Having to overcome unexpected problems is a hallmark of entrepreneurship. Almost every business owner, artist, maker, and creative we know has had to deal with countless unexpected problems that arise in the journey and so we asked some brilliant folks from the community to share their stories of the unexpected problems they’ve faced along the way.
Reasa Selph
One of the most unexpected and defining challenges of my professional career had nothing to do with marketing. It had everything to do with my son. In December 2023, we took him to the ER, he was 11 years old, and something was clearly wrong. We trusted the system. We were told he was fine and sent home. Read More>>
Luke Wilker
probably the most unexpected problem would have to be when a McLaren was hit by a drunk driver during a video shoot in 2025. back in 2024 i ended up getting a group of 6 McLaren drivers together for a video shoot. everything ended up going extremely well so we decided to do it again. Read More>>
Susmit Sen
One of the most unexpected challenges in my professional journey wasn’t technical—it was human. Early in my leadership phase, I was leading a high-impact data transformation initiative. On paper, everything was aligned: we had the right architecture, a capable team, and strong executive sponsorship. But within weeks, progress started slowing in ways that didn’t make immediate sense. Read More>>
Alicia Urbanski
One of the most defining moments in my career came when I was commissioned to travel to Scotland—an incredible opportunity where everything was fully funded for me to create artwork inspired by a historic castle. It was a dream project. But when I arrived, the reality was very different from what I had envisioned. Read More>>
Polina Vee
I never thought that my own art could make me feel disgust.
It happened in 2024, on the day of Hurricane Helene — September 25th — the storm that hit North Carolina. I remember that day very clearly because I was deinstalling my solo show at the Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill. Outside, there was a real storm. Inside, I felt another one — a storm of depression that slowly took over me. Read More>>