We believe that success can mean different things to different people – not everyone wants the same thing, what drives happiness and fulfillment for one person doesn’t necessarily predict what will for another. That said – if we simply think of success as being effective at achieving one’s goal – whatever those goals might be – then we can set a sort of common

Travis Ruiz

to be successful…you have to fail, alot. you have to do thing the wrong way and learn every time and keep coming back. ive tried to cut corners, tried the easy way the fast way, the dishonest way. NOTHING worked. the only time i found sucess was on the tail end of long days, long nights, literal blood sweat and tears, consistency, integrity, hard hard work and a little mental illness lol. you have to be crazy, crazy enough to believe it will work then give it everything you have, then a little more. I’ve failed more times then i have succeeded but man once you get it right, no better feeling in the world. Read more>>

Phillip Mcdonald

Success in the restaurant & Hospitality industry takes sacrifice. You really have to be willing to work physically and mentally as well as lead a team. You must train well enough that one can step away to pivot to other areas of the business. To me that is success. To be able to make your business scalable. Success is also mostly a myriad of failures that teach and humble you along the way. I think that is how you become a long term success is recognizing your failures and having a growth mindset instead of killing yourself for your errors.  Read more>>

Ali Arakawa

I think the keys to being successful are staying true to yourself, trusting your gut, and not copying what other people are doing. You have to figure things out for yourself. The most important thing with owning a business is learning and adjusting along the way. There’s a lot of trial and error, and finding out what works for you. It’s all an essential part of the learning process. I believe that’s why I’ve been successful all these years, and why my business continues to grow. I only do what works for me and my business. I’m open to change and adjustment, and I’m not set in my ways when it comes to my business. I do things the best way that works for me until I find a better way to do the things. Read more>>

Phil Rugari

Success carries different definitions depending on who you ask. Some people label success by a dollar amount made per year, or maybe by the car you drive or the house you live in. These are all physical identifiers of success. Others label success by recognition by peers & fans, or achieving an individual goal. To me success comes in many forms but there is one thing that all people who achieve “success” have – perseverance. Success doesn’t usually come quickly, it’s something that’s forged over time and time again, and doing the things that no one wants to do, over and over again day in and day out. Success is a choice that someone has to make to do the hard things. One of the best quotes I’ve ever heard sums it up: The answers you are looking for are often hiding behind the things you are avoiding. Read more>>

Andrea Nava

Having an open mind is the first step to understanding the power of positive nihilism, radical acceptance, and creative freedom; Success looks different for everyone, so understanding the navigation behind finding what makes you happy is key. I couldn’t tell you what it takes to be successful. I believe that is a selfish point of view to offer. However, I can tell you that there’s an infinite amount of possibilities when you accept the fact that you are not in charge of what happens to you, but rather how you react to what the universe throws at you day to day. You are how you see the world, and how you react to it. The rest falls into place.  Read more>>

Phil Crescenzo Jr

Dedicated & Consistent focus on improvement. In a business that is stressful , many in my field tend to fade after a few short years, or never make significant progress on the business challenges. Willingness to break down simple tasks and strive to do them better at every chance has helped me carry the company through many tougher times that others could not. I try to learn from every experience and improve our clients outcome as a result. Read more>>

Matt Zabierek

That’s a good question. There are a lot of things that go into success, but if I had to pick one thing, I’d say courage. Success requires embracing and making a lot of change, and change requires courage. After starting my career in journalism for five years, I left my job as a newspaper reporter with nothing else lined up and no solid plan for what I wanted to do next. It was scary and humbling at times as I was making that leap, but it ultimately helped steer me toward the career I have now in web design and development, which I’m very happy with. Read more>>

Adrian Perez

In the restaurant business, the answer is simple: taking care of people. Taking care of your guest if defiantly a top priority, but beyond that- maybe even more important is taking care of YOUR people. The people who work WITH YOU (not for you) everyday to make sure your business is a success. That means taking the time to get to know them. Know who they are as people/individuals. Training people to be successful so when they are preforming there functions, they are doing it at the highest levels. Identifying and nurturing leaders. Leaders that can help your business run at the highest levels when you are not in the building, making sure your people are taken care of. Read more>>

Paige Houston

There are a lot of things that contribute to success, but I believe it takes passion and drive to be successful when it comes to owning a small business. I have always had a love and a passion for art so owning a business centered around it was a no-brainer! I get to do something I love every single day while also bringing customer’s visions to life! Read more>>

Jessica Lopez

As a very young single mother of one boy, I had to make big decisions as to what my life was going to look like, not just for myself but my son as well… if I wanted to be successful I needed to take the leap, and not let the fear of the unknown overwhelm me. I had to take initiative and have determination to be successful, and success can be different for everyone. I just learned as your mindset changes, so does your life. I lived in a small New Mexico town, moved to Mexico at the age of 19 with my son, and then finally to CA. Life is now great and not a struggle.  Read more>>

Vaibhav Arora

I heard that one makes their own luck, which is with hard work, determination and perseverance. If you keep putting good efforts in your work and don’t concentrate on what the end results would be, you’re open to infinite opportunities which one will bring towards your way. So I can say, if you want something so bad, the whole world will come together to help you get that. All you’ve to do is keep the focus and keep moving forward. Read more>>

Jillian Lawrence

Success is elusive. The definition is ambiguous and open to interpretation. Ask most people if they feel successful and I bet the majority will say they don’t. Why is that? Could it be our culture has set the bar too high? Are we all looking to be millionaires with big houses and fancy cars? That seems to often be what is shown in media as a visual representation of success. If we’re not careful to define it for ourselves, we may unknowingly adopt someone else’s version, and continually measure our current reality against the contents of our bank account. This was me for the first few years in business. I had seen many other entrepreneurs online openly sharing about their quick journey to making 6 figures. Each time I felt more discord that I wasn’t anywhere near becoming a millionaire, let alone feeling successful. Comparison is the killer of joy. Read more>>

