We asked some very talented folks to talk to us about success and what it takes to be successful. We’ve shared their responses below.
Viveca Ljung
Being successful takes time and a lot of passion and does not happen overnight. One thing I learned during my 40 years as a artist is to develop a positive mindset with trusting yourself and your ability to succeed, because during challenging times this will be the only thing that you can really lean on, and that makes you keep on going. Passion and motivation is a major factor, if your heart is in it your genuine drive will always be endless. Creativity and thinking outside the box combined with hard work, dedication and always stay curious, keep learning, improve your skills and you will grow. Read more>>
Layla Nassar
Turning Passion into Profit: The Key to Event Planning Success – My Take On It As an event planner, success isn’t just about organizing flawless gatherings—it’s about transforming your passion into a thriving business. When you truly love what you do, every day becomes an opportunity to create, innovate, and bring joy to others. From a personal point of view – I bounced around in my life trying to figure out what I liked and didn’t like in job positions and it all narrowed down to my main goal. My Main goal was to work with people, make a difference, and be apart of something beautiful and memorable for peoples lives. I never wanted to feel like I was working a day in my life because I wanted to find something I love. Read more>>
John Mcguinness
To be successful in real estate, I believe it takes a combination of strong communication skills, in-depth market knowledge, and a relentless work ethic. Building and maintaining relationships is at the heart of this business, whether it’s with clients, other realtors, or industry professionals. You have to be a good listener, understand your clients’ needs, and be able to clearly communicate complex processes. On top of that, staying on top of market trends and having a deep understanding of the local real estate landscape is critical for advising clients accurately. Persistence is key—deals can take time, and not every transaction goes smoothly, so you have to be resilient and keep pushing forward. Marketing is another huge aspect, especially in today’s world where having a strong digital presence can really set you apart. Negotiation skills are essential as well—you need to know how to close deals and find win-win solutions for all parties involved. Read more>>
Delyan Kostov
Well, first of all, thank you very much for having me. I truly appreciate that Canvas Rebel, as a platform, strives to give a voice to small businesses and supports skilled specialists, craftspeople, and artists. I’m happy to share some of my experiences with your audience. Now, regarding the challenge of becoming a successful mural artist, there are a few key obstacles that people aiming for this niche must overcome. The U.S. art scene is vast, and many artists aspire to express themselves on walls. In Europe, it might be easier to find your place in the mural art scene, but here it’s more crowded, especially in states where demand for this work is high. So, here are a few of my tips and observations. Read more>>
Bryant Iriele
During my journey, I once developed an idea I was deeply passionate about. What began as a simple concept soon became my mission to turn it into reality. The process demanded countless hours of planning, research, and collaboration. There were times of uncertainty when things didn’t go as planned, but by remaining persistent, seeking guidance through prayer, and adapting my approach, I could transform that idea into a reality. This experience taught me the power of combining vision with action and faith. It reinforced the importance of staying committed to my goals, even when the path isn’t clear, and highlighted how adaptability and prayer play crucial roles in achieving long-term success. Read more>>
Brigitte Sinoradzki
Success is measured in many ways. If you had a room full of people and all asked them if they consider themselves successful, and why, their answers would vary vastly. When it comes to business success, I think one of the core foundations is relationships. From internal relations (with employees) to external (clients and vendors) it is important to stay true to your word and treat everyone as you would want to be treated. Aside from that, being approachable and simultaneously keeping a high standard is a way of striking a balance that achieves confidence and appreciation in our clients. We like to have fun while working hard. Read more>>
Tasha M.
