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

Kelly Roach

Discipline, perseverance, and the ability to handle failure — mental toughness. Read more>>

Alexia Assouline

Don’t overthink it. Overthinking creates fear that holds you back from working toward your goal. That’s why young kids learning a sport often have a better chance of going pro than older ones—because as we grow, we tend to overanalyze our decisions. Don’t let that stop you. The only way to experience success is to try. Read more>>

Meg Petz

Owning a business isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes far more work than most people realize (including me when I first started!). Success isn’t just about having a great idea and then starting the business—it takes determination, resilience, an open mindset, and persistence. Read more>>

Tanner Mclaughlin

There is a common denominator behind many of my opportunities, and it’s a simple lesson I’m glad I learned early: Be Nice.

When I was in design school, the owner of an agency visited our class for a Q&A session. When it was my turn to ask a question, I went with a practical one: “What do you look for when hiring?” I expected a technical list of qualifications, but his response was blunt: “Someone I don’t mind sitting next to all day.” Read more>>

Brittini Burton

Drive, commitment to your vision, deep trust in yourself and also being open to God, the Universe, etc.

No matter what you create or bring into the world whether it’s a business, an idea, a human it will test you. It will test you to see if you can handle it, if you’re truly committed, if you’ll go all the way with it.

When I first started my business, Big Pussy Energy, I went through four months of deep uncertainty not feeling clear, not knowing what direction to go, questioning if BPE was truly what I was meant to do. But instead of completely abandoning it, I chose to keep going until I felt a deep NO in my body. Read more>>

Samantha Marchetti

To me, success starts from within. It comes from determination, self-belief, and a fierce drive to achieve something bigger than yourself. It’s about having the confidence to put yourself out there—even when you don’t feel ready—and the bravery to take risks, fail, and keep pushing forward. Success is gritty! It means refusing to let yourself down, constantly improving your craft, and being relentless in your growth. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable, embrace every challenge that comes your way, and never lose that fire to turn your vision into reality with everything you’ve got! It’s a no excuses mentality. Read more>>

Erin Richey

I believe that to be successful, you have to truly believe in your mission and never give up on your dream. The grind never stops, and as you start to see the fruits of your labor, you push even harder. Hard work always pays off in due time. Read more>>

Craig Cooke

I have actually created a success model titled “Five Elements Of Success.” It’s in the first chapter of my book Business Kung Fu. The model is borrowed from ancient Chinese Five Element theory and I adapted it for a modern success framework. I based this on my personal entrepreneurial journey with my moments of success and failure as well as my observation of other peers and their success and failures. Read more>>

Gracie Stines

Balancing my small business Savor & Serve alongside being a full-time college student requires a mix of passion, discipline, and smart time management. My time is a valuable resource, so creating a well-organized schedules with clear boundaries is the first key. Being able to leverage both my life in school and outside of it to focus on promoting Savor & Serve around the upstate of South Carolina to help influence and build my brand. Financial management is also another crucial factor. This is because I have to be able to balance my business expenses and investments with my personal expenses. Maintaining my consistency is the next main factor, being able to level out my operations, product quality, customer service to streamline my workflow. Read more>>

Craig Greenberg

Well I think it takes many things, but if I had to pick one personality trait that enabled *me* to get somewhere, I would say it’s resilience.
You get knocked around all the time in this business, and take rejection constantly. You have to be thick-skinned, and be able to take the hits and keep going. Actually, you need to be motivated by the hits! It can be very challenging and I know many talented people who gave up before they got their due. Read more>>

Lindsay Mcloughlin

When I first started my professional organizing business a decade ago, I thought you could be successful by just being good at what you do. In my case, organizing. I thought if I did a good job, people would refer me, and my business would organically grow. I was lucky in the beginning, my first client was a great connector but her referrals eventually thinned out and I realized I couldn’t rely on referrals alone. When I relaunched my organizing business after maternity leave and the pandemic, I attacked it differently. I invested in new branding, marketing, events and connected with local businesses that aligned with my services. Read more>>

Shawna Fitzpatrick

What I think it takes to be successful is defining what “success” is to you. Once you have that, that is what you work towards. Don’t allow others to define what success is for you. Read more>>

Denise Boutwell

Success in business depends on several key factors including mindset, strategy, and execution. Have a clear vision and goals. You must have a strong work ethic and persistence. Understand your industry, competition, and target audience. Business landscapes change rapidly. Stay flexible and open to new ideas and also embrace technology and trends. Surround yourself with the right people (mentors, partners, and employees). Have strong leadership and team building skills. Inspire, motivate, and empower your team to work towards common goals. Build a strong brand that differentiates you from the competitors. Be decisive and strategic when facing challenges. Read more>>

Rashad Bedeir

I believe measuring success is subjective. What’s important to me and what I think makes me successful is not necessarily true for someone else. That being said, I also believe there are universal criteria for being successful in any field.

