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

Valencia Gibbs

Having a direct focus of where you want to be in a certain time frame!!! Read more>>

Fred Jaramillo

Hard work. Be consistent. Never let up. It’s hard but, to be consistent is key. Also be persistent. Read more>>

Babette Fraser Hale

In the work area, it takes perseverance and hard work, But that’s only part of what makes a success. The more important part is finding balance between the people in your life and the work you’re driven to do.. Corporate culture makes that very difficult, demanding availability almost 24-7. As a writer and small business owner, it is been easier for me to make sure I strive for balance. Read more>>

Thiago Roma

To be successful in this industry, I believe it takes a combination of passion, a lot of persistence, and a clear vision. I’ve spent the last ten years self-teaching and evolving from photography to cinema and advertising. Throughout this journey, I’ve prioritized creating work that resonates with my values, even if that usually means sacrificing higher-paying opportunities. Read more>>

Stephanie Brady

In order to be successful in any business or nonprofit. You have to surround yourself with an amazing team. You may have the vision of where you want it to go, but you cannot do it alone. You have to pull the strengths from people around you and have a grateful heart. No position is better than another, together, we all make the dream a reality. Read more>>

Dulcinea Circelli

I think to be successful you need to start what you finish and prioritize completion over perfection. I’ve published a novel and later realized there is a glaring error in a poker game scene that is obvious to every poker player who has read it since publication. I have dozens of anecdotes I’ve heard from friends and colleagues about how long their projects are taking to complete. Read more>>

Andrea Salomon

In my point of view, what actually means to be successful is to see a vision and keep working towards it. That means, taking any opportunity that comes your way and to keep working on your current project, thinking what’s a better way to better yourself? Success doesn’t come easily, there will always be challenges but if you’re ready and focused, nothing can beat your vision of becoming the best version of yourself. Read more>>

Carla Carter

To me, success comes from a combination of hard work, building strong, genuine relationships, and staying true to your values. It’s about always acting with integrity, even when the choices are tough. Perseverance is key—pushing forward, staying committed, and continuing to do the right thing, no matter the challenges. Read more>>

Kiersten Zimmermann Jones

Success in the health and fitness industry goes far beyond what many see on the surface. It’s not just about mastering the mechanics of lifting weights, perfecting form, or memorizing nutrition facts. While those elements are critical, the foundation for long-term success is built on a deep commitment to learning, adapting, and pushing through challenges. In an ever-evolving field, staying ahead requires a mindset rooted in resilience, consistency, and an unwavering passion for both personal growth and the growth of others. Read more>>

David Goodman

I measure my success by measuring happiness; my happiness and my customers happiness. Success for me is being of service. Going above and beyond for my clients by offering some free equipment support services, showing up early to work and maintaining an up-beat, positive attitude all contribute to my success and my clients success, and happiness. Read more>>

Dharam Udeshi

I started my DJ journey back in 2016, not knowing exactly where it would take me, but determined to find my place behind the decks. I joined Scratch DJ Academy Los Angeles with the intention to professionally learn what it takes to become a DJ and network with industry leads who have been in the game for a long time. I would actually go to clubs to hear different DJ sets with varied genres in Los Angeles and write down the whole sequence of the sets and discuss the flow with my mentors at Academy. I remember my first gig was a corporate party for my own company, and I still remember the nerves I felt that evening. The crowd was medium sized 80+ audience and I did manage to put a good show, but it was the energy that hooked me. When I saw the way I could control a room with my music, I knew I wanted to do this all of my life and I felt blessed for all the time I invested in following my passion. Read more>>

Eli Moorman

Smart and hard work. Definitely dedication starting from the time you first wake up to going to sleep. Long nights, long work days. Stay focused and chase your dreams Read more>>

Michelle Reife

Success is about showing up consistently, even when the results aren’t immediate, and building something meaningful along the way. I believe it requires three things: resilience, intention, and connection. Resilience means understanding that setbacks aren’t failure, they’re part of the journey. In my early days of real estate, there were moments when I questioned everything and wondered if I made a mistake leaving corporate life behind. I thought success would feel linear, but it’s not. I had to embrace the uncomfortable moments and realize that success looks more like waves. Some days feel like you’re riding high, and others feel like paddling against the current. The key is to keep going, knowing the effort will pay off even if you can’t see the results right away. Read more>>

Elham Glam

Success comes from adaptability, persistence, and a clear understanding of your craft. As a Freelance Hair and Makeup Artist, I quickly learned that building strong client relationships and staying ahead of trends were key to growing my business. By specializing in photoshoot and production hair and makeup, I realized that never giving up and consistently using social media to build an online presence and showcase my work were essential for obtaining clients and growing my reputation. Read more>>

Brianna Rodgers

Success, comes down to three main qualities: perseverance, resilience, and community. Perseverance means not giving up, no matter how challenging or dark things get. There were times during the process of building Sweetbriar Ridge when we didn’t know if we would ever see it through—times when we faced countless setbacks, from revoked permits to financial pressure to corrupt contractors. What kept us moving forward was sheer grit, pure perseverance, and the refusal to take no for an answer. Even when one of us was ready to give up, the other would push forward and carry us through that moment. Read more>>

Tonya Lane

From my experience, to be successful, it takes understanding your industry, identifying the problems you can solve, and centering purpose around everything you do. As a cosmetic chemist in the textured hair care space, I understand that my industry is constantly evolving. However, even with the evolution of beauty and hair care, the foundation remains the same: women want healthy hair and desire to understand how to effectively achieve it. Read more>>