First and foremost – believing in yourself. If you believe it, you can do it. A strong work ethic and self-motivation is necessary. Owning a business is more than a full-time job, and it’s almost impossible to ‘turn it off’ because there is always something that needs done. I’m still working on that one, myself. Read more>>
Kierra Fleming
Personally, I believe to be successful it is all about the 1. foundation and 2. who you choose to spend time with. For me, my foundation consist of God as the core or umbrella to all the attributes I purposefully have planted for myself. For example confidence is something I must posses to be successful in my field, because how can I expect a client to trust me, believe in me, and have the confidence to go out into the world potentially out of their comfort zone if I myself was not 100% confident in my ability to help bring out the best version of them. Confidence along with assertiveness and compassion and gut instinct are just some of core of my values and success because what am I without my clients? Is my purpose here really being fulfilled if Im not helping create positive experiences for others? Read more>>
Francis Holmes
Ever heard of this saying; “If you quit you can’t win, if you refuse to quit you can’t loose.” This has proven itself true to me personally and in business over and over again, In my view, Determination and refusal to quit or take no for an answer are probably the most important tools for success, Business, like life in general is a full of challenges, you must be dedicated and determined so that you keep going through the hard times and challenges to emerge successfully, when you do, you’ll see the others that failed behind you. Beyond that, making sure your business idea is actually needed and of use is next, Your product of service must solve a problem by selling a branded solution To make it personal to one of my current businesses; Read more>>
Sarah Peavler
It takes a clear vision but also understanding that your business and goals are living, tangible things that should be flexible and adaptable to the times. What works today, might not work next month. It takes grit, discipline and daily persistence for years. It takes getting up earlier and working even when you are tired, I believe that success lies underneath the work you avoid and don’t want to do. Building a network and business relationships is key. You want to surround yourself with positive, supportive, and likeminded people. One must be willing to take calculated risks, make quick decisions, and problem solve. Also, it’s good to not dwell on failures, rather solutions. One must be teachable and set the ego aside. Stay true to your word, values and integrity. In the wedding industry it is important to build a positive reputation, as well as, keeping my word and delivering the service that was promised. Read more>>
Lexie Samora
I think being successful comes from determination, hard work, and genuine passion for your craft. Without a mixture of all three, burnout is extremely easy and more likely to happen. If you’re determined to do something you love, and have the hard work to accomplish that, success will follow. Whether that’s a service or a craft, people see that passion and hard work and want to see you succeed in your business. Speaking from experience, I can honestly say that when you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. Currently, I work in the creative field of photography, but I’ve worked plenty of jobs that were not in a creative field and jobs I had no passion for. Read more>>
Britney Blowers
What I think it takes to be successful is obviously drive and dedication. Beyond that, the word I can’t let go of is Integrity. From the moment I started out in my career I made it apparent to myself and others that I would show up every single day and do my best. The relationships you form at any point in your career matter. It also takes understanding that you are last. I think when we serve people and put others before us to make them feel valued, it carries us further than what any money or materialistic things can buy. Success doesn’t have to look like a bunch of money, followers, or fame. Success is doing something with purpose. My purpose behind what I do is to serve the Lord. I believe that in any circumstance if we have purpose success is found. Read more>>
Michael Wade Paull
To be successful, one must be able to take the bitter with the sweet. If you can experience a defeat and learn from it, then you already come out ahead. If you find positive results with certain methods, expand those methods sincerely. If you have a failure, use it as a learning experience. Find out what went wrong and change it. Don’t be afraid to try again. Sometimes, it might even take more than once. The trick is to use discretion in your new retooled effort. You can set limits if you see that results show an uptick, then increase the investment. If another loss occurs, then terminate. But learn a lesson from it no matter what. Read more>>
Calvin Wright
Greetings and thank you for your having me here with you today. I think success is a very unique topic because no one really focuses on how opinionated it really is. We all measure success differently and my perspective of what success may look like is completely different than someone else’s. With that thought in mind I will tell you what I think it takes to become successful and how I view it. I think becoming successful is based on a few different factors. I think for starters hard work. My self personally I am an entrepreneur. That means everything in my business is dependent upon me working as hard as I can to make things come together. Read more>>
Maureen Anderson
