How success happens

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?

Britt & Shayne Benton | Photographers

The most important factor behind our success is that we are a husband and wife team. Our unwavering love and respect for each other extend seamlessly into our professional lives, setting the foundation for the success of our brand. Every job, big or small, holds equal importance, and our commitment to professionalism shines through in every project. Read more>>

ILU | Singer/Songwriter/Musician

The most important factor behind my art is staying true to myself. I create from places that I resonate with in the physical, mental, and emotional realm. When I create my art it comes from the desire to share my inner and outer world and it’s a bonus when my listeners/audience resonate or feel hear/seen through it. I think there is this trend in modern, popular music nowadays where the artist is speaking about topics or ideas that are recycled and emotionally detached because it is trendy or catchy and it diminishes the quality and true reason for art. I have always told myself it is important not to succumb to that pressure of creating for the sake of being trendy or catchy. My music will always be a product of my emotions and desire to express them. Read more>>

Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin | President & CEO at Parents Anonymous

The critical factor behind our success is that we are committed to keeping our promise to be there for parents and youth, no matter what. Through our 24/7 National Parent and Youth Helpline™ and through the Evidence-Based Weekly Parents Anonymous® groups and all our different programs offered, we are here to support. We make a promise not to blame or shame people, but instead offer to help in their personal empowerment journey. Read more>>

Jason Betts | CEO, Life Coach & LMFT

My parents…….I thank my parents for giving me everything I needed for my journey. The most impactful is purpose. Understanding my purpose in life is very powerful and important. Also, my dedication to do more for those who lack opportunities, hope, love, and support. Being passionate in your field is an amazing experience. My passion is my purpose. Read more>>

Maria Tornberg | Brand identity strategist & Headshot Photographer

My clients success is my success. My job is to help actors feel empowered to begin to see themselves as more than what they have allowed themselves to believe. Read more>>

Cam Brown | Wardrobe Stylist

The people I have met and the relationships I have maintained. I have been fortunate enough to surround myself with an uber talented, creative, and supportive circle of people who want nothing more than continued success for their friends. So much of this industry is based off of recommendations so having great people to put up for jobs, and having people advocate for you, is invaluable. Read more>>

Jessica Rodriguez | Physical Therapist & Nonprofit Executive Director/Founder

The most important factor at SNAP is our purpose. We provide aquatic services to children with disabilities, through aquatic therapy and recreational swim lessons. Our team strives to provide high quality service, to meet each child’s unique needs and parent goals. Our organization has three core values; teamwork, compassion and inclusion. SNAP staff are expected to demonstrate these values through their interactions with the clients and families we serve and while working with each other. By having tangible and clear expectations, our team can develop and grow in their careers, while representing our organizations core principles. Read more>>

Se Young Yim | Fine Artist & Sculptor

It’s because I’m confident in being international. I was born in South Korea, studied Japanese and fashion, and came to the United States, to New York City, to study art after graduating from college in South Korea. I’ve traveled to many countries, but I’d never been to study for an extended period of time, especially 14 hours away from my hometown by plane. Everything was new to me, and being a foreigner felt like a weakness, but now, after all these years, I feel that being a foreigner has actually helped me to work internationally. I am a visual artist and sculptor based in New York City, and my work has been exhibited in many internationally renowned venues, including London, UK; Berlin, Germany; Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, South Korea; and New York and Philadelphia, USA. I think the reason I have been able to exhibit in so many different countries is that I have lived as a foreigner, which has given me an intersectional and deep understanding of different cultures from both Korean and foreign perspectives. I have incorporated this into my art practice. In recognition of my unique artistic perspective, I was selected for an artist residency program at GlogauAIR in Germany in January 2023. Hundreds of artists wanted to go, so it was a real honor to be selected. When I arrived, I had a solo showcase and later a public opening of my workspace, which was amazing, with over 400 people in attendance. I was able to speak to such a diverse audience, which I attribute to my artistic sublimation of the sense of strangeness I felt in different cities. I am grateful for all my experiences so far and hope to continue to be an international artist. Read more>>