Silvana Johnson

To be successful, I believe it takes unwavering discipline. Owning my handmade jewelry business has taught me that motivation can be fleeting, and you can’t rely on it to push you forward. Some days, the excitement isn’t there, and it feels like your hard work isn’t paying off, but success comes from showing up consistently, regardless of how you feel. I’ve learned that discipline means doing what needs to be done, whether it’s perfecting a new design or handling the day-to-day tasks. Read more>>

Tasha Harp

To be successful, I believe you have to have the desire to love what you do as the seasons change, the discipline it takes to commit to your craft and continue to grow and evolve. Having a humble but “nothing can stop me” attitude can put you in places and open doors that you didn’t know existed. Read more>>

Alicia Helms

As a new real estate broker with coaching now in place, I think success boils down to several key factors: Consistency- Real estate is a relationship business, and the more consistent you are in networking, lead generation, and follow up, the more momentum you build Adaptability- Markets fluctuate, and client needs shift. Being able to adapt your strategies to suit the current conditions is key. Continuous learning- Real estate is an evolving industry, so keeping up with market data is essential. I do believe that having a coach can provide you insights that would otherwise take years to gather through trial and error.  Having a strong mindset and staying resilient plays a huge part as well in your success. Read more>>

Rora Wightman

To me, I believe that the key to success is giving it your all. It seems cliche, and every filmmaker has heard Tarantino’s advice a thousand times over, but it really is true. Film means everything to me, and every waking moment of my days for the last half a decade has been thinking about films, writing films, watching films, and creating films. To completely devote yourself to an art form as big and formidable as filmmaking is truly what it takes to succeed. Do not be afraid to get your hands dirty, filmmaking has such a huge learning curve that it never truly ends. Soak up every detail you can and find creative ways to both apply and break the rules in your own films. Dive in the deep end, and success will come that much easier. Read more>>

Aj Martinez

I feel like you have to surround yourself with people that want more in life. There times where people over think about investing and are one foot in and one foot out. Just do it and don’t look back, we will fail and we must learn from those little mistakes to get better at what we want to accomplish. Read more>>

Itzi Calle

Success can take many forms, and it’s something we each define for ourselves by choosing our own paths. We live in a time where opportunities feel endless, with access to so much information. But to be successful, the first step is deciding where you want to succeed. Once you have a vision, you move toward it, and life gradually brings you closer to it, step by step. It’s like planting a seed—your vision—and allowing it to grow. The key is to enjoy the process. If you stay present and persist through the challenges, you’ll grow stronger, and that strength will be your success. You’ll feel it deeply, and you won’t need anyone else to define it for you. Read more>>

Emily Gorman

Success is about finding a balance between chasing your goals and living a life that feels meaningful to you. It’s not just about external achievements, but about knowing what really matters to you and staying true to that. It takes self-awareness, the ability to learn from failures, and surrounding yourself with people who support and lift you up. Ultimately, success is personal—it’s about defining it for yourself and being open to growing along the way. Read more>>

Joely Live

When it comes to defining success, there are so many different ways to describe. The #1 thing I think it takes to be successful is not taking NO for an answer. Every time that someone tells you that your idea isn’t good enough, that you won’t make it, or now is just not a good time then DON’T LISTEN. If you are passionate about your idea and know that you have the work ethic for what it takes to be successful, find a work around and make it happen. Persistent and resilience is what it takes to be successful. Read more>>

Quieesha Burns

To me, success is about much more than personal achievements—it’s about resilience, staying true to your values, and making a positive impact on the world around you. It’s about finding purpose in your work and allowing that purpose to guide you, even when the road gets tough. Read more>>

Heather Davis

Mindset determines success. I remember when I had finally made the decision to quit my job and completely shift gears. I was well aware of the risk involved, but at that time the idea of staying where I was felt more risky. By the time I had made that decision my mind was made up. I didn’t even see failure as an option. I believe my mindset at the time was what it took to be successful. I never let myself envision failure or quitting. Someone once told me — take a chance on yourself, it will take time to be successful and if you worry about the time it will take just remember, time passes anyway. That stuck with me in the beginning. The time will pass and next week, next month, and next year you will be closer to that goal. Read more>>

Kristina George

I think to be successful with whatever you do you need to be consistent . Being consistent will allow you to stay on the path you need to go on in order to have success in work. I developed this view of being consistent easy in work . The moment I stopped being consistent is the moment I seen shift in progress , things begin to slow down and that is the moment I realized I must stay consistent in any line of work Im in . Read more>>

Rasheeda Gray

First, you must define what success means to you. For me success means freedom, joy in our work and overall lives and the ability to help others. For everyone, the definition is different. Once you have a clear definition, you can then apply these general principles to achieve it no matter what “it” is for you. To be successful I believe you have a combination of vision, a solid work ethic, and adaptability. It’s about having a clear goal but staying flexible enough to evolve when necessary. It also takes consistency—showing up when it’s hard, when you’re tired, and when things don’t seem to be moving fast enough. Surrounding yourself with people who believe in you, and whom you trust, is key too. And maybe most importantly, you have to stay true to your own values and passions. Success is personal—it’s not just about the destination but about who you become along the way. Read more>>

Octavia Merritt

To be successful in the world today, especially as an African American woman, there has to be first and foremost faith. To know that what God has for you will be for you through good and bad. Secondly, having strength and confidence in all you do. Even when there are bad days. Knowing they are temporary and that they will pass. Believing in yourself and always aiming high. Never wanting perfection but wanting to be better than you were yesterday. Read more>>