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.

Caren Leonard

Success as an entrepreneur is about three things: resilience, authenticity, and a willingness to learn and adapt. It’s not just about having a vision—it’s about staying true to that vision when challenges arise while also being flexible enough to pivot when necessary. Read more>>

Pam Walden

It’s a cliche, but for a reason… “Success is just the result of failing many times”. I think the biggest asset anyone can have, be it a small business owner, a creative, or whatever, is resilience, the ability to get back up and brush yourself off each time you’re knocked down. Facing adversity and challenges is a given. The variable is how you react to them. Do you turn challenges to your advantage? Do you learn from failures? Do you adapt and grow each time? Read more>>

Rebecca Yarnall

When it comes to success, I personally believe it’s going to look different for everyone but it all comes down to how badly you want to see a goal in your mind become real. It also comes down to how easily you bend when you need to.

We desire things all the time but only certain things stand out enough to draw motivation. In my experience, the things that have created the most motivation out of me were the things that also created a little bit of fear. The thought of achieving something scary sounds liberating beyond belief but it’s also incredibly terrifying knowing the failures we face, have just as much of a capability to define us as much as the successes do.  Read more>>

Becky Budhoo

True success, means incorporating a blend of discipline, vision, resilience, and having a willingness to constantly learn. So often people focus on just reaching the goal; it’s about the overall journey, the growth, and the values upheld along the way. I developed my view by running my business and going through the ups and downs, and learning from each mistake. Here is what I have learned so far on what it takes to be successful: Read more>>

Bruce Nicholson

I believe success is a variation of completing small tasks consistently. Alot of times we can get caught in the tides of comparison, looking at what others are doing and not paying attention to how far we’ve come. Celebrating the big wins in business is great but true success comes from the consistent ability to hit your target/goal over and over again regardless how big or small they may seem. Read more>>

Mary Arakawa

Success is shaped by the situation and circumstances we face. In my career, success has sometimes meant pioneering new initiatives or finding solutions where others have struggled. Other times, it has involved recognizing the boundaries of my control and knowing when to step back. Read more>>

Linne Marsh

The first step to being successful is defining it. What does success look like for you? Reaching the pinnacle of a goal is a very personal matter. If we rely on the strict definition of “success” as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose, we are left with the responsibility of defining the aim and purpose. Read more>>

Mahmoud Hasan

I think success comes down to balance—aligning your purpose, building profit through sustainable systems, and leaving room for play. It’s really about creating a business that scales without burning you out. Hustle culture might get you some results early on, but it’s just not sustainable in the long run. Read more>>

Jw Stafford

I think in order to be successful you first need one thing: your definition of what success is. I do caution anyone that is striving for happiness along with success to not measure their own vision of what being successful truly is by what you see on television or social media. Mark Twain once said that “comparison is the death of joy” and I couldn’t agree more.  Read more>>

Kiondra Monee

success comes down to three key elements: Dedication, Resilience, and Authenticity.Acting is a craft that demands constant growth and a deep commitment to honing your skills. You have to be willing to fail, learn, and push forward—no matter how many “no’s” you hear. Read more>>

Kyree Thames

Being successful can mean many things but to me, I feel like you become successful when you achieve peace during your own journey. You’ll deal with challenges, hardships and lessons but that is what makes you and learning how to overcome those obstacles creates that healthy version of you. There is also principles that leads you into living through life as comfortable as possible. I used to live with this mindset of feeling worried if I didn’t make it NOW and try to0 hard to get what I want but prioritizing the wrong things. That doesn’t mean I turned into this perfect person at the end, that’ll never happen, but I wanted to reach that perfect version of myself as soon as possible where I was focused on the finish line and not the steps to get to that point. Read more>>

Maelin Bereal

To begin with, success isn’t defined by how much money you have, nor by how many people know your name. Success is defined by your walk with GOD and your obedience to HIS call.

