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

Carl Landry-Berthelot | Fashion Producer & Actor

The factor behind my success is my work ethic and ambition towards my goals. My parents raised me to be five steps ahead of my peers. They showed me how to properly prepare for my dreams. If I prepared and worked hard, I was able to achieve all my goals. My parents also enrolled me in a wide range of sports and artistic hobbies when I was a kid through high school. I was able to test a variety of things and it helped me find my true self at an early age. Read more>>

Josiah Citrin | Chef & Owner | Citrin Hospitality

The ethos that I’ve built each of my restaurants and my brand has always been the pursuit of excellence, and I wholeheartedly believe that this is the key to their success. Being “in pursuit of excellence” means that there is a constant evolution happening. When it comes to running my restaurants, everything is about the guest and their experience. We do everything in our power to make them leave with a smile on their face. It’s about the food, the attitude, the timeliness, the environment, the music- these are all a factor in how the guest feels at that very moment at your restaurant. Read more>>

Tammi Yee | Actress

My family. My grandparents on my father’s side realized there would be a lot more opportunities in the US. They told me about how they barely escaped the country during the Chinese Civil War. A lot of people were trying to flee and they initially were going to turn away my grandmother and her kids from joining my grandfather in the US. Through her perseverance, she was able to find a way to safely bring her family over to the United States. I think about the sacrifices my family made (as well as the kindness of those they met in that journey) and it pushes me to make the most of my life. To not give up, to stay focused on your dream, and anything is attainable. Read more>>

Liska Yamada | Harpist

Being open-minded to new and unusual opportunities to perform has been a large part of the success I have had in the last few years. As a freelance musician in Los Angeles, it can be extremely competitive, and I found that when I was willing to perform in a genres outside of my Classical comfort zone, I found new work presented itself. The harp is typically portrayed as a romantic and angelic instrument, and that was the mind-set I had when I began learning the harp about 20 years ago. My classical training allowed me to build a strong foundation performing for weddings, private events, and orchestral settings, but the harp is also an extremely versatile instrument in sound and it adds a unique visual that has recently become more sought-after in contemporary music settings including pop, R&B, and even rap music. Performing on the harp into these contemporary settings has allowed me to reach new audiences and expand my network exponentially. Read more>>

Floyd Bocox | Filmmaker, Author, Executive Producer, CEO.

My personal life in making decisions on a business level. I am an entrepreneur with many aspects of business etiquette and striving for success in my endeavors. Creating new ventures and opportunities for development, success in branding new concepts with worldwide acknowledgment for consumers. Read more>>

Mayola Charles | Social Impact & Entertainment Strategist

First, I think it’s important to acknowledge that one’s definition of success is subjective. I believe my success is a result of setting audacious but achievable goals. I enjoy taking risks, and it has been through these moments of uncertainty driven by my passion for social change through storytelling, art and media that have been the most formative in my life and career. Finally, as cliché as it sounds – work /life balance. Admittedly, only recently have I been able to recognize when the two are imbalanced, but my journey toward maintaining this balance has only contributed positively toward my overall growth and continued personal and professional success. Read more>>

Rob Gordon | Comedian, Actor & Real Estate Investor

The most important factor behind my success, I am not afraid to take risk and bet on my self. My viewpoint on my career as a stand up comic, actor, real estate developer, and investor is different than most. I believe you have to build your dream and use every skill you have to make it all make since. I use my real estate development projects