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.

Lauren Lewis

Success means different things to different people—whether it’s owning a big house and a luxury car, or enjoying a more flexible schedule with fewer material possessions. Personally, I align more with the latter. I believe that success not only requires hard work and sacrifice, but also the ability to build meaningful relationships. Networking can be stressful, but it’s through these connections that I’ve cultivated long-term client relationships. Regardless of how you define success, it also demands adaptability, discipline, and resilience. In any journey, you’ll often hear more “no’s” than “yes’s,” but the key is to take those setbacks in stride and keep moving forward—or pivot when necessary—to reach your ultimate goal of success. Read more>>

Emily Fay

Success as an entrepreneur, especially in creative industries like photography, requires an intricate balance of vision, resilience, adaptability, and consistency. It’s not just about having talent or skills; it’s about creating systems that allow you to grow, thrive, and overcome inevitable challenges. Markets change, trends evolve, and so must you. When I noticed a shift toward video content on social platforms, I invested in learning videography even though it wasn’t initially in my comfort zone. That pivot not only expanded my service offerings but also made me a go-to resource for clients needing both stills and dynamic video content. Read more>>

Mahsa Monshizadegan

Thank you for reaching out and for the opportunity to be featured in CanvasRebel. I am excited to share my thoughts and experiences with your readers.

Success, as far as my view is concerned, is deeply set in the belief in its attainment. You got to be confident and believe in yourself, whatever you are doing, be it law or any other professions. Without that, it will be pretty tough to keep up with the motivating force for growth. Read more>>

Bryant Smith

Success requires having clear goals and a defined vision of what you want to achieve. It takes consistency and discipline to put in the work daily, even when motivation fades. What are you willing to put in to be successful? Adaptability is crucial, as you need to be open to change and willing to learn from setbacks. Passion and drive fuel persistence, helping you push through challenges, while resilience allows you to bounce back from failures and maintain focus. Hard work, combined with working smart and prioritizing effectively, amplifies results. Strong relationships play a key role, as a supportive network can open doors and provide guidance. Read more>>

Kyle Muha

Success means different things to different people, depending on who you ask. For me, I believe true success comes from loving what you do, staying inspired, and constantly striving to improve. Those are the key ingredients, in my opinion. At the end of the day, if I’m doing what I love and can support myself, that’s what I consider being successful. Read more>>

Marc Chodera

In our experience, entrepreneurial success hinges on identifying the right “formula” and then executing that with the highest levels of consistency and commitment. For Global Table, which combines small event fine dining with the sale of collectibles for home and table, that formula is: Authenticity + Quality + Value. Read more>>

Tamara Watford

When I’m asked what does it take to be successful? I always state; success can be measured in different ways. For me, success isn’t in the American Dream but in my dream to set great examples as a hardworking God fearing human being! It’s not the $300,000 home I live in but it’s the endurance my husband and I have to push forth everyday to be able to keep and maintain that home. The wisdom I used to marry the right mate that would uphold these same values for life. It’s not the cars we own but the knowledge we possess to be smart enough to obtain those vehicles within our means. Me and my husband like old skool cars, so I’m wise enough to know that if I don’t over spend or live outside my budget I can obtain several cars that I like etc. Read more>>

Annabella Tessier

Success, to me, is about passion, courage, and embracing vulnerability. It’s not about avoiding failure but learning to see it as a stepping stone. Passion gives you purpose, vulnerability keeps you authentic, and facing failure head-on builds resilience. Facing failure is the hardest part, but it’s also where the greatest lessons live. Every misstep or setback is a chance to refine your skills and prove to yourself just how much you’re capable of. Success is rarely linear, it’s often messy, unpredictable, and full of challenges. But if you have the courage to embrace those challenges and keep moving forward, you’ll find that each stumble makes you stronger, and each risk brings you closer to the person you’re meant to be. Ultimately, success isn’t a destination. It’s a journey of continually showing up for yourself and the things you care about. Read more>>

Aijah Greer

I believe success is rooted in three key qualities: consistency, adaptability, and a genuine passion for what you do. Consistency builds trust and credibility over time, while adaptability allows you to navigate challenges and stay relevant in a fast-changing world. Passion, however, is what keeps you going when the work gets hard—it fuels creativity and gives your efforts purpose. Read more>>

Khadija Ashurova Bellio

Success requires discipline, consistency, and a clear sense of purpose. To me, it’s about setting goals and taking the necessary steps to achieve them, no matter how small those steps might seem at first. Staying organized and proactive is key whether it’s managing your time, staying on top of tasks, or ensuring financial responsibilities are met. Read more>>

Ruby Shanahan

Success is so varied in its meaning and incredibly subjective. Success can be the completion or achieving of anything you sought out to do even if it isn’t financially prosperous or exactly as imagined. I find I feel the most successful when I’ve done something fulfilling, regardless of the outcome, trying and doing is a success in itself. Getting rid of the compare and despair mentality is difficult and vital. I often compare my creative pursuits and level of success to others, as easy as it is to recognize the harm in that, it’s a hard loop to escape. I would say to define success for yourself in a very personal way, not to define it as what it may look like on someone else; if you’re doing something that makes you content you’ve achieved success. Read more>>

Latoya Moore

Achieving success requires a commitment to hard work and dedication, along with perseverance through both challenges and triumphs. It is essential to learn from failures and mistakes, using those experiences ads stepping stones to continue progressing towards your goals. Read more>>

Megan Spencer

Honestly, if you want to be successful. You need to BELIEVE you are already successful. You need to visualize yourself where you want to be. Want to grow to 10k followers on tiktok? You need to picture that in your head every day. You want to earn 5 figures a month? Visualize your bank account with 5 figures. If you aren’t a visual person, write down your goals. Once things are tangible.. it’s easier to reach those goals. Read more>>

Dr. Christina Hodel

Success, to me, is a combination of commitment, resilience, vision, and kindness. More than having a dream, success comes with grit and determination. While many say you need a passion for success, I agree, but passion only sparks flames; it’s a commitment that keeps it burning. Whether it was while finishing my Ph.D., directing a feature-length documentary, or earning my black belt in karate, there were days I wanted to give up. But I didn’t, because I know that progress isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about facing yourself with strict eyes and consistently putting one foot in front of the other. Read more>>

Amber Hicks

In my opinion, success comes down to showing up consistently, staying flexible, and staying true to what matters to you. It’s easy to get caught up in things like money, followers, or recognition, but for me, success is more about growing, staying passionate, and making a meaningful impact. Read more>>

Joy Rowland

For a long time, I believed that success was something elusive, gifted only to a lucky few. Growing up, it felt like the people who “made it” were simply in the right place at the right time. It wasn’t until I began my own entrepreneurial journey that I realized success is far less about luck and far more about the inner stories we tell ourselves about money, wealth, and worth. Read more>>

Matt Wahlstrom

I think the foundation of success starts with self-belief. Once you have that, the second component is discipline and consistency. Along the path to success, you will likely encounter many challenges, and your ability to navigate challenges, obstacles, and failures is 99% of what ultimately helps you evolve into a successful person. Much of my philosophy on this developed from reading the inspiring stories of some of the world’s greatest and most successful people. That is what ultimately helped shape my belief system around this. Read more>>

Bethany Forest

By the time I created GloHo Photography, I had created, managed and run four other businesses. My experience being an entrepreneur really prepared me for building a photography business. Our main focus is real estate photography, in which I was formally trained, and with a background in Interior Design, it’s a great fit. Read more>>