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?

Alex Tafreshi | Director of Photography

I have always found that having an honest and personable relationship with my clients has been the best way to maintain a healthy and trusted client base that continues to come back for more projects. Now, I certainly work hard to provide my clients with the best product possible, by leveraging my equipment, my network, and my reliability to offer them a streamlined process, but above those important aspects, the relationship I have and the way that I communicate with the companies and individuals who seek my services is the lasting element that I would say keeps my calendar full with projects that I, in turn, can enjoy working on. Read more>>

Peter Miller | Realtor

I began my real estate career with the thought of doing things the right way and not staying focused on what was good for me. We are all about quality care, loyalty, and staying focused on serving our clients what is best for them. Too often, realtors are focused on what they are going to get out of a deal, usually a very nice commission check, but for my team, The Partners, it truly is about doing “Real Estate…The Way It Should Be!” which is our trademarked tag line. Read more>>

Striz | DJ & Music Producer

The most important factor behind my success as a DJ and producer is my mindset; I do this because I love it and I do this because I have fun. In the end of the day, if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, why are you doing it? This may seem overly simplistic but it translates in many ways to what I do and has helped push me towards success. My love for music and DJing is what inspires me to work hard and level up in my career. Read more>>

Cate Tomlinson | Artist & Songwriter

Drive and confidence. When I was 17, I realized if I didn’t try to make career as an artist I would regret it for rest of my life, so I started trying. I had a very clear vision of what kind of person/artist I wanted to become, but I knew I needed a couple of years to grow into myself, my voice, and better my songwriting. I believed in myself before anyone else did (or should have), and since I turned 17 I have dedicated myself to improving my craft and strengthening my confidence. Read more>>

Jill Stowell | Author; Speaker; Founder, Stowell Learning Centers

I knew nothing about “Unique Selling Proposition” when I started my business, but I did believe that there had to be answers – real and permanent solutions – for bright students who struggled in school. I didn’t realize that this was such a radical idea, it just made sense. Why should bright capable kids spend their lives accepting less and struggling through with accommodations and work-arounds? I just needed to find the answers. Read more>>

Caiqin (Jennifer) Zhan | Producer

I’m thrilled to open up about my journey as a producer with SHOUTOUT LA, and excited to share that I will be the Jury Delegate for the 9th Edition of the Asian World Film Festival where I will work with a group of top-notched Hollywood filmmakers and internationally-acclaimed filmmakers. The film industry is always a challenging place for female filmmakers, and it gets more formidable for producers who need to balance creative merits and commercial pragmatism. Read more>>

Ariel Nunez | Luxury Wedding Photographer

I invest in myself and never ever settle for “good enough.” Being content with being meh, mediocre, good enough will forever hold you back from excellence. I strive to be the best at everything I do. Achieving excellence is not without sacrifice though. It’s expensive and time-consuming, but will come back to you 100 fold in the long run. Over the course of my business, I’ve invested in MANY courses and training—everything from how to find the best natural light, to portfolio curation, to money mindset, to SEO. All have been equally as important. Read more>>

Francisco, Branden Sandoval, Vasquez | President and CEO of Famous DJ Agency

The most important factor behind our success is care for our clients. We provide only the best quality of service to our clients in each event. The client deserves a quality DJ. Each DJ in our team has the ability to provide the best service. We train our DJs to be up to Famous DJ standard. Read more>>