In our building blocks of success series, we tackle the various foundational blocks we believe are essential for success. Resilience is near the top of the list, because pursuing greatness almost always means you will face losses, mistakes and tough times along your journey. The ability to bounce back is so critical and we hope the stories below will inspire you to dig deep and discover more of your own resiliency.
Gino Vian
My resilience comes from the life I have lived and the work I have done. After 15 years in the industry, I’ve learned that growth comes just as much from setbacks as it does from success. Read More>>
Michele Emmons
Resilience has been at the heart of every chapter of my career. Starting out, I had to fight for every opportunity — whether it was teaching myself new tools, pitching to big clients, or starting my own agency from scratch. Building Crosland + Emmons sculptural lighting was a leap into the unknown. Read More>>
Debra Crystal
Resilience is something I use now more than ever, because I have overcome so much that very little scares me anymore. Coming up on ten years of sobriety, this journey has taught me that growth is often born in the places we think will break us. Read More>>
Tabitha “Oyafunmi” Lee
I get my resilience from my ancestors. I stand on the shoulders of people who endured, created, and transformed circumstances far harder than mine, and their strength is my blueprint. When challenges come, I return to the practices and wisdom they passed down including prayer, ritual, and reflection. Those practices keep me centered, adaptable, and able to move through obstacles with clarity and purpose.<br> Read More>>
Tunisha
I draw my resilience from my faith and the challenges I’ve faced along the way. Facing obstacles has taught me to stay focused, find solutions, and keep moving forward even when things feel uncertain. Each experience has strengthened my perseverance and given me confidence to tackle new challenges, while my faith provides a steady foundation that keeps me grounded through it all.<br> Read More>>
Nicole Thompson
Resilience has come from learning how to adapt and keep moving forward, even when things don’t go as planned. Running a business, raising a family, and continuing my education has taught me how to stay focused, flexible, and grounded under pressure. Photography constantly reinforces that mindset. Read More>>
Dread Rackz
For this i gotta go head and Give it to my Mom and Dad, They honestly both taught me so much and i carry every ounce of it in every step i take in my journey. Read More>>
Lindsay “Lulu” Gildea
My resilience comes from surviving things I thought would break me. Instead, they made me softer, stronger, and more creative. Hair became my outlet and my anchor. Helping people feel beautiful helped me heal too and that’s why I keep going. Read More>>
Maritza Wyche Walton
My resilience is born from the women who came before me. I grew up watching my grandmother endure some of life’s most devastating blows like divorce, the loss of two daughters, and the passing of a brother, all at young ages. Yet she never allowed grief to harden her or stop her. Read More>>
Carolina Brom
My resilience was shaped by a combination of personal and professional reinvention, both happening at the same time. After more than twenty years working for multinational companies across Latin America, I emigrated to the United States with my family and made the decision to become an entrepreneur. Read More>>
Seth Felder
Resilience as a DJ comes from a mix of mindset, experience, and passion. The profession demands adaptability, creativity, and emotional endurance — especially when facing unpredictable crowds, technical issues, or the pressure of constant performance. Read More>>
Elaina & Ababa
We get our resilience from the people who keep showing up—100% of themselves—nonprofit teams who lead with heart, even when it’s hard. They remind us that resilience starts with putting our own oxygen masks on first. When we care for ourselves, we can care better for others. By setting that example, we make space for long-term, sustainable solutions. Read More>>
Sarah Ingledue
I get my resilience from my special-needs sister. I took on her full-time care, and she now lives with me. It’s one of the hardest, but also the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. Caring for her has taught me strength, patience, and purpose. She’s the reason I’m so passionate about helping others and why I became a nurse. Read More>>
Josh Stotler
Some would call me stubborn, some would call me driven. I answer to both. I think my resilience is engrained in my DNA. Growing up, I was my grandfather’s shadow. I watched him work hard and can’t recall him ever giving up on anything. Competence, determination and pride in your work, this is what I saw all those years ago. Read More>>
Gabrielle Riegel
I didn’t get resilience, I had it forged into me. Between 18 and 25 I was basically living in hospitals with nephrostomy tubes and a suprapubic catheter, going septic over and over, on palliative care while my friends were just starting their adult lives. Read More>>
Yousef Al-Mukradi
I believe my resilience comes from my roots, my family, and the journey that shaped me. Growing up in Yemen taught me early that life can be challenging, but it also taught me that strength is often born in difficult environments. Read More>>
Talia Davis
Resilience has always been woven into my story. I learned early that no one was coming to save me, and if I wanted to heal, I would have to take that journey into my own hands. From surviving sexual abuse at a young age to navigating addiction and terminal illness within my family, I was pushed into adulthood long before I should have been. Read More>>
