We asked some of the city’s rising stars about why they think they have been so successful and we’ve shared their responses below.

Esther Susag | Travel Photographer and Content Creator

There are so many habits that I have developed over the years that I think contributed to where I am today. I didn’t always have them but a few years ago, I started with small every day habits like making my bed every day, exercising, and taking 5-10 minutes to journal and think about all the things that I am grateful for to start my day off on a positive note. Soon, these habits set me up and encouraged me to go further and try to learn something new or make progress on something every day, whether that was another photography technique or taking the time to content plan for the week. Read more>>

Beth Galton | Photographer/Director

I was not a great student growing up, but the most important thing I learned in college was how to solve problems. This skill came in very handy when I decided to enter the field of photography. There were few women involved then, which meant I had to work very hard to convince people to hire me as a photo assistant and then later as a photographer. Being able to solve problems and think quickly on my feet allowed me to focus on the many details involved in a photo shoot and be able to follow projects through to completion. Read more>>

Justin BUA | ARTIST

The habit that helped me succeed is my “grinding mentality” and my hardcore work ethic. Like Picasso said, “inspiration exists but it has to find you working.” He also said, “a lazy artist has never produced a great piece of work.” So TRUE!. When I’m sitting in front of a blank white canvas often times I feel stuck, and I just don’t want to do anything except reward myself with a hot cup of coffee… My creative block feels almost insurmountable. But, I know I’ve been here before, I know what to do… I ’m able to push through because I have good work habits. I’ts not really about inspiration it’s about habit. Like Will Durant said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Read more>>