– Being punctual and respecting other people’s time is essential. It is truly our only commodity and appreciating that it is finite goes a long way when spending it. Read more>>

Michelle Miller

To me, in order to be successful, you need to do two things. The first is to be really clear about the services you provide. You have to be very specific. For example, many people don’t understand what a proofreader actually does, so I go into detail both on my website and in my contract, so there’s no confusion. The other thing is that you need to keep your skills fresh and up to date. Take courses, read books and blogs in your niche, follow others in your niche, etc. Do whatever it takes to keep learning. Read more>>

Dan Garrity

To be successful in our industry you not only have to provide high quality work but, also need to provide high quality customer service.

Customer service plays a huge role in building long-lasting relationships and loyalty. Providing a great customer experience can set you apart from your competitors and lead to repeat business, positive word-of-mouth, and strong reputation. It’s about not just meeting but exceeding expectations, making customers feel valued, and being responsive to their needs. Read more>>

Devon Delcastillo

When valuing success, I think it is important to note what bring you joy as a creative. Success takes many forms: the ability to financially support yourself, bring forth new ideas to one’s community and discovering what makes you happy. It ultimately requires balance between creating work for oneself versus clients.

As society, we tend to gravitate towards the notion of comfort. This can be found in something as simple as the “9-5.” Creating a routine that repeats itself over and over until one moves up the ranks. Often relying on the amount of money you make to declare your importance within the world. Read more>>

Dena Patton

In my view, success is built on a foundation of strong values, clear goals, resiliency in the face of challenges, and a willingness to adapt. These components have shaped my approach to leadership and decision-making as I’ve grown my business.

First and foremost, having a firm grounding in my values has been crucial. These values guide how I hire, fire, and lead daily. They serve as a compass for all my decisions, ensuring that I stay true to myself, my brand, and my goals, even in challenging situations. When something feels ‘off’ in my business, it’s often because I have compromised one of my values. Our core values are our company’s North Star that helps us build a clear brand and a consistent company. Read more>>

Max Schlenk

In the music industry, what I do boils down to a combination of long-term hard work and building a wide-reaching community.

One of my proudest success stories involves a last-minute call for a weekend of gigs out of town. And when I say last minute, I mean less than 24-hour notice.

I got a text from a friend I’d worked with on a “Soul Train” show a few months earlier (inspired by the classic TV show that aired from 1971–2006). He asked if I was free that Thursday for the weekend. I asked for details, and he told me it was for a touring band called “The Magic of Motown” from Youngstown, and that the pay was solid. Read more>>

Na’kia Williams

I believe success is centered around consistency and your ability to manifest. Once you claim something and speak it into existence, it’s already yours. The key is to move in a manner that supports those dreams and set goals to turn them into reality. Self-confidence also plays a major role. Trusting yourself and allowing the universe to prevail is the key. Read more>>

Carl Axen

To be successful, it takes resilience and an unwavering belief in yourself. I came to the US in 2016 as an immigrant, with $0 in my bank account. I knew I had a chance to make something out of myself. It wasn’t easy. I had setbacks, tried different things, I had people who told me “no, that is impossible” and “you’re wasting your time, go for a 9-5.” And yes, at times, it felt like many of my friends who told me to stop chasing my dreams were right. I failed at a couple of things. But I learned one thing: failure isn’t a full stop; it’s just a lesson in disguise. Read more>>

Morgan | Remi | Renaldo Green | Haddocks | Woods

We believe that discipline, consistency, and resilience are the keys to success. Last year was our first year as a LLP, and it took hard work and persistence to make it through the first year. Being successful in our careers outside of ATL Committee has been something that we have strived for over the last decade and take pride in. As a Corporate professional, a successful realtor, and notorious barber, staying disciplined, consistent and resilient have been the only way to overcome learning curves, hard times, and ensuring that we are present in our profession and in our business. Read more>>

