myself. The process can be painful, and sometimes it feels like we’ve tried everything, that we’re exhausted, and ready to give up. It’s completely understandable to feel that way, but in those moments, it’s essential to maintain inner strength. Read more>>
Jason Pietruszka
Earlier this year, I seriously thought about stepping away from the construction and development business. The day-to-day had become overwhelming, and I started to wonder if it was time to move on. Then the Palisades fire happened. I found myself talking to families who had just lost their homes, and those conversations completely changed my perspective. Read more>>
Kevin McNamara
That we create art. This industry has not been focused on the true artistic expression for some time. Story has taken a back seat to profit. IP is valued not for its deep connection to an audience but for its deep connection to pockets. It’s easier to retell the same story with a fresh coat of paint rather than take risks on creating new masterpieces. Read more>>
