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.
Jacqueline Williams
Honestly, yes!! There were definitely times I thought about giving up. The beginning of 2024, which was my fifth year in business, was especially tough for me mentally. I started questioning myself, my work, and even my place in the industry. Read more>>
Tay Marie Higgs
I hit a very slow point when it comes to freelancing recently, and it was admittedly really scary. The line of work that I’m in relies on a few projects a month, and it got very quiet, which had me looking for more of a routine job to get by. Read more>>
AJ Francis
The time I felt closest to giving up was recently, when I found myself questioning whether I should continue being a creator. I hadn’t gained many subscribers, and I hadn’t posted a video in over a month. That feeling of uncertainty is part of the journey—not just trying to stay relevant, but also creating content that people actually want to watch and connect with. Read more>>
Carlos Espinal
Yes, there was a time I almost gave up. It was in 2020 when I had just gotten a new partnership with a gym. It felt like everything was coming together, and then COVID hit. The government mandated lockdowns, and in what felt like an instant, I lost the gym and my partnership. Read more>>
Dr. Zakeya Foster
There have been plenty of moments when I’ve thought about giving up. Especially when I was diagnosed with depression. Some days, the obstacles felt like they would never end. There were times when people I expected to support me were silent, and when my vision felt bigger than my capacity. Read more>>
Neashia Butts
There were certainly moments when I felt like giving up on this journey. The fear of taking the leap and actually getting started often weighed on me. Additionally, there were delays in signing up for various services and platforms due to lengthy onboarding processes. Balancing my full-time job alongside my responsibilities as a mother and wife left me feeling exhausted. Read more>>
Dalila Copeland
Yes!!! Omg! Early on, my confidence as a designer definitely took a few hits—and there were moments I wanted to just throw my hands up and say “forget it all” (or, you know… something a little stronger). Being a graphic designer isn’t easy—but honestly, what career is? Read more>>
David Thomas
How much time do we have for this interview? [laughs] Absolutely. Not only have I almost quit — I’ve probably actually quit, silently, behind the scenes, more times than I can count. The internal battles that creatives face just to keep going have claimed more than a few casualties of war. Read more>>