Jessica Shepard

For the first 10 years of owning The Uproot Pie Company, I didn’t really think of myself as a business owner at all. It felt more like a place I went to hang out with friends, making food outside in a wood-fired oven in some of the most idyllic locations on the coast of Maine. It almost felt like I was playing at being a business owner. Even now, as I’ve expanded into my new “restaurant” space at the Carriage House, it still doesn’t feel like a traditional business. Every night when we open, I feel like I’m setting up a beautiful space and lighting candles for friends to gather, rather than running a business. It’s always felt more like an experience I’m creating for the people I care about. Read more>>

Laura Malva

At the end of the day, success isn’t about having the best idea—it’s about having the guts to go all in, the resilience to take the hits, and the confidence to bet on yourself even when no one else does. So, if you’re waiting for permission to chase your dream, you’re doing it all wrong. Go out there and take it. Read more>>

Katrice Feild

I believe strong ethics and learning from mistakes makes one successful. As a law student, I learned that the practice of law is one of the highest regarded professions and that candor, honesty and fairness speaks greatly to one’s character in dealings with clients, opposing counsel, judges and other legal professionals. Also, understanding that everyone’s role on a case or transaction is important – from the student intern, paralegal to associate or partner. The relationship between my law partner and I is the best example of what I have in being successful. When I was sworn in to the practice of law, I met my current law partner later that year and was offered a position with him soon thereafter. Read more>>

Paul Torres Garcia

Success isn’t just about the work—it’s about the people. Having a strong support system and being an incubator for community are what really make the difference. Sobremesa Studios isn’t just a branding and content studio that executes visions; we’re creatives earning a living from our craft, building something real alongside our clients. Read more>>

Angel Holmes

Success begins with your personal definition – it could be daily happiness, entrepreneurship, financial goals, or something entirely different. Once you’ve clearly defined what success means to you, focus intensely on making it happen through these key steps:

1. Create a detailed plan that breaks down your path to success
2. Take consistent, intentional action every day toward your goals
3. Maintain resilience through both successes and setbacks
4. Stay committed to your vision while being flexible about how to achieve it Read more>>

Ashley O’brien

To me, success is a combination of passion, perseverance, and adaptability. Running a small craft business has shown me that the most important thing is consistency, even when things aren’t immediately rewarding. It’s easy to get discouraged when you’re putting a lot of effort into your work and not seeing the immediate results you’d hoped for, but I’ve learned that small, consistent actions over time lead to bigger rewards. Read more>>

Ramandeep Kaur

In my opinion, being successful is a relative term. One should have their own goals that one wants to achieve to feel successful and keep moving the bar up as much as possible to keep growing. One should have a clear vision and purpose about why they want to pursue something. Starting my own business in the beauty industry has always been my dream and it gives me immense satisfaction and pleasure to work with our clients to meet their expectations. The purpose of my business is to serve our customers the best and that helps me to do my best possible as a brow artist. Read more>>

Micheal Manning

I have found that perseverance and consistency goes an extremely long way. Finding amazing talent has never stirred me wrong. Word of mouth in the entertainment industry keeps new talents needing great and honest publicity. Read more>>

Elaina Flores

To be successful it takes deep courage and strength. For me, at 18 years old, I have already faced times where I had to take a leap of faith. In my senior year of high school, I was in charge of the sports videography for our sports teams, I would film and produce hype videos, highlights, and college commitment videos for all of the sports teams. But I already thought I knew what I wanted to do with my future, I was set on going to Parker University in Dallas, Texas to become and Ultrasound Technician. Although, throughout my senior year and even into my first semester of college at Parker, I was constantly told by others saying how I should get back into sports and media videography. Honestly, I’d be lying if I didn’t say the thought didn’t cross my mind. Read more>>

Amanda Sakovitch

I believe success comes from authenticity. In a sales-driven industry like real estate, there are many professionals who master the psychology of sales and find great success with it—but that’s not my style. I got into this business because I genuinely love shopping for homes. Whether it was for myself, family, or friends, I found joy in the process. When there was no one left to shop for, I realized I still wanted more. Read more>>

Natalie Shah

What a great question. I think that truly depends on what your definition of success is. I believe success is measured in different ways, and each person’s vision of success is different.

Some business owners success is measured by the following they have on social media. For others, success is measured on much money they are making with their business per market. Read more>>