I think success can be achieved through several different approaches but the most lasting, fulfilling and easiest way is when you do something that you love and are good at. And often you find these two things going hand in hand. For instance, if you love flower arranging and are good at it, the chances are that your wedding flower business will do well but if you try and start a cake business and hate to bake, well then the likelihood of success is slim. The other key element is persistence in the face of negativity or failure. I think it takes a lot of strength and work ethic to be successful at anything and if you have a weak spot, fix it before you venture out into a new business or endeavor. Read more>>
Aleksandra Zee
In my experience I have found that success and fulfillment in that success it to be driven by passion. Whatever that passion may be, having that be the first pillar and the foundation is what breeds success. No matter the blood sweat and tears that come with starting a business or creative venture, knowing it is the desire of your heart to move it forward no amount of work is out of the question when it is filed by passion. Read more>>
Trevor Hancock
It’s about aligning your passion with your purpose and surrounding yourself with people who support and enrich your journey. It’s not always about financial success or recognition, but learning what fills your cup and who enriches your life the most. For me, one of the biggest lessons in this came when I first moved to Atlanta. I took a leap of faith to pursue filmmaking, but it wasn’t just the work itself that made it worthwhile. It was the friendships I formed and the creative collaborations that gave me a sense of fulfillment. Even when I was working on challenging projects or facing setbacks, being surrounded by people who understood and supported me made all the difference. The best thing to come from my life was my wife who makes me feel more fulfilled than anyone I’ve ever met. She reminds me of what’s important and to be kind to myself. Success isn’t a destination, it’s the ability to continuously do what brings you joy, with people who inspire and uplift you. That’s the kind of success I want to continue to strive for. Read more>>
Houston Fry
Product knowledge, discipline, and believing in your self are extremely important to be successful. I started working in the fitness industry in 2003 when I was 16 years old. I became a person a personal trainer in 2005 when I turned 18 years old. Many people in my circle did not see fitness as a career type job. Most people see it has a fun hobby. Although there are many fun aspects of the fitness industry it is still work and needs to be treated as work. I have worked in the fitness industry during the market crash of 2008 and during the 2020 Covid-19 closures. During those times, it can seem like the odds are against you and you are in a “David and Goliath” fight. In 2008, the gym and personal training were seen as luxury to most people. When times got hard, the gym and personal training was the first expense to be cut. Today, fitness is seen much more a necessity for physical health and mental health. Read more>>
Danielle Curry
As a professional commercial lawn maintenance and services organization, we are dedicated to providing our clients with the utmost satisfaction. Our energetic, dedicated, and creative approach inspires us to deliver our services with integrity while promoting professionalism among our vendors. Read more>>
Kyle Krall
Success, to me, is about being able to do what I love and having an impact on others while doing it. It’s not just about hitting big goals but also about constantly improving my skills and learning along the way. I believe success is finding a balance between pursuing my passions, like media and photography, and staying true to myself. It’s also about building meaningful relationships, creating opportunities, and leaving a lasting mark on the projects and people I work with. Success isn’t just about recognition; it’s about personal growth and the journey itself. Read more>>
Ivey Parrish
Success often requires a combination of several key factors: Clear goals, hard work and discipline, adaptability, perseverance, continuous learning, building relationships/networking and collaborating, passion, time management. Everyone’s journey to success is unique, but these factors often play a big role. Read more>>
Lis Anna Langston
I think success takes showing up to the task, telling the truth and being accountable for your choices. Read more>>
David Ninos
Success comes from discipline. Identifying what’s in my control to manage and craft and improve and that which is outside of my sphere of influence is the single most important thing I’ve ever learned. I’m still working on it too. There are things I can control as a musician and as a business owner, places where I can improve my craft and skills, and then there are outside forces I can’t control. Wasting time and energy on those outside forces is simply burning daylight that could be used on much better things. Read more>>
Phillip Whitaker
For a chef, success can be multi-faceted and deeply personal, but it often includes a few common elements. Achieving a high level of skill and innovation in cooking. This includes perfecting techniques, creating memorable dishes, and continually improving one’s craft. Paying attention to detail, presentation, and flavor is always important things to pay attention to. Finding joy and satisfaction in the daily work of cooking and creating. If you have a vision or dream to achieve, I believe it’s never a smooth road. In every industry you have to do the impossible to make it to your goal. I worked in restaurants I didn’t want to, I worked long hours I didn’t want to, and I took pay cuts that I didn’t want to. Read more>>
Victoria Fricke
