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.

Lisa Nicole Wilkerson

I believe that being successful begins with defining what success is for oneself. Then, as one measures her/his life events against that definition, it is easier to gauge whether s/he is hitting the mark. In the seventh grade, a classmate asked me what my definition of success was. After pondering his question for a moment, I answered by saying, “To look back over your life and to not regret anything.” That definition still holds true for me. To look back and not regret requires me to do three basic things: Read more>>

Joshua Fields

Success, to me, isn’t about the title on your business card, the size of your paycheck, or how many people are clapping for you. Sure, those things can look good on the surface, but real success is deeper than that. It’s about living in alignment with your values, showing up as your authentic self, and building a life that feels meaningful and fulfilling—not just impressive. Read more>>

Yao Cheng

To be successful, I think, first takes asking yourself what is your own truest voice and creative passion. What drives you to jump out of bed or dance in your seat? What makes you feel that internal satisfaction that has nothing to do with money but with making some difference in the world that matters to you? For me, it is my desire to share with others the power of art. It is being able to make people feel the joy art brings to me through color and brush strokes. The visual language is a universal one- it transcends our geographies and cultures. Being able to move someone with my work brings me a gratification that money cannot.  Read more>>

Becca Greenberg

Success in photography, like in any creative field, is a combination of understanding your customers’ needs, being flexible, having compassion, and trusting yourself to do what you’re good at. When I first started, I had no clients, no portfolio, and no reputation. But I had a deep belief in my skills, even if they were still developing. In the beginning, I worked with friends and family—people who believed in me, even when I wasn’t fully confident in myself. These early projects were crucial because they helped me understand what clients were really looking for. It’s not just about taking a good photo; it’s about connecting with people, understanding their vision, and translating that into an image that resonates with them. Those experiences taught me an important lesson: being flexible and compassionate is just as important as technical skill. People want to feel comfortable and understood. You need to listen, adapt, and sometimes go above and beyond to make sure the experience is just as great as the final product. Read more>>

Lauren Way

Success, to me, embodies persistence, adaptability, and authenticity. It’s not merely about setting goals but also about navigating challenges, learning to pivot, and staying true to your vision. True success means pursuing your own dreams without allowing others’ expectations to overshadow your beliefs and aspirations. I also believe that the ultimate level of success is achieved when one can empower others by sharing the blueprint of their own achievements. By guiding and supporting others on their journeys. Ultimately, my goal is to leave a legacy that inspires others to pursue their dreams with faith, persistence, and good intentions. In a world where shortcuts are often glorified, I strive to be a living testament to the power of integrity and hard work. I want to show my siblings and anyone who needs it that with dedication and a clear purpose, success is attainable. Read more>>

Mid Official

For me personally. I think it takes belief in God first and foremost. Followed by belief in yourself, and belief that god gave you your certain gifts, talents, and attributes for a reason. You also have to have faith, and the courage to pursue your dreams and goals. I don’t feel that you should do them part-time. I feel that if you have the chance, you should put your all into it, and go for it wholeheartedly. As people. We spend and have spent. So much time working for other people which was their dream, and by doing that, we help keep their dream alive. So why not put that same time and energy into your own endeavors? It’s not always easy, it does get frustrating, and you might have to sacrifice a lot of things. But I believe if you take this approach you will eventually become successful. Read more>>

David Myers

I used to think that creative success looked like this: -I write something -I share it with someone else -They say, “Oh wow. That’s genius. I’d like to make that.”  And then we move forward together into the beautiful future.  I lost years to this simplistic approach to creativity, to a process of endlessly sharing my hard work with people, and near-constant feelings of disappointment every time each individual didn’t offer to transform my life.  Read more>>

Nuoyan Guan

To succeed as a costume designer, a strong foundation in design skills is essential, complemented by a deep understanding of storytelling and character development. Costumes are not just visual elements; they help bring characters to life, reflecting their emotions, backgrounds, and journeys. Collaboration is key in this role, as designers work closely with directors, producers, and stage managers. Effective communication and adaptability are crucial, especially when faced with last-minute changes or tight deadlines. Read more>>

Prosper Ahaneku

Success means different things to different people, but there are some common qualities and actions that can make success more attainable like: Having clear vision and goals- knowing what you want and going for it no matter what. Being disciplined and staying consistent- working towards a set goal every day even when the motivation is not there. Hard work and perseverance- There’s no substitute for putting in effort, you have to push through challenges and difficulties to be successful Building strong relationships- Having strong relationships and building great networking can open certain doors to success. Read more>>

Eddie Mena

I believe to become successful there are several factors that need to be met but the most important thing to have is Heart. Yes as cheesy as it sounds heart to me is the self belief in yourself. No matter what industry you pursue, challenges will play out but to believe in yourself will give you the will power to learn, grow, evolve, and persevere through any obstacle. Now obstacles have many identities, it can be failures, blocks, setbacks, and almost anything you can think of. But success comes to those who adapt, and that leads me to another factors that’s important which is, Evolving aka adapting. This factor is huge because it shows that you do not maintain an ego. Your willingness to learn new things from others, experiences, or through research shows that you are able to adapt through eras, styles, collaborations and foundations. Read more>>

Shannon-Nicole Pring

I feel that success for everyone is dependent on how you want to define yourself and what legacy you’re going to leave behind. Especially as a very young female entrepreneur, it is a very competitive and cutthroat world with endless possibilities to explore. A promptness to act on ideas, creating a reputable rapport with your community, and originality in your personal brand that separates you from the rest are my top three tips to live by for my own success. However, I believe that, in order to reach that monumental win for me, it’s about having that “oh my god, I finally made it” moment. Read more>>

