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.

Roxanne Griffith

I feel to be successful you need to be open to new opportunities because you’ll never know where they may lead, but also intentional with what you say yes to. When I produce short films, I chose the projects based on the director and script in the hope that it may lead to more projects down the road and will lead to a successful collaboration. You also never know where your next job may come from. I produced one short film and the cinematographer from that film recommended me to another short she was on, where I had a great collaboration with the director and we continue to collaborate to this day. From experiences like that, I learned that I never know where my next opportunity may come from and try to be open to as many interesting projects as possible. Read more>>

Robby Bristol

I think success is birthed from a mindset. You have to first truly believe in your head that you will be successful, but you also need to define what success means to you. Is it money? Is it fame and notoriety? Or is it just finding contentment and happiness in life? Once you have a clear definition and a goal set, then it’s all about dedication and consistency. People tend to stress motivation a lot but motivation comes and goes. Still grinding when the motivation to do so isn’t there is the real moneymaker. That’s dedication and consistency. Read more>>

Yvonne Victor

As a Life + Business Coach, I’m privileged to have the opportunity to guide people on their success journey! I get a front-row seat into the lives of those who seek success on their terms, and from this vantage point, I’ve noticed three similarities in those who achieve their goal: Read more>>

Giovanni Centurione

I believe what it takes to be successful is to dare to be think outside the box and be unique. It’s great to get ideas but have your own take on it. For instance, I’m the only local streetwear in Buffalo that does NOT do buy or trade. I don’t want to risk having a knock off and or stolen item/s in my store. I only buy directly from the designers. Read more>>

Kevie Haymore

I think being successful in an industry that I am in is all based on client relationships. I have multiple years of experience doing lash extensions. I am holding 2 sharp sets of tweezers in my hand, along with a strong adhesive. A lot can go wrong if you arent experienced. I have witnessed firsthand how inexperienced lash artists can damage a clients natural lashes. My clients trust me and my knowledge to give them the perfect set of lashes. Read more>>

Mici

I come from humble beginnings: a big family with hardworking parents who taught me resilience. But my journey took an unexpected turn at just 10 years old when a horseback riding accident changed everything. After being dragged down a rural road by a spooked horse, my body was battered, my head repeatedly struck the ground, and my life was forever altered. The doctors told my parents I’d recover physically—but academically, my struggle had only begun. I had to relearn how to read at 10 years old, and words became both my greatest challenge and my most important teacher. Read more>>

Kristi Täht

Achieving success requires a combination of consistency, resilience, and adaptability. Consistency is essential because meaningful progress is made through sustained effort over time. Success is rarely the result of a single action but rather the accumulation of small, disciplined steps taken every day. Equally important is resilience—the ability to persevere through challenges, setbacks, and failures without losing sight of the ultimate goal. No worthwhile achievement comes without obstacles, and those who succeed are often the ones who refuse to give up. Read more>>

Myeka Johnson

Success takes time. Even though I’ve been a CEO majority of my life and career, most major things happened years after implementing the idea. I knew I wanted to be a CEO at age fourteen without even knowing what CEO or Entrepreneur meant. What makes me successful today is I never stopped. Even when I didn’t know or understand something. I studied, asked questions, tried and failed. Time is wealth. Success is time. Read more>>

Marielle

Success as an entrepreneur isn’t about having a perfect plan from the start—it’s about adaptability, persistence, and passion. When I started Aquamermaid, I didn’t have a blueprint for turning mermaid swimming into a full-time business. But I knew two things: I was passionate about it, and I was willing to figure it out as I went. Read more>>

Alex Lazarchik

If you want to be successful in anything you do, it’s so important to have discipline. Don’t wait to be motivated or blame inconsistency on lack of motivation. You must be disciplined to know when you need to do the work and why you’re doing what you’re doing. I watched a Ted Talk on confidence, and the speaker said, “Confident people keep promises to themselves.” This goes hand in hand with discipline. Discipline will teach you to keep promises to yourself and boost your confidence, both which I believe are essential for success. Read more>>

Kentrell Jackson

What does it take to be successful? To be successful, you have to first and foremost get a good perspective on life. Life can be complicated with many trials, tribulations, and unforeseen circumstances. One thing in life based on my experience is that you always can count on adversity to become either your weakness or your tool to build your faith. Read more>>

Brianna Merschoff

Success in my business means helping my customers succeed. I think it takes confidence in your own strategies and work. Also, understanding what the client needs. Understanding that their time is money, as well as mine. Clients hire me to take a load off their backs, them always thinking about how they could be doing more. I make short form contact for their social media. Social media is the new business cards, understanding social media trends and algorithm also to me, is being successful. It takes creativity and skill. Lastly, I would definitely say you need consistency to be successful. Consistency following up with current clients, marketing to new clients, and updating your own business/social media to keep up with the fast moving trends. Read more>>