Success can be defined by a number of things. The amount of money in the bank, the list of clients in your database, a sales goal being hit… you name it. For me, it took a bit more than that. It took seeing success in my employees. It wasn’t about me, it was about the team I was so focused on building. When you hit a certain volume in travel it becomes unmanageable on your own. I had an assistant, but even so I could tell I was getting close to capacity. I opted to hire two former clients of mine who I saw to be very opposite and both with qualities I didn’t have. I paused my business on all new leads for a month (insane I know) and focused all my efforts into training both girls. I wanted to teach them everything I knew, and gradually help them learn how to sell travel. Read more>>
Leah Strozeski
I think being successful in what you do truly comes from your passion for that specific field and your determination to succeed. Photography is always something I’ve adored. I was doing a photo shoot constantly with a small digital camera until my mom got me my own camera. I continued “styling” my own shoots if you will of friends and family. I have always loved weddings and day dreamed of my own for as long as I can remember, so when I had the opportunity to second-shoot a wedding in high school, I knew that was what I wanted to do. Read more>>
Derrick Ferguson
I believe being successful takes a lot of drive and self motivation. You have to be willing to put the work in even when you feel like whatever your doing isn’t working. The key is really keeping yourself busy and to always be promoting whatever it is your doing. Success never happens overnight so the more you keep working on perfecting your craft the more results you’ll be able to see. Read more>>
Nicolle Toribio
Success cannot be defined in one answer. It has different definitions to different people. The meaning of success to me, is being able to achieve your goal that you truly feel is meant for you and your purpose. My goal in life is to succeed in anything I do, to strive for better and to learn the game the best. I never knew what I wanted to become in life, but I knew I wanted to work hard and hustle in a business field, whichever it was. For me, I found it was in beauty by becoming the most unique and different hair stylist – at first – which then turned into becoming a unique salon owner then branching into different sectors. The world is so diverse and there is so many success stories in different fields. Read more>>
Shane Mcaleer
I’ve come to believe, through observing successful individuals, that consistency is crucial for long-term achievement. The ability to show up even when you’re not feeling motivated can significantly steer you in the right direction. Everyone experiences periods of low drive and motivation, but it’s dedication that ultimately determines whether you succeed or falter. I’ve seen many people around me start ambitious and goal-oriented projects, only to see their enthusiasm wane when results don’t materialize quickly. Whether it’s after weeks or months, the drive often dwindles, and they give up. I constantly remind myself to persist, even when progress isn’t visible at the end of the day. The real challenge is t Read more>>
Mary Ford Msn, Aprn, Crna
To be successful, I believe it requires a combination of perseverance, passion, and the ability to constantly evolve through education and experience. Success is about understanding that challenges are inevitable but also opportunities for growth. For me, this philosophy was shaped during my transition from anesthesiology to aesthetics. I had sustained an injury that temporarily paused my career in anesthesiology, and during that time, I found myself exploring injectables. It was a challenging shift, but I embraced it as a new learning experience. I sought out the best training programs and continually worked on expanding my knowledge. One key moment that stands out was when I trained with Dr. Steve Weiner on ultrasound-guided injections. It was a pivotal experience that helped me refine my skills and solidified my confidence in this new field while utilizing skills I had from my anesthesiology practice. Read more>>
Sarah Summers
Being successful is all about being yourself. Entrepreneurs, especially photographers, feel we should act and carry ourselves a certain way. I dont think that’s the case. Being a successful business owner is embodied by being yourself and showing your clients who you truly are. It gets exhausting when you are acting and carrying yourself in a certain way to fit in or become something you think the world wants to see. Not only is it exhausting, but you gain clients who are more fit for that persona than you as the real person you are. For example, I am REALLY, goofy and my clients see that in my social media, and I have gained clients because they like who I am as a person and they like my goofiness. I have been in business since 2018 and on September 1, 2024, I celebrated 4 years of being full-time. I truly think that being YOU is what it takes to be successful. Read more>>
Fred King
Success is not an easy thing. Behind any success story, there’s a lot of hard work, failure, and persistence. It’s never an overnight achievement. Speaking from my own experience, and from conversations with other successful entrepreneurs I stay in touch with, the common thread is resilience. We all hit setbacks, but it’s about how you bounce back from those challenges that really defines success. It takes a clear vision, the ability to adapt, and an unwavering belief in what you’re building. You’ve got to be willing to put in the long hours, learn from your mistakes, and keep moving forward, no matter how tough it gets. Another key factor is surrounding yourself with the right people. Nobody gets there alone—having a strong team and a network of like-minded individuals can be the difference between giving up and pushing through. Ultimately, success comes from grit, patience, and the ability to keep going when others might stop. Read more>>