Shaneli Jain

Success is an arbitrary word that holds a different meaning for each individual. For some it means accomplishing a certain goal they have been dreaming of, being the best in a role (mother, father, daughter, etc.), or generating revenue year after year. For me, success is being able to be comfortable in my own skin and eliminating the line between work and life. Read more>>

Mary Lockrem

There are many things it takes to be successful but one is keeping your reputation clean as a whistle, and never thinking you are above anything or anyone. I believe in using my platform to help others. I also always keep in mind if others want to see me succeed, they will help me get there and that goes for me in lending a hand as well. Read more>>

Tk Lawyer

Success..Wow..That is one big, broad word that is interpreted in so many different ways by people. As an author, I believe each author also defines success differently with the overall goal of making it BIG somehow. One author might think becoming another Stephen King is within her reach and would make her successful while another author might just want to sell a book or two. A third author might just want to write on the side as a form of therapy or maybe to do something fun in between working a full-time job that might be draining to her personality. Success is multi-defined, and, like beauty, its definition is definitely in the eye of the beholder. Read more>>

Dequarius Nelson

To be successful, I believe it is important to believe in yourself, even when nobody else does. Additionally, having the drive and hunger to refine your skills whenever you can is essential. Read more>>

Lanaya Garrett

I think what it takes to be successful is consistently going after what you want. Achieving your dreams. Doing what makes you happy. Walking to the beat of your own drum. I did not start believing in that until I had to sit down with myself and ask the question, “LaNaya, are you doing this because it makes you happy and you are passionate about what you are doing? Or are you doing this to prove a point and make others happy?” I believe once I answered that question, I started moving how I wanted to move. For example, before starting my fragrance brand Novasi I was in college and working at a bunch of nursing homes. My major was Biology which was one of the most challenging things I ever did. However, I did it because I always had the dream of being in the medical field and making a difference in my community. I took it upon myself to always finish what I started. Read more>>

Chris Eboch Also Writing As Kris Bock

Many people want to write books. Even those who don’t want a career as authors may want to write a memoir or a novel. We hear success stories that make it sound fairly easy to become rich and famous, or at least middle-class with devoted readers. (TV shows like Castle and Murder She Wrote contribute to the idea that you write a book, someone pays you a lot of money for it, and life is great.) Read more>>

Gabrielle Piskorz

Creating something that matters with intention is, in my view, the essence of success. It’s about pouring thought and heart into everything you do—whether it’s a business, a project, or a relationship—so that it carries meaning not just for you, but for the people it touches. Read more>>

 

Nick Berry

If you expect to be successful at something, there are three ingredients that you have to bring: purpose, strategy, and agency. – Purpose is about knowing what truly matters to you and why you’re doing what you do. It’s not just about having goals. It’s about having clarity around your purpose so you don’t waste time chasing things that don’t align with it. When I was starting out in my design career, I used to say, “Even if it’s just one person, I want to make someone feel something through my work—the way other artists have made me feel through theirs.” That idea has stayed with me, shaping how I approach everything I create. Read more>>

Felicia Powell

Success means different things to different people, and as someone who recently decided to turn my vision board into a reality by transforming my passion for baking into a business, I am still defining what success looks like in this area. However, I can confidently claim success in my roles as a wife, mother, author, and public administrator. Read more>>

Furkan Tan

I think success is a combination of several factors: persistence, adaptability, learning from failure, and often a bit of luck. Each person’s journey is unique, but I believe these elements tend to show up in many success stories. Success is not usually about a single moment, but about the ability to navigate challenges and keep moving forward. Read more>>

Artur Klimov

As my teacher of Art said about success: “It takes 1% of talent and 99% of sweat.” I truly believed in this, first when I practiced at her classes, and second when I applied this rule to anything important in my life. Throughout my career , I saw how not talented but hardworking people became successful, and it empowered me to apply this model in times when I experienced a lack of motivation—those days when I didn’t see any or little result from my activity. I think that at least if you have 1 percent of talent and you love what you do, then you enjoy the process anyway no matter of what outcome you get time by time and eventually you’ll succeed. Read more>>

Maria Haegele

I think success looks different for everyone. To me, success in my business comes from having loyal and repeat customers who trust me enough to keep coming back. Like any business, I have slow months that keep me on edge. I have to constantly pivot and bring newness to keep my customers excited and wanting more. Success isn’t actually how much money I bring in. It starts with consistent social media post and engaging with customers online. When I find my business has hit a rut, it’s time to go back to the drawing board, pulling up stats from big profit months, and pivoting to bring the excitement back to my customer base. Read more>>

Alvis Pham

To be successful, I believe it takes a combination of passion, continuous improvement, and maintaining a sense of fun. In my experience as a wedding photographer, these elements are crucial not only for growth but for avoiding burnout, which is all too common in a demanding field like this one. Read more>>

Dan Frick

Being successful is about keeping it going when you feel like you’re making no progress, overcoming your own idleness. Being an independent artist in the music industry, things tend to move slowly and forward momentum sometimes can’t be seen immediately, but persistence is key. You have to set goals for yourself and keep at it until you meet those goals; be it booking live shows or festivals or writing a new record you always have to push to get to that next level. Read more>>