When you are in alignment with HIS will, live your life for HIM, and finally receive your reward—a “Crown of Life”—THAT is true success. Read more>>

Ilona Aubert

First of all, I think the most important thing is to believe in yourself. I know it can sound cheesy and we’ve all heard it before, but when you think about it, hard work, discipline, actions, prospection, and passion won’t get you anywhere if you don’t believe in yourself and your project, because it won’t be sustainable. You need to feel this sensation inside of you so deeply that nothing can blow that flame away. You can work hard every day and put all the actions in place, but if you don’t believe, first, people won’t believe in you and you won’t be convincing. Read more>>

Josette Gastonguay

That’s a big question and the truth is that success means different things to different people so obtaining it can be subjective, and while you could probably do an internet search and find all the usual keys to success, these are what I have found most helpful on my own journey. Sometimes experience truly is the best teacher. Read more>>

Haley Knaub

I think success comes down to staying consistent and keeping focused on the long game. It’s not about overnight wins or quick fixes—it’s about showing up, day after day, even when things get hard. Growing Elevate has been a lot like cultivating mushrooms—it requires patience, care, and intention at every step. Read more>>

Shiyu (cathy) Zhao

For me, success is creating meaningful films. It’s not just about producing something visually or technically impressive but about telling stories that resonate, challenge perspectives, and make people think. I believe filmmaking is one of the most powerful ways to capture the complexities of life, reveal hidden truths, and give voice to those who are often unheard. Read more>>

Pia Jasmin Stehle

Success means for me, doing what I love. I am sure, when you don’t like what you are doing it is not possible to be successful.
Our mission is to help thousands of women to feel more beautiful every single day. How can someone not love that? But it is not always easy so lead a team and to be successful, I am a mother of two boys and with my husband we build a family, but there is a second family – our team. Stay together on a long term base and daily remind ourselves in doing our best for our mission is a huge task. I am convinced that everything we do needs to be a part of our why. Read more>>

Anna Frenkel

To be successful, you need to remember a few things. First, you represent yourself and your brand, impacting how others perceive you. So you need to think about how you are doing this. In the photography industry, the second you walk onto a shoot, the client is observing how you act, how you command a room, and how you are making them feel. My clients always tell me how they appreciate how patient I am. It’s not only about your photos, it’s about how you act during the initial photo shoot. Read more>>

Lily O’dell

To be successful as an artist I think it takes so much passion, consistency, networking, and a clear sense of your goal. Consistency is super important, especially as an artist. It can be very hard to stay consistent when we go through creative blocks, lack the resources we need, or just don’t have the money to invest into projects. Which is something most artists go through. All we can do is learn to work with what we have and continue to put out our art and not care about anyone’s perception, even your own. Networking is also something huge that every single one of us has access to. Word of mouth is something that I’ve seen help so many businesses, and has helped me tremendously. Read more>>

Brittney Poole

I believe that to be successful, it takes the right mindset and attitude in how you act in both your work and personal life. Whether it’s long-term goals or small everyday tasks, approaching everything with a positive outlook and open mind allows a person to successfully maneuver through even the most difficult challenges of life. I also believe that having a community to support you in your endeavors significantly helps in being successful. Read more>>

Earl Flormata

Success? Oh, that’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Honestly, success isn’t rocket science—it’s more like assembling IKEA furniture without the manual. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but there are a few universal truths to keep in mind. Read more>>

Courtney Eagle

Success in the luxury bridal makeup industry is built on a combination of talent, passion, and a relentless commitment to delivering excellence every single time. However, it’s also about creating a truly memorable experience for each client. In my experience, the emotional and personal connections I form with brides are just as important as the technical skill behind the makeup. When a bride feels beautiful, confident, and heard, that’s when the magic happens—and that’s what makes my job so rewarding. Read more>>

Elissa Piszel

Passion, Luck, Charisma, Relationships, Patience, Adaptability, Work Ethic Emotional Depth, Strong Sense-Belief and Marketing Skills. Some performers have instant success and become celebrities, Many actors have non-linear careers that lead to unpredictable paths and have to develop a strong sense of self and have to get another job to support themselves. All of these qualities that I’ve listed above served me to get to where I am now. Premiering in an upcoming Netflix TV Mini Series with Julianne Moore, working with Andre De Shields, Director Robert Sweeting Jr. and Producer Pete Dorton in the film The Entertainer and writing my next screenplay for the feature “Behind The Steam”. Read more>>

Andrea Vanden Top

To be successful, it’s more than about how much money you make or by how busy you are. Being successful is being honest with your clients, showing up on time and doing your best to get the job done, having good communication, making your clients feel comfortable, happy, etc. I want them to feel like every penny they spent for my services was worth it. I have been very fortunate in my business, and all of my thanks goes to God first and foremost, and to my clients who have supported me along the way. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. Read more>>

Jill Nowak

To be successful, I think you need a combination of hard work, a little luck, good timing but most importantly a passion for what you want to achieve. Read more>>