Every industry has its myths—stories insiders repeat until they sound like truth. But behind the slogans and the spin are unspoken (and sometimes unnoticed) realities – we asked some of the wisest folks we know to share what lies they’ve noticed in their industries.
Khara Croswaite Brindle
Such a good question! There are two lies that come to mind. The first is that we have to take care of others over ourselves. This leads to burnout, with therapists having a track record of spending an average of seven years in this field! The second lie would be that we can’t be both good helpers AND make a good living. Read more>>
Christopher Hull
The biggest lie my industry tells itself is that what we do at Colorado Fly Angler is impossible. It’s been long held to be true that a fly company in the United States must outsource it’s labor to cheap overseas markets to be successful. Read more>>
Summer Bedhead
I think the music industry like most industries encourages working yourself to death. I see so many musicians romanticizing the sacrifices they make and the suffering they endure as if it makes them a more legitimate musician. Eating poorly, staying out, putting everything they have into their music. Read more>>
Matt McCune
One of the biggest lies the bankruptcy industry tells itself is that the process has to be this complicated and expensive. The truth is, most of the work isn’t legal advice at all — it’s paperwork, data entry, and document gathering. But the industry has convinced itself that the only way forward is the old way, and that keeps costs high and shuts people out. Read more>>
Susan Mann
After seeing this first hand and then having to clean up the mess, I think that every entrepreneur who thinks that their Virtual Assistant knows everything about marketing is in for a rude awakening, especially in this new era of AI. While VA’s definitely have a place for helping busy entrepreneurs, they are not marketers. Read more>>
Shelby Jonse
That you can’t afford to pay a living wage and/or benefits. The food service industry is a tricky business. Costs are high, and many companies struggle to fill and keep staff. Denver is an expensive place to live, and I spent over 10 years in a retail management position where I couldn’t increase staff’s pay. Read more>>
Michael Mullins
The biggest lie? That you need everyone’s approval to succeed. I’ve accepted that maybe only 1/8 of people will connect with my music—that’s enough for me. Expecting instant universal love is naive. Another falsehood? Electronic artists can fake it— ‘swatting flies’ AKA waving your hand over the DJ equipment, tapping random knobs, pretending to perform. Read more>>
Carly Kesner
One of the biggest lies the beauty and aesthetics industry tells itself is that results matter more than relationships. There’s often this pressure to focus on trends, perfection, or what’s “Instagram-worthy,” and in doing so, we lose the human side of the work—especially in medical tattooing and corrective skincare. Another big lie is that healing is only skin deep. Read more>>
