Never content to accept conventional wisdom, creatives love to learn things the hard way. But is it absolutely necessary? We chatted with a handful of 99% Conference attendees about the things they wished someone had told them when they were just starting out. A shortlist of the takeaways: never sacrifice what you love, find great collaborators and share your ideas, learn how to say no and stay focused, and always, always stick to your guns. From the99percent.com.