We’ve been fortunate to connect with so many brilliant artists, business owners and leaders over the years and so we reached out to some of these talented folks to discuss what it takes to be successful.

Athena Cheris

Success is not fluid. It takes many forms, and there are multiple ways to seek it out. I’ve met people who are successful financially but unhappy with their day jobs. I’ve met people who feel unsuccessful at work but come home to a family that makes them feel successful. As a filmmaker, you need to create your own idea of success and that will be different for everyone. For me, success is a good set where people are proud of their work. To be successful, you have to understand your goals, but also know how to achieve them. Success is all about mindset and taking the initiative to make what you want happen. Read more>>

Callmewhoelse

If you are starting from nothing. level 1 like I did, I would say 10,000 hours of practice. Not just any practice, mind you, but deliberate, focused, and purposeful practice. Results may vary. the mlPatience is a moral virtue because it contributes to happiness and living well. Waiting attentively involves discerning when it’s our turn to act. Waiting without complaint helps us not hate the waiting, and it helps us do our job well when it’s our turn. Read more>>

Chef Cheez

Successful requires a multitude of variables that may or may not be in a persons control. Sometimes people see as results driven or minimizing failures. The main reason or top attribute of being successful is understanding SACRIFICE. It looks different in many ways but if you not willing to give up something to get more then you will always be behind. In my position owning and operating a food business, there are times when I’m up for 24-48 hours making sure I’m prepared for an event or miss all types of celebrations.  Read more>>

Danielle Buerli

Success can be defined so differently by everyone. I think in order actually to be successful you first have figure out what that means for you before you can arrive there. It is harder to work hard when you don’t really know where you are going. This is one of the many reasons I love working for myself, that I can define my own business and goals and really understand them. Read more>>

Debra Bazile

Starting a floral business has been a dream come true for me, but it’s also been a journey filled with learning and growth. When I think about what it takes to be successful, a few key elements come to mind. First and foremost, it’s crucial to surround yourself with the right people. These people must believe in you and your vision just as much as you do. I learned early on that I couldn’t do everything myself, and trying to was a recipe for burnout and frustration. For example, when I first started, I was so passionate about the creative side—designing arrangements, choosing the best flowers, and making my clients happy. But I quickly realized that running a business isn’t just about having a great product. I needed someone to mentor me, someone who had already walked the path I was just starting on. I was fortunate to connect with a seasoned florist who guided me on how to scale my business, manage operations, and navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.  Read more>>

Diego Santos

Putting your customer base first is the most important thing. Understanding their needs and behaviors helps you serve them best. Equally important is taking care of your staff, ensuring they have the training and resources needed to succeed. Combine this with a strong salesforce and you are on a pathway to success. Read more>>

Dominique Smith

To be successful, it takes a vision, a plan to get that vision established, the drive to work toward the plan to get the vision established, and faith. I feel like once your vision is clear to you, you have to have a plan of action…how are you going to bring your vision to life? What are you going to do to make it happen? What is your plan? After your plan is created, you’ll need to actively work toward whatever your goal is…whatever your plan entails. It’s not always an easy thing to do but if you stay the course, it will pay off in the long run. Read more>>

Elizabeth Donat

In the beauty, health, and wellness industries, success demands more than just surface-level appeal and competence in your craft. It starts with thought leadership—having a unique point of view that challenges the status quo and sets you apart from the crowd. Creating your own brand and establishing a distinct identity is crucial in a field that’s increasingly saturated. But it’s not just about aesthetics or sales; being genuinely warm and good-hearted with a mission-driven approach is essential. When you work towards making an impact, people notice and are naturally drawn to your authenticity. Read more>>

