Hardwork? Luck? Good habits? What would you say is behind your success? We’ve shared some thoughtful responses below.

Alexandra Rutkay | Founder

I’ve been an entrepreneur and freelancer for over a decade. Working a 9-5 never appealed to me- the structure and confinement of it felt so restrictive and lacked space for innovation. I have always been a creator and especially enjoy creating and iterating on products in the consumer marketplace. Read more>>

Fabiola Aquino | Actor

Authenticity. Though we are always on a journey of self-discovery and self-improvement, we only achieve our true potential when we unapologetically root our thoughts and actions in the truest version of ourselves. To me success is a synonym purpose, and we cannot live in purpose if we are living an unauthentic life. If we live in purpose, we live in happiness. Read more>>

Nilla Allin | Artist & Content Creator

Authenticity is the soul of my brand. It’s about being true to who we are, what we stand for, and the stories we want to share. In a world saturated with fabricated narratives and airbrushed ideals, authenticity stands out as something new and refreshing. We don’t hide behind a veneer of perfection; instead, we celebrate our imperfections and embrace the uniqueness that makes us human. Read more>>

Andrew Clark | Sound Designer, Photographer | DP

Not giving up. If there’s one thing I can tell others going forward with whatever business venture or idea it may be, it’s simply don’t give up. I’ve learned that the most challenging times we face are the biggest opportunities to GROW & EVOLVE from making it through them with perseverance. Most will allow even the smallest of challenges to eventually beat them down past their threshold. Read more>>

Charlotte Munson | Actor / Singer / Playwright / Composer

The first and most essential step in writing / composing / performing my one woman musical “Di Lady Di” was receiving grant from my Graduate School. I was awarded $10,000 to write and perform my own show. I could not have fully realized the production without this generous financial help. Sadly, the USA does not foster or support artists as much as they should, and without my grant, none of this could have happened for me. Read more>>

Baolong Song | Photographer

Awareness. Read more>>

Andy Estrella | Performing and Recording Artist

In all things, I think the key to success is consistency. As a student, I found that making routines for which work gets done when was instrumental in my success in music school. I used to dedicate certain hours of the day outside of class time to specific assignments or projects so I can finish the work well ahead of the due date and avoid cramming. Read more>>

Lexi Stephens | Wine Educator

The most important factor behind the success of my brand is staying approachable. Wine has a reputation for being and intimidating, unwelcoming industry, and I hope to change that. It’s my goal to share with my audience that wine doesn’t have to be too serious, and you can learn about it while still having fun! Read more>>

Craig Parker Adams | Musician & Owner of Winslow Ct Studio Inc

The consistency of gratitude ensures the process for me. That is my prevailing stance for whatever I have done or do. Tough situations can be converted into wind in my proverbial sail by first consciously deciding that THIS WILL be my approach and I WILL Enrich the situation for all involved via my maximum Responsibility. I call this the Win, Win, Win equation. Nobody loses, Everybody wins. Read more>>

Nina Torres | Non-profit Leader & Partnerships Manager

There are two key qualities I tell every person. The first is being brave, which means putting yourself out there even if you do not succeed the first time. The second is networking. Being the first in my family to attend college presented challenges because I needed a roadmap. However, I always put myself out there, asking questions, becoming involved, and looking for mentors. Read more>>

Vaishnavi Sam | Mental Health & Self-Care Club Co-President

The key to our success was a simple but essential component: communication. Communication is the foundation of any successful organization, so when we first started the club we wanted to make sure we were operating on the same wavelength and understood each other. Due to our fifteen years of friendship, we practically had telepathy, always finishing each other’s incomplete thoughts, and we shared a vision for the club that allowed us to excel further than we ever expected. Read more>>

Adam Khattar | Actor

The Most important factor is that I’m not scared to try and fail. It’s easy to say you want to be an actor or start a business, but the hard part is actually going for it. Most people are afraid they’ll mess up, but if you don’t mess up, you won’t really move ahead in life. When I decided I wanted to act, I was scared to even say it. Where I come from in the Middle East, acting isn’t popular. Read more>>

Isaiah Lane ZAELANE | Fashion Designer / Artist

The meaning behind it and reasoning for it are two of the most important parts of any creation. They are even sometimes, the hardest to put into words. Frequently, many try everything they can to decipher the code in their head that unlocks all the context of their creations. Searching for anything that gives purpose to what is that of a feeling, a thought, a message, or an event relayed through any form of art. Read more>>

Christy Nguyen | Mom, Home Cook, Content Creator

It was 2020 and my sister in law who is a social media influencer convinced me to create a TikTok account and share my recipes. She has been an influencer for the past decade and I’ve seen how much success she has had, but I wasn’t confident that I could follow in her footsteps. I gave myself a 2-3 month timeline to get my page up and that if I didn’t gain traction in that timeframe, I would give up. Read more>>

Tom Numan | Neon Sign Designer

The single most important factor we’ve found to our success is our customer service efforts. We’re always online to answer questions, we provide as much information as possible, and we’re always available to be held accountable should any issues arise. Read more>>