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

Ryan Otterstein

To be honest, I’m not sure I have all the answers to success at 21. My idea of success has changed a lot over time. For me, success is about having a clear understanding of what it means to me as an individual. A defined vision and plan are essential – without them, it’s easy to get lost. I’m a big believer in being honest about strengths and weaknesses. We should build on our strengths while acknowledging areas for improvement and working on them daily. Failure is a big part of the process. I face setbacks every day, but I see them as opportunities to learn and grow. Each failure brings me closer to who I need to be to achieve my goals. Staying focused on what matters most to me, despite what others think, is crucial. It’s not always easy, but it’s what drives me to be the best version of myself and ultimately achieve success in all areas of my life. Read more>>

Grace Mendonca

In my opinion, success is objective, and is achieved through passion. My whole childhood I had dreamt of being a dance photographer, and pursued it so fervently that I ended up photographing a Nutcracker performance at only 17- with a 2k lens rented for me by the performing arts company. Read more>>

John Bond

To me, success comes down to consistency, work ethic, and taking care of people. At Twine Graphics, we don’t cut corners—we show up every day, do the work, and take pride in what we put out. Whether it’s a big brand order or a local job, we treat every project like it matters, because it does. Read more>>

Kyrsti Wess

I started Luxe + Linen as a side project while working full-time, and it quickly turned in to the desire and dream to turn it into a full-time business for myself. From a young age, I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and over the years I started (and failed) to maintain different small businesses. The thing is, I never saw my past businesses as failures; I learned something valuable from each one I started. The experience I received from running these businesses, as well as the experience I was gaining during my full-time corporate jobs along the way, paved the path for me to arrive to where I am today. Read more>>

Andersen Conner

I’ve realized over the years of working for different companies that if success is something that is not completely controlled by you, then you are working towards someone else’s idea of success. Once I realized this for myself, then I began building my own ventures and being my own boss. It’s quite liberating. Read more>>

Kaitlin Walls

Being successful starts with believing in yourself and being willing to do things differently. You can’t be afraid to take risks or try new ideas, even if it means failing along the way. To me, failure isn’t the end – it’s just feedback that helps you learn faster and get closer to what works. I’ve learned this firsthand through building Curae – every setback has taught us something that made our platform stronger. Asking for help when you need it is so important, too. None of us are meant to figure it all out alone. Read more>>

It takes the ability to understand that success does not usually fall on your head out of the blue. It’s usually a GRIND of Discomfort and tenacity. So the foundation to bering successful is a recipe that includes
1. Knowing that you are not owed success
2. Understanding that to compete you must first not compete with anyone except your imperfections in whatever idiom you are choosing to complete in.
3. You can work harder and smarter than others and still not get the results until you learn why you are unsuccessful Read more>>

Saloni Shukla

I’m Saloni Shukla, a soon-to-be graduate from the New York Film Academy, Los Angeles campus. Before this, I worked in the Bollywood industry for nearly a decade. I was part of a production company where I worked closely with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Katrina Kaif, Jacqueline Fernandez, Kartik Aaryan, Ananya Panday, Janhvi Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, and many more. Read more>>

Kristen Pawlak

I believe there are several attributes that make one successful. Given that KP Designs is in a very client focused business, these are what guide success:

Quick response, returned calls
Clear communication
Efficiency and streamlined processes
Empathy toward clients
Promised deliverables
Education/continuous learning of craft
Team mentality–We vs. Me culture
Good PR! Read more>>

Jon Skubis

To me, success is persistence over perfection. It’s showing up when everything feels like it’s falling apart, when money’s tight, a launch flops, or you start questioning whether you’re crazy for chasing your vision. It’s not glamorous. It’s a war of attrition. Most people quit long before they get close. People love the “overnight success” story. What they don’t see are the years of grinding it out, the sleepless nights, and the moments when you seriously consider giving up. That’s the real story behind most entrepreneurs. Read more>>

Zachary Tupaz

Strive to make something of yourself and do not be discouraged. You have to see a future. You have to continue working thru the good days and the days, Depending on the drama and the spectacular things that happen I’ve learned that you cannot quit to be successful there is no way out of success only thru. Read more>>