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My name is Breanna Pruitt and I am from Fort Worth, Texas. Growing up I always liked the arts and was interested in theatre but I didn't have many examples of what all theatre could be. The first show I was a part of was The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf in the fourth grade. I played one of the pigs and even though acting wasn't my favorite thing, I really enjoyed the process. I remember going back to school the following year with theatre heavy on my heart. Theatre wasn't an offered elective at my school and I remember being upset about that for the longest time. I think it was clear to myself and my parents that I was more of an organizer than anything when I wrote up an entire event proposal for a talent show and brought it to my principal. Looking back at it, they definitely thought I was joking, but because of how adamant I was about it, she allowed it and I got all of my classmates to participate. The first time I REALLY got into theatre was in high school I immediately found myself captivated. There were endless possibilities and so many different ways I could be involved. My high school was extremely competitive and introduced me to the chaos that is UIL. One Act play can be extremely intense and fast-paced but in the end, I really feel like it forced me to learn and pick up on things at an accelerated level which I will always be grateful for. Since then I have been involved with over 15 productions and have seen even more. Now, I am attending school studying stage management I find so much pride and joy in it. As an artist, I love doing things out of the box and untraditional, but I also love good classical things as well. In the long run, I see myself being a producer or production manager in the theatre, event, or film industries.

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I truly believe that the magic of collaboration lies in the collective energy and creativity of individuals bouncing ideas off one another. I feel like as an artist in this department, this is something you have to not only do but take pride in whether you're a performer, creator, or designer. Whether it's through the process of bringing new works to life or tackling projects like our FOPP, collaboration has been extremely valuable for me this year. I've witnessed firsthand the transformative power of developing ideas in several spaces this year and I will carry it with me in any work I do from now on. For one, we do a lot of New Works and from being in those rooms as they are coming to life I have found that most of the time, they are never finished. And every time someone builds off of someone else's ideas or builds on the script and plays with the parameters, something completely new is created. Because of this rather than fearing this change or clinging to rigid plans, I've learned to embrace the fluidity of the creative process. By fostering an environment where experimentation is not only allowed but encouraged, my peers and I have been able to push the boundaries of what's possible, resulting in projects that are not only successful but also deeply fulfilling. At UT, I'm grateful to be surrounded by individuals who share my passion for pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation and as I pursue places of work I will look for this trait in employers and collaborators. In order to keep this trait strong in myself it will benefit me to work with people who do equally. I am attaching a link to an interview that I think perfectly captivates this. The writers of Abbott Elementary speak on how they all come together to create each episode and make something that we all love and cherish.

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How an Abbott Elementary Episode is Born by Working

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Embracing a multitude of perspectives fuels my growth as an artist. Sometimes shifting perspectives can sometimes feel overwhelming and hard to manage, but I've come to appreciate the value it brings to my creative process. When I find myself with an assignment or task that challenges me more than I have been in a certain way, I've learned that stepping away and taking the time to look at it from different angles and unlock fresh insights can really make all the difference and change the outcome entirely. By looking at diverse experiences and seeking out different viewpoints, I open myself up to a range of solutions and tools that allow me to approach problems from multiple angles rather than my own which isn't working. This dynamic approach not only keeps me fluid and adaptable but also plants a sense of curiosity and open-mindedness that I can cultivate and grow inside of me as I move on to any and every project I work on from that point on. It is important to know yourself as an artist and how you work best, but if you don't branch out and work on ways to better your product by looking outwards, your work will never evolve. My favorite example of this is Hamilton. The story of Alexander Hamilton was lost amongst our generation and several others until the musical came out. This is not because he is unimportant but because his story was only appealing to one type of audience. When writing the show, Linh Manuel Miranda and his team had to account for perspective and find a way to tell his story in a way that resonated with people and made them feel something. Whether that was anger, heartbreak, or pity, everyone left feeling something for a specific character. Because of how many different perspectives were taken into account and how much closer to our world he made it, the story of Alexander Hamilton is vastly known across our generation.

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PARK CITY, UT - JANUARY 25: Lin-Manuel Miranda attends the official after party for "Siempre, Luis" ... [+]
Getty Images for The Latinx House

The musical Hamilton was a hit when it first debuted, but it crossed another level after its release on Disney+. While people continue to talk about the play itself, not enough people are talking about the story of how Lin-Manuel Miranda created Hamilton.

You see, while Miranda's story takes place in the world of the arts, it has many takeaways that are just as applicable in the business world.