Ash Singer | Theatre sculptor and film director

I believe in the work that I create, that I guide and/or that I assist. There has to be a passion for the project, the job and/or the work. But that passion has to grow and evolve. The parts that brought me into the project or idea for my own work will change as it grows. It’s important to not lose one’s own reason for being a part of the work but also allow it to go in different directions. And that means having it go into the unknown. Having it go in the wrong direction. Make sure conversations are had so the integrity, the beginnings of what was important are talked about and it’s decided if they still serve the work and if so, making sure those parts are not lost. But also knowing when to let go. There’s a lot of trust. In the unknown, in your gut and own thoughts, and in those who you work with. All of which sounds easy but has been the biggest lesson I constantly have to remind myself of. Read more>>

Dylan Paulini | Filmmaker/Chief Lighting Technician

At the risk of sounding naive, I truly believe that the most important factor for success in any job in this industry is having hope. It’s a very competitive industry with thousands of people wanting to do what you want to do and be where you want to be which means there’s always going to be someone else for the job, I believe you must accept that and know what makes you stand out from the rest and embrace it. It’s not easy to be successful in this industry but if you really love what you’re doing and you know how to do it, work will find you, but that doesn’t mean you still shouldn’t go looking, always try to stay busy by doing jobs with a low pay rate or no pay rate at all while you wait for that one good job to come along. Read more>>

Frankie Morales | Entrepreneur

One of the key ingredients to success in my particular industry is customer service. And for me, that means getting the job done right, the first time, on time, and making sure the client looks like a superstar during the holidays. We don’t need the credit; the client gets the credit. And for that primary reason, we continue to get rehired year after year. Read more>>

Malachi Bray | Director of Marketing and Open Format Dj

In my role as Director of Marketing for Relativity Artchitects I think the most important factor in the success of our brand is that we view it as a living entity that is constantly evolving. What may work perfectly now may not necessarily be an ideal fit in the future as design itself is constantly evolving. We approach branding from a forward facing perspective which helps us to future proof our brand elements by forecasting and being in tune with where the future of design is headed. That said, we also have to be cognizant of the fact that the future can be unpredictable and so we try to be flexible and adaptable in our approach to our unique brand evolution. Branding is a huge part of marketing, and marketing only truly exists to support business development on a fundamental level, so we stive as a company to create a clear vision of our firm goals and where we want to position ourselves in the future as we continually evolve. Read more>>

WEI-JEN LIAO | Taiwanese-American Bilingual Actress & Acting and Life Coach & Language Educator

Everything that exists on the planet has its purpose and meaning. We see all the different industries have some extremely noticeably successful people with lots of resources to contribute or have more access to their needs and desires. If we pay closer attention to those highly successful people and study them, we may notice they all have some quality comments. Read more>>

Kamal X | Photographer & Author

The most important factor behind my success is my undying willingness to believe that my story matters. When you grow up watching so many great artists and filmmakers, it can feel very intimidating to even imagine you can come close to what they have created. So I really had to train myself to be confident in my visions and accept that I am just as worthy as anyone else in creating powerful work. Once you truly accept your voice as an artist and do the hard work it requires, the sky really is the limit. Read more>>

Jonathan Schang | Musician (drummer, pianist, composer, bandleader)

I think the most important factor in District 97’s success is staying true to our artistic vision by writing and playing the music that lights a fire under us. The audience responds to that authenticity more so than a calculated approach based on what we think they may want to hear. Read more>>

Amy Di Francia | Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist 105646

Authenticity is really important as a therapist or any mental health professional. People are trusting me with the most vulnerable parts of themselves, and so one of the best gifts I can give my clients is bringing my authentic self to the therapy room, or bringing my authentic self to the courses and resources I offer. I find that when you are showing up authentically in the room, respecting your clients, remaining constantly willing to learn and grow both personally and professionally, and genuinely doing good work, that speaks for itself and naturally attracts more business! Read more>>

Yasamin Sarabipour | Costume designer

I am driven to constantly learn and evolve as a costume designer. I am very interested in setting styles that visually present the creative process of designing and research. My ambition is to design and produce creative challenges in costume design for screen and stage. I aspire to be an artist who thinks independently and creatively, aware of the current and future social and cultural developments. I believe that my background has also played an important role in my success. I have faced many challenges throughout my life and career, pursuing an education in art as an immigrant. I persisted through it because my life experiences and educational background as an immigrant woman has greatly enhanced my creativity in design and my understanding of barriers affecting underrepresented costume designers. Read more>>

Laurie Towers | Publicist /Producer