Mariah Sargeant

I think it takes a huge amount of courage to take that leap to start, and after you take that leap its more about how much grit and determination you have. How far are you willing to go and what are you willing to sacrifice for what you are trying to build. You have to be willing to go all in, to give up so much, but if you love what you do, its 100% worth it. Read more>>

Arianna Salandy

Success in the film industry, particularly for roles like producer, assistant director (AD), and editor, involves navigating a complex web of variables. One of the most critical aspects of success in these roles is having the courage to voice your opinions and take charge when necessary. Many individuals on set tend to defer to their directors or producers, often out of fear or uncertainty about how their input will be received. However, being proactive and assertive can lead to more efficient problem-solving and innovation on set. While it’s crucial to take charge, it’s equally important to foster a collaborative environment. Read more>>

Summer Young

I have a very simple formula that I believe works if you want success in anything. People like to use the word luck when opportunities face you but the formula for luck is opportunity x preparedness. If you have a dream that you want to accomplish, all you have to do is become who you have to be to fit that role or lifestyle and then the universe will work it out.. becoming who you have to be is a part of preparation for the next phase in your life so if you beat it before you become it then becoming, it is inevitable with hard work and dedication as long as you stick to something it’s impossible to fail. And even if failing is a potential possibility, you have to be almost delusional in ignoring that that’s an option. Read more>>

Brittany G

To be successful (from my personal experience) it has taken God, prayer, dedication, hard work, a team and consistency.
I wouldn’t be where I am now without those things! Read more>>

Jasmine Wright

“What does it take to be successful?”, I think there is a misconception these days about success. That you have to “get lucky” or “Strike Gold”. That if you try enough things that something has to stick and be your lottery ticket to success, but that just simply isn’t the case. At least in my experience in my own life and the lives of other entrepreneurs I know, As a kid I grew up very poor…its funny because I didn’t realize how poor we were until I got older. But we were visiting our local food pantry often, had our electric turned off many times etc.. To give some more context, my mom was a single mom. Read more>>

Tracey Lucke

When asked about our success, we always point the finger at God. We would not be here today without His will and mercy. With that being said, your personal drive is just as important. Starting a business is not for the weak, there are many long nights, even longer days, problems to work through, employees to manage, social media to keep up with, and the list goes on and on. You can’t slack in any of the areas because all are equally important. While the work can be tiresome at times, it is always so worth it to see what you created grow. Read more>>

Morgan Eseke

I believe success results from small steps of faithfulness in the right direction. I used to measure success by my performance – grades in grad school, the title on my resume, or the number in my bank account, but motherhood has changed my perspective for the better. Read more>>

Jamila Riley

There are two main keys to be successful in my book: A relationship with God and confidence in who you are! Faith is the building block for everything that I have accomplished not just in my business, but in my life in general. Whether I’m dealing with my husband, children, and family or customers/strangers…even in dealing with self (actually, especially in dealing with self), I take my cues from God on what steps I should take next…what words I should say next. Every decision that I make is filtered through my lens of faith and with this strategy, I have been most successful. This is also true of countless individuals that I have spoken to over the years in terms of their individual success. Read more>>

Amy Haehl

To be a successful newborn photographer, you need to be deeply driven and passionate about both photography and the type of images you create. Aspiring photographers and parents often ask me how I have the patience it takes to photograph newborns and I always tell them you have to absolutely LOVE it or it just won’t work. If you don’t love it and it’s not your passion, babies can sense it and you will constantly find yourself struggling to photograph them. I know it sounds crazy but it’s true. It’s also not just about taking pictures; it’s about crafting moments that will be cherished for a lifetime. Read more>>

Rina Palma

Success, for me, is not just about material achievements or accolades—it’s about having peace of mind, the time to truly enjoy life, and the ability to complete my goals in a timely and meaningful way. It’s about feeling fulfilled, not overwhelmed. Being able to breathe deeply, knowing I’m moving forward at a pace that respects both my ambition and my well-being. Read more>>

Alli Zenger

I think being successful means staying deeply aligned with your purpose while staying flexible in your process. For me, that looks like being intentional and creative—whether I’m designing a space that helps people feel calm and connected, or building a brand that brings people together over beautiful food. It’s about showing up consistently, even when things are uncertain, and being willing to pivot without losing sight of the bigger picture. Read more>>

Angel Smalls

When dealing with everyday life and individuals it is important to take into consideration others and how they may be feeling. This is the first step in the business world that can help lead to your success, this allows individuals to know that you are not only in it for the money but also for their satisfaction. When my customers approach my entrance I make sure that they are greeted and feel welcomed, this help them begin to feel relaxed. While they are having the experience of admiring the items I kindly asked if there is anything you can help with to let them know that they are not being ignored. Its ok to always share a smile and even if they don’t purchase anything still let them know they are appreciated and ask for any suggestions of what they would like to see you have on hand. Read more>>