The Story Behind Hamilton

Our story starts in 2009. Lin-Manuel Miranda had just read Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton and came up with an idea ... for a rap mixtape. He began writing and tinkering on songs, with no plans for a full-blown musical.

Shortly after this, Miranda received an invitation from President Barack Obama to perform a song from his first musical In The Heights at a White House poetry event. Lin did what any of us would do - say yes, pack his bags, and head to Washington DC.

But when he showed up at the White House, Miranda did something radical. In front of the president and stars like James Earl Jones and Spike Lee, he went against the request to perform a song from In The Heights. Instead, he performed a brand new song called "Alexander Hamilton" from a mixtape he was working on.

Talk about guts!

The risk paid off. Miranda got a standing ovation, and took that as a sign to keep working on his mixtape and potentially turn it into a live performance. He wrote more songs and did readings for college students that drew massive crowds.

With all of this buildup, it was no surprise that Hamilton sold out for months and smashed award records when it released - or that Lin-Manuel was invited back to the White House to perform the musical a few years later.

The Power In The Process

You might read that story and think, "Well, that's great for Lin-Manuel Miranda, but what does that have to do with me as an entrepreneur?" Let's look at Miranda's process from a different perspective ...

Unlike many entrepreneurs who don't tell a soul about their ideas until launch, Lin tinkered on his idea in public. He used crowds at The White House and college campuses as his "focus groups." He used their feedback to turn his song into a mixtape and ultimately a full-blown musical.

That's the same cycle for creating successful businesses. I was curious to ask Tom John Or-Paz, founder of LightArt, since his work touches both art and business. "So many of us fall into this trap of believing that creativity is a purely individual process that happens behind closed doors. In reality, the best creative ideas - whether in business or the arts - come from a collective effort," he said. "They require that you share your ideas with others so you can use their feedback to create something even better."

How To Apply This Idea To Your Work

I've seen this process of create, test, improve and create play out over and over again in the entrepreneurial world. In fact, it's what Eric Reis outlines in his book, The Lean Startup.

Another great example of this is Sara Blakey, the founder of Spanx. She started small with an incredibly simple prototype that she created by cutting the legs off a pair of old pantyhose. She tested this ultra-simple version with her friends and family, then improved it until it became a best-selling product that made her a billionaire.

Drew Houston, who co-founded Dropbox, also started simple. He didn't build a file-sharing software right from the beginning. He made a concept video and posted it online. That simple video resulted in a 70,000+ waitlist and many helpful suggestions on how to improve it. These early tests worked just like Lin Manuel Miranda's White House performance. They validated the idea and laid the groundwork to grow and improve.

It's not just entrepreneurs, but investors who believe in this method. I spoke with Carl Richard Fairbank, expert investor and entrepreneur, who explained, "Successful entrepreneurs know they can't just spring their ideas on people out of the blue. They start with the rough version of an idea and share it, get feedback and make improvements from there," he said. "It's an ongoing loop, but it's also how you determine if there is an audience for your business in the first place."

Remember, though, that if these initial tests had failed - if the Spanx prototypes flopped or no one signed up for Dropbox - that feedback would have still been useful. Their creators would have known there was no interest in the appetizer, if you will, so there wouldn't be buzz for the entree.

So what's the takeaway? Create the smallest and simplest version of what you want to build - a song for a musical, a demo video for an app or an article for a book. See if it resonates, and you'll know if your idea is worth pursuing further.

Creating Your Own Hamilton

You may not have any aspirations to write a hit musical, but there's a lot to be said for following Lin's creative process. By testing your business concepts before expanding on them, you'll build anticipation and grow a waiting list for your brand. You'll see what works (and what doesn't) so you can have a successful launch.

The next time you sit down to watch Hamilton, don't forget how much innovation and work goes on behind the scenes while you're still dreaming up your next big idea. Follow the process, and you won't throw away your shot.

If you're looking for more career or marketing tips, join 45,000 people who follow me on LinkedIn where I post daily. Or subscribe to my YouTube channel where we discuss the world's best, most creative marketing campaigns and commercials.

Until next time! Hopefully you channel your inner Lin-Manuel Miranda in your next project.

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Hamilton: How Lin-Manuel Miranda Created A Hit Musical

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While everyone loves talking about Hamilton, not enough people talk about the story of how it was created. Especially because there are so many business lessons to learn from Lin-Manuel Miranda's process.