Diego Hernandez
To me, success comes from how you make your customers feel at the end of the day. Being in the events management field I pride myself in making sure everyone I come in contact with, whether in person, by email, or via DM, has the best experience at any of our events. Hearing from people who have attended our shows express how much enjoyment they had or overall experience has made an impact on their lives even if it was just a momentary escape. I feel that this is the reason why we have repeat attendees to our shows because Henn House Events as a whole prides itself on customer satisfaction. Read more>>
Antonio Mandosi
Success, in my understanding, is to be cherished and means a bit more than the very result itself. It is not just about big objectives but about the journey we go on and the smaller-scale victories achieved on our way. Success is an end result of many factors that include setting short-term goals, perseverance, determination, facing challenges with the courage to overcome those intimidating us. Success for me is about reaching an achieved goal, be it big or small. For instance, during my musical experience, the most meaningful successes have not been about major concerts or the opportunity of playing with famous conductors. Those were merely fruits of other successes that meant far more to me: to have overcome the fear of auditioning, to be able to tell my inner message through playing in front of people who actually came there to listen, or just to earn one’s living by doing what I love most-to play, to travel, and to communicate with people from different countries and cultures. Read more>>
Lana James
Success can come in different ways. For me success is reaching goals I set for myself and my company. Each year I try and work as hard as possible to meet goals I set. Its important to me to reach them so I keep going. When I started my company, I didn’t think I would be where I am now. I started with a shop on Etsy, hoping someone will allow me to make something custom for their kid’s birthday. Rather it be a custom chip bag or custom skittles, any sale I would have taken and been grateful. I worked hard, learned lessons and now I work with huge brands and that we all know and love and get to make custom items for them in their PR boxes and events. Read more>>
Natasha Simmons
I think you would need to know your true purpose in order to be successful By going within and defining who you are and what drives you. Through doing this you will become driven to want to do more in life. Eventually you will, become successful through being consist. Consistency is the driving force to success. Once I realized who I was, what am I passionate about, then what do I want to do with that.. I built Yacht Club Access. With YCA I am being an example to young women and providing them resources and opportunities for future generations to become entrepreneurs. Making a meaningful impact while building Yacht Club Access is success to me. Read more>>
Raina Love
Being successful takes focus, drive, determination, educating yourself for the success you want. When I separated from my ex husband who was physically abusive I focused on wanting to take my cosmetology career to the next level. I finally left the south and came back up north. Before I left I made sure to create my portfolio with local models, photographers and stylist. Once that was done I headed to NYC with my 3 sons in tow. My first celebrity: tv gig was “Love & Hip Hop.” I had my mom there to support me, she was my village in helping me get to the position I needed to get back on my feet so I can take care of myself and my 3 sons. Read more>>
Deja Thomas
Journey of Redefinition Success isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept; it’s deeply personal and can take many forms. Growing up, I believed that success was all about hard work and grinding through life, sacrificing the things you love to earn the money needed to enjoy them eventually. This mindset led me to college, where I pursued a degree, thinking it was the only way to “make it” in the world. I even worked at Northwestern Mutual and was convinced it was my path to financial success. But in reality, I was following someone else’s definition of success, too scared to create my own. Read more>>
Roohil Hamid
Achieving success often involves navigating through numerous failures. Embracing failure rather than fearing it is crucial. Personally, I’ve faced many setbacks, but each failure has been a learning experience that has contributed to my growth. When I first launched my cleaning business, I had little to no experience beyond cleaning my own room. I wasn’t well-versed in the industry, but I did have a strong understanding of technology, which allowed me to build an effective website and generate leads. Overcoming each challenge has brought me closer to success and has been instrumental in my journey. Read more>>
Otharin Liggins
What I think its takes to be successful is leadership and positivity. When you wake up everyday and think about your next move and your future and how to better yourself and your peers while maintaining a positive atmosphere makes you successful in your career and personal life. Read more>>
Chef Benjamin Leggitte
To be successful in the private chef industry I would definitely say it takes alot of culinary knowledge and time management you have to use your time wisely to meet your client’s expectations and always go above and beyond to keep returning clients. Read more>>