Jennifer Mcmurrain

Success. It’s something that everyone strives for, but one detail I believe most people forget is success looks different for everyone. In my industry, most people think success is hitting the Amazon Bestsellers or New York Times Bestsellers lists, while Hollywood produces movies based on your books. They think only of “big picture” successes. What I’ve learned is success is a lot more than how much money is in the bank account. Sometimes it’s just meeting that deadline when life is throwing punches left and right. Other times, it’s publishing a book in record time.  The important thing is finding what success looks like to you. What is going to make you feel fulfilled, validated, and, most importantly, happy?  Read more>>

Julia L. Rosengren

To become successful in any business, we must persist in doing what we love. It’s important to stay on top of all choices and decisions, and most importantly, to be kind to everyone you work with. My success comes from perseverance and never giving up, even when I was down and had little hope. I always believed that I had what it takes and that I would succeed. Read more>>

Julian Bermudez

Success is such a fluid concept in my mind. I mean, many people correlate success with having great wealth; or being able to have what you want when you want it. I think success presents itself in different ways, and at different times throughout anyone’s personal or professional life, and it’s measured by your values. From getting accepted into your college of choice, to landing your first “dream” job; from acing your driver’s test on the first try, to maintaining a healthy and long-lasting relationship with your favorite person. Each one of these can be viewed as successful. Read more>>

Karissa Adkins

Success is a quantum leap that requires mastering multiple dimensions of your life. It’s about alchemizing your inner goddess and becoming the legendary leader you were born to be. Here’s what I believe it takes: Diverging from your old identity and embracing duality as an Alpha Queen. Making million-dollar decisions that resonate with your mind, body, and soul. Cultivating queenly discipline to create unshakeable success habits. Harnessing unstoppable determination and a fearless feminine mindset. Driving your time and energy like the CEO of your destiny. Delivering results by reprogramming your neural pathways for success. Read more>>

Karlyn Nelson

At the end of the day, if you want to be successful, I truly believe you must have the ability to persevere. Especially now. Especially after everything we’ve all been through over the last four-plus years. To persevere means to continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success. If you think about it, that’s almost the definition of making it in Los Angeles. In this city, you must work, and you must work hard. You must be creative, but also driven. Artistic and street smart. Almost everyone is here to achieve one’s dream, so essentially, we’re all in it to win it. That’s a good thing! But it can also be hard. Read more>>

Katrina Purcell

Let me impart an extraordinarily difficult lesson I learned in life. You have to redefine what success means to you. The predetermined definition from society is often not what will actually light our souls on fire. We rarely take the time to determine the scale for ourselves. Maybe success is about the amount of money you have. Maybe it’s about where you live. Maybe it’s about the family you build. Maybe it’s about the impact you make on the world. The need for external validation will never allow you to feel successful. Success is something that is deeply personal, and only you can determine what it looks like. If you waste your time and energy striving for someone else’s version of success, you will never find fulfillment. Read more>>

Kelly Chakerian

I think every business owner is going to have a different view of “success” and what that means to them and their business. For me as a business owner and mom of 4, successful looks like I am still able to pick my kids up from school a lot of days, be at their sports events, and support my family outside of work. The fact that my business is running, profitable and on mission while I am also able to serve my family feels like a big win and success to me! Every business owner will have a different version of what success is for them. Read more>>

Maria Skakun

Well, In today’s world, it’s common to believe that talent and a strong work ethic alone pave the way to success. Before I made the decision to move to LA, a teacher shared with me a valuable insight: “Success in LA hinges 50% on connections, 30% on your image and how you present yourself, and 20% on your professional skills.” And I still find it quite accurate. Yet, one critical element seems overlooked and from my viewpoint, it’s what often prevents 99% of us from realizing our dreams: discipline. Read more>>

Patricia Alaniz

I think what is takes to become successful is believing in yourself, setting goals, never giving up, and just going for it honestly! Read more>>

Rachel Clark

I think it takes grit to be successful. I think it takes a certain level of scrappiness and determination (and even a bit of delusion) to achieve your goals. When I began to believe that failure isn’t real, but rather just a hard lesson, my business started to flourish like it never had before. Every successful individual pushed past “failures” at one point, and learned from them. It all starts with mindset. Read more>>

