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.
AKila K
Hell yes! If I’m being honest, I almost give up every day. Being an independent artist IS NOT EASY. I feel like I sound like a broken record at this point. Between filtering through fake/scammer labels and managers, to having to compete with AI and the algorithm, the art of being an artist and being properly recognized/compensated for it has been destroyed. Read more>>
Fandy Wu
I wouldn’t say there was a moment when I almost gave up, but there was a period where I really looked down on myself. I didn’t know what I could offer beyond my physical appearance—which, as we all know, is definitely not the most important thing. I wasn’t confident because I felt like I wasn’t good at anything. Read more>>
Emily Lauren Dick
There have absolutely been moments when I questioned whether to keep going, but not because I didn’t believe in my work. It was more about recognizing when something I had built was no longer the right fit for me. Before launching Unbuttoned Brands, I started and ran several creative businesses. Some were quite successful, others less so. Read more>>
Taunya Gren
Recently actually. Being an independent film maker is hard. This last 2 years, broken bones, poverty and more have really given me a pummeling. Trying to be creative through that much pain is really hard and I seriously contemplated giving up. The thing with creatives is, however, we can’t NOT be creative. It screams for our attention even when we don’t want to give it. Read more>>
Rae Driscoll
Honestly, I almost give up halfway through a lot of my makeup looks. There are moments when the vision in my head doesn’t seem to be matching what’s happening on my face, and I’m tempted to wipe it all off and start over, but I’ve learned to always see it through. Read more>>
Juliette Cochet
Every time I have to say ‘goodbye’ to my family and my home, it breaks my heart so deeply into many pieces that it makes me think ‘is this even worth it? Is this life worth this amount of pain?’. Read more>>
Allison Scavo
I’m going to give a disclaimer, if you are easily triggered or don’t want to hear about suicide, please scroll to the next question. It was late January 2022. My abuser would not leave me alone. In one month he called five wellness checks on me and had the police at my house so frequently that I qualified for the Safe At Home program. Read more>>
David Andrew Jaffe
Never. It’s the one thing I can’t do. Ever. I can say, ‘Today sucked and I didn’t make it happen.’ I can be realistic and accept that I have a setback or two. But I almost must say, ‘Tomorrow’s a new day.’ Brush the dust off my shoulders. And keep on fighting! Read more>>
Liz Hahn
There was a time I truly gave up. I started my brand to put myself through college, but after graduating on the Dean’s List, I felt a huge amount of pressure to “get a real job.” I had spent years studying, and it seemed like the natural next step was to enter corporate America. Read more>>
Tony Vincente
Absolutely. There were moments—especially early on—when the weight of building a brand felt overwhelming. Times when money was tight, support was thin, and the path forward didn’t look clear at all. I questioned everything… even whether Rossario George was meant to exist. Read more>>
Romeo Mashala
There are days when I feel like giving up, because like every human being, I go through ups and downs. But the reason I don’t give up is because I believe I’ve found my purpose. I’m still learning how to fully grow into it and reap the rewards I’m meant to receive, but I know I’m on the right path. Read more>>
Christopher Moore
Absolutely. There were moments—more than people would ever imagine—when quitting felt easier. Times when deals fell through, money was tight, payments were delayed, and I was carrying the weight of a whole brand, a whole vision, on my shoulders. There were nights I questioned if all the sacrifice was worth it. Read more>>
Pro4ecy
Oh yeah. Getting a ‘steady’ job is easy. Clock in clock out. Routine. However, there’s no guarantee in that either it’s under the illusion it’s safe. This life. Man. One minute you’re up, next minute you have cancellations, partners giving you the run around. So many different factors that makes a regular 9-5 seem so much better. Read more>>
Elizabeth Aurora Petersen
There was a point—around the time I was dealing with sexual harassment in film school—when I truly questioned whether this industry had any room for someone like me. It wasn’t just the harassment itself, but the feeling of being dismissed so easily, as if I was disposable simply because I didn’t come from wealth or influence. Read more>>
Russell Sun Eagle
I mentioned earlier that my dad passed away in 2024. After that, I felt completely lost and had no idea what to do next. All I could think about were those last two weeks in the hospital with him. It was traumatizing to witness everything. Read more>>
Sammi Rivera
There have been substantial amounts of time that I have wanted to give up, on myself, on life, on everything, and everyone around me. That never changes it never goes away, but what matters is the decisions that you make about those feelings that alters the outcome. Read more>>
