Every overnight success we’ve seen has been years in the making. And those overnight successes are rarely because of an amazing idea or a stroke of luck. We asked some of our favorite folks from the community about what characteristics are at the heart of their success story?

Bruno Nakano | aka. Studio Mano – Designer & Ceramic Maker

I started my ceramics journey without any specific goals or aspirations. It was simply a creative outlet outside of my day-job, and anything beyond that was already a success for me. Ceramics is a labor of love, and the process itself brings me a sense of purpose. When I see others enjoying my pieces, it only adds to that joy and reinforces the reasons why I work with clay. Read more>>

Xinyu Ciao” Zhao | Film Producer”

If I have to pick one word, it’d be perseverance. The birth of any successful project is filled with rejections and denials, and the first lesson I learnt is to never let myself get defeated. As a documentary producer, I used to send hundreds of emails and DMs a day, hoping to get just one or two people who’re willing to trust me with their stories. When I started producing my first narrative short, I once called fifteen auto-dismantlers all around LA in one day just to find the perfect filming location. Read more>>

Robin Wang | Film Director & Producer

I am a film director and producer who focuses on creative leadership in the making of socially relevant, culturally authentic, and financially successful films. I was born in China, attended high school in Singapore, and graduated from college in the U.S.. My background as a world traveler has cultivated a taste in me for stories about diverse cultures. Read more>>

Shadrack SHADDY” Oppong | Professional Performing and Recording Drummer”

Perseverance! I believe my life alone represents or interprets the true meaning of the word, “perseverance”. In my career thus far, I have always pushed myself to go beyond the limit with what I do. If you believe in a course, nothing should stop you from actualizing it regardless of the circumstances. I fix my eyes on a particular thing and apply every resource I have within my means to achieve it. Read more>>

Moody Bank$ | Singer, Songwriter, & Multitalented Creative.

The most important factor behind my success is being myself, and trusting my vision. In the music industry it’s extremely important to have enough confidence in yourself to know that what you’re doing will be successful. A lot of people will try to persuade you into veering into their vision, and if you’re not confident in yourself you could easily become something that you never intended to be. Read more>>

Dr. Joseph (Dr. Joe) Shrand | Triple Board Certified in Adult Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine

WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING I believe everyone wants to feel valuable. Think about every person you have ever met. Think about yourself. On some level we all want the same thing: to simply feel valued by somebody else. Human beings have spent millennia increasing their value by decreasing someone else’s, and are then astonished that the other person, group, culture, country does the same. This is why we have the conflict we have in our world today. Read more>>

Lena Bahrs | Producer & Head of Studio Operations

Success comes naturally when you follow your passion. I love what I do and all those creative people I work with. The people who chose to work in the film industry are driven by a strong creative vision, passion of their art and their love for making movies. So am I. I feel honored to have worked alongside creative minds responsible for globally recognized shows like Game of Thrones or Stranger Things, and film legends like Ridley Scott, Michael, Bay, Zack Snyder, Seth MacFarlane and Roland Emmerich, just to name a few. Read more>>

Sylvia & Javier Cruz | Owners

The most important factor behind our success is faith, dedication, professionalism and willingness to take risks. We pride ourselves that with God by our side anything is possible. We dedicate our time in every item that enters our inventory. We view products and think would our clients like this and enjoy it? We are 100% professional when communicating with our clients from start to finish yet it feels like we’ve known them forever. Read more>>

Melanie Tirado | Producer

First and foremost, I want to take this moment to thank Mike Bhand and the staff of ShoutOut LA for this opportunity. Let’s dive into it! I contribute my career successes, to being motivated and determined, to see the end results of my creative endeavors. I attribute these factors to my childhood. My parents are artistic individuals. Music was prominent in my development of ideas and self expression. My fascination with storytelling and the technical aspects (provided with film) have been where my true strengths lay. Read more>>

Yuri Williams | Founder of AFutureSuperHero And Friends

I think our nonprofit has been very successful because people have seen the work that we do in the community and across the 50 STATES. Read more>>

Pat Moon | Singer, guitarist, and songwriter of Shotty

The most important factor behind my success has been learning to listen to my heart, and to hear when it’s telling me whether I like, love, fear, or am bored by something. There are always decisions to make, from choosing the next note to play, to planning the band’s path forward for the next few months. The next song I write can be anything, the next fun video we make can be anything, the next words I send to my fans can be anything. With these decisions come conflicting messages. I try hard to listen to my own feelings about the messages I receive. Read more>>

Caira Mbelu | BBQ Business Owner, Mom & Wife

Our most important factor behind our success is God. We hold ourselves to a high standard and don’t aim to overcharge or “get one over” on anybody. We pride ourselves on good food, great prices and amazing service. Read more>>

Giovanni Lodigiani | Composer, Producer, Director, Computer Graphic

Have continuous pleasure in doing what my professional choice requires. It’s not just fun. It’s something you need to realize as early as possible in life. Acknowledge what you really feel you don’t get tired of. Cultivate the satisfaction that the discovery of new techniques brings. Obviously also having fun. In fact, when the best ideas arrive, you can go on creating for hours in a sort of suspension of time. Read more>>

Louis Polo | Digital Content Creator & Brand Strategist

The most important factor behind my brand’s success is persistence. As a leader, understand that digital brands are met with rapid changes and that certain digital climates require one to be extremely consistent. Simultaneously, an equally important factor is knowing your brand’s integrity. Read more>>