Rebecca Meshinsky

I believe that success looks different for everyone—it might be a bit cliché, but true. Personally, I have always carried this misconception that “once I reach *that goal* then I will be successful”. But It rarely turns out as you expect, and letting go of comparisons and unrealistic expectations creates space for your own authentic success. In 2019, I seemed to be thriving. At least, it appeared that way when sharing my life with others. I had just moved to New York, working as a personal stylist in a Soho clothing store while also assisting a celebrity fashion stylist. It was an exhilarating time, with life speeding by and constant praise for my success. Read more>>

Robbie Lathan

To be honest it takes a problem to become successful and solving that problem on a continuous basis to remain successful. For example Ginger & Honey was founded based on a personal problem I had with the current selection of skincare products on the shelves. Not only did they not fix my problematic skin issues but they enflamed them. So I began to take matters in my own hands and experiment with natural plant based ingredients and there was my solution…. or so I thought. It ended up solving the same problems for hundreds of people who were in the same boat I was in. Read more>>

Samuel Fronsman

The first thing to decide when thinking about success is what being successful means to you. For many, success comes from external sources like money, influence or the admiration of others. However, for me, success is something much more intrinsic. I define success as the ability to do what I love and create things I’m proud of. Film is a very tough industry to break into if you look for gratification in wealth or fame. We live in a day and age where streaming has democratized independent films to an unprecedented level. On one hand, this means that it’s easier than ever to pick up a camera, shoot a movie and share it with the world. On the other hand, this ease of access has saturated the pool of independent films to new levels of competition that make it hard to stand out in a sea of similar titles.  Read more>>

Sarah Suarez

I believe that adaptability is required for success, especially in the constantly evolving world of social media. Whether it’s new tools, changing best practices, or emerging platforms, staying flexible is crucial to delivering the best results for clients. In the nonprofit sector, this adaptability is even more important as needs can shift unexpectedly. A few years ago, one of my long-term nonprofit clients faced budget constraints that required them to reduce their posting schedule. While I typically advise a minimum of three posts per week, I was more than willing to adjust our strategy to accommodate their situation.  Read more>>

Shae Rose

While I haven’t reached every goal I’ve set, I believe I’ve discovered small, but valuable keys to success: persistence, accountability, patience, creativity, and faith. Over the years, I’ve learned some important lessons. I believe we all have a divine compass within us—it’s up to us to trust and follow it. Whenever I ignored mine out of doubt, I paid the price. I wasted time comparing myself to others, erroneously thinking it would lead to better outcomes. It didn’t. Instead, I found myself stuck in a cycle of excuses and comparisons, which led nowhere. When you’re trapped in a mindset of victimhood and lack of accountability, you become complacent. You lose the drive to learn or create opportunities  because doing so would mean taking responsibility for your own growth. Read more>>

Shelley Gregory

In my line of work as a licensed cosmetologist and spa owner, success hinges on how I make my clients feel. It’s essential to create an environment where they feel comfortable, relaxed, and confident in my ability to care for them. Building this trust is key to ensuring they not only enjoy their experience but also look forward to returning. Read more>>

Steve Weindorf

It takes perseverance and belief in yourself and your ideas, above all else. Most people stay within the safety of the box and they will tell you not to take risks. But if you believe in your abilities and your pursuit and don’t let them convince you to stop, that’s the very definition of success. Read more>>

Varya Bazalev

In a world driven by financial gain, success in running a small business or creative endeavor is often defined by markers of commercial profitability. So, I don’t have the credibility to weigh in on what it takes to be the most financially successful, but I do think there are things I can say about reaching success. In terms of photography, I think the most important avenue to authentic success is having a clear understanding of yourself, your art, and the legacy you want leave behind. I believe that to be successful in this line of work, you have to understand and love the people in front of your lens. Read more>>