Yashoda Latkar

I’m not sure I have all the answers, as I still feel like I’m at the beginning of my journey. But from what I’ve learned so far, I believe success comes from consistency—showing up every day, even when things get tough. It’s about continuing to apply for shows and residencies, even when you face countless rejections. Over time, the rejections turned into acceptances, and those small wins helped build my confidence. You just have to keep pushing forward, keep making work, and keep creating. Looking back, I realize that it was my persistence, not just my talent, that moved me forward. Read more>>

Stephanie Tatum

I believe success is subjective, deeply personal, and it varies for each individual. For some, it might be measured by wealth, health, academic achievements, building a family, or following their dreams. While for others, success may be defined by completing one small task, managing their mental health, making it through another day without the loved one they recently lost, or just getting out of bed. For me, external accomplishments do not solely measure it; I measure success by how fulfilled I feel in my life, considering big and small accomplishments, and how I can positively impact others along the way. As Maya Angelou beautifully said, “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” This resonates with me because it reflects the importance of self-fulfillment and authenticity in one’s definition of success. Read more>>

Crystal Crebs

Success can be measured in many ways. Sometimes, it’s about reaching a big goal; other times, it’s about celebrating the small wins along the journey and who you become along the way. To me, staying out of a victim mindset and embracing a victor’s mindset is key to true success. Challenges will inevitably come, but viewing failures not as things that happen to you but rather for you—opportunities for growth—transforms the journey into one of continual success. My biggest test of this mindset came when I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2013. I had just gotten engaged, and two months later, life as I knew it was put on hold. Facing an uncertain future, I looked at all my options, made peace with whatever the outcome might be, and approached treatment with every bit of strength I had. Mentally, physically, and spiritually, I committed to moving forward without letting myself become a victim of the circumstance. There were only one or two moments when I allowed myself to think the worst, but I quickly shifted back to a resilient mindset. Read more>>

Fanny Panella

To be successful, you need to be very driven, dedicated and often put your professional life before your personal life. Read more>>

Karen Black

I believe learning from the experience of others is one of the first steps toward any successful venture. Armed with knowledge, having confidence in your ability to achieve your goal is another. But a passion for your endeavor and perseverance are most important. Read more>>

Rodney Hughes

To be successful, I believe it takes a strong foundation in faith, discipline, and a willingness to serve. As a Christian, I’ve learned that doing business with God at the forefront is entirely different from trying to do it on my own. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” This verse has been a guiding principle for me. Read more>>

Natalie Conde

First and foremost, I believe success is subject to each individual. In my personal transformation, success looked like losing over 70 pounds of body fat and getting into the best shape of my life. In my coaching business, success looks like helping as many women as possible achieve not only their fitness goals but their life goals as well. In my clothing brand, Immortal Reign, success has been looking around local gyms and coffee shops and seeing designs that I have put my heart and soul into. There is no number to success, nor a number in your bank account (if you’re doing it right). I think success comes from being able to make the biggest positive impact on others as you possibly can. It’s about sharing a message, a vision, and hoping that it will change someone else’s life. For me that is the definition of success. Read more>>

Kourt Zander

To be successful you need to work hard, be dedicated and have a passion for what you are doing. As a travel agent and content creator there are multiple things that have made me successful. I must have a knowledge for travel, understanding destinations and cultures while staying up to date on travel regulations and industry trends. I need to have strong communication skills, being able to communicate effectively with my clients and understand their wants and needs is an absolute must. Having amazing customer service skills is a must as well. I have to build personal relationships with my clients and treat all of them as if they are my family. My content creator skills come into play as well in this business, as I need to have great marketing techniques to catch my clients eye. I have to be savvy in social media, SEO, and content marketing to reach a broader audience and create engaging content that resonates with potential travelers. Lastly, my organizational skills have to be superb. I have to manage bookings, itineraries, and multiple client details efficiently. Read more>>

Amiana Patterson-woods

I believe what dictates success is the ability to feel like you’ve fallen countless times but you continuously make the choice to get back up one more time. Success just doesn’t happen especially overnight. Being successful is a marathon of a journey. I’ve learned that this journey doesn’t come easy but does garner experience, wisdom, knowledge, and revamping until the “formula” works. Read more>>

Catherine Brabec

Success is so many things and I think it is something I am constantly redefining. Its about being able to choose projects I have a passion for and that have personal meaning. It’s about creating projects that impact social change and environmental issues. It’s about motivating others to do the same. It’s about contributing in ways to help and encourage others who are just starting their career journeys. To get there you need perseverance, you need courage, and you need to be able to find joy and meaning and fun in the every day, in the small achievements. Choosing a creative life and career is not always the easiest or most stable path financially. You’ve got to be able to weather the lean times and not question your worth while you’re in the middle of it. I find it helpful to approach big projects by breaking it down into smaller steps. Sometimes looking at the big picture can be incredibly daunting, and so by creating small achievable goals day by day or week by week really helps to keep the project progressing! Read more>>

Stephanie Torres

Success, to me, is about having a mix of passion, resilience, and adaptability. Passion keeps you motivated and focused on what you love, while resilience helps you push through challenges without giving up. Being adaptable means you’re open to new ideas, can handle change, and adjust your plans when things don’t go as expected. I also believe success is about staying curious, learning constantly, and building strong connections with people who inspire and support you. Read more>>