If not giving up was always the right answer life would be so easy. History shows us that sometimes quitters prosper and sometimes they miss out. Knowing when to quit and when to keep going is one of the most difficult questions and so we asked folks we admire to tell us how they think through this question.

Carlos Rodriguez | CEO

That’s a tough one. There’s a fine line between the amount of enthusiasm going into a project and our own ability to be critical from every angle. We tend to become emotionally attached to our endeavors in a way that is not always beneficial. Passion is an asset and success certainly requires persistence in the face of repeated failures, but the thing that pushes you forward should be more than just a desire. Over the years I’ve had businesses where I’ve had to walk away for one reason or another. Those experiences taught me both what I did want and what I did not want from a business. By the time I started Koala Tools, I had a fairly solid sense of what my type of business would look like. Read more>>

Cynthia Benzaquen | Children Clothing Designer

Creating a brand is not an easy task. Especially when you start working on it and you are kind of lost on the industry and processes, While starting it, I must admit I felt I was climbing a very inclined hill. But once you start understanding how the business and the industry truly work, everything comes up easily..with a lot of work and effort, but much easier than when it first started. I must admit that there have been thousands of times in which I stop and ask myself: “Is this worth it? Am I making an impact? Am I on the right path to being successful? After thinking for a few minutes, the answer to all this questions is YES! and I say to myself: stop overthinking this, you are making something great and this negatives vibes are not helping at all. Read more>>

Tatianna Valiente | Model & Student

A year ago, I moved from Miami Lakes to Homestead and was working a full-time corporate job in midtown while finishing my A.A. degree. I was making a substantial income that helped me pay for my bills and out-of-pocket tuition costs, and I tried to squeeze in any freelance modeling/styling time I could because that is what ultimately brings me joy. I slowly began giving up on the idea of becoming a signed model after years of no-replies, rejections, and even scams. I felt like for a model, I was already on the older side of the spectrum and my measurements weren’t the runway model “standard”; I started feeling like my dream was becoming more and more unattainable. I continued doing what little modeling and styling I could while working (with a daily 3 hour round-trip commute) because I remained hopeful. Read more>>

Anne Morrissey | Personal Stylist

For me, I don’t think it’s a matter of giving up, it’s a matter of making adjustments until I get it right. For example, recently a project I’d put a lot of work into, absolutely did not perform, and I was stunned! I tried a different version and still nothing. I really had no idea what was wrong and I could have given up – I certainly thought about it. Instead, I decided to reach out for feedback, and I got it! I had been so close to the project I didn’t see some of its shortcomings and where I wasn’t clear enough. So I continued finetuning and I’m now at the really exciting point of watching the results come in. So, no giving up, keep making adjustments until you see what you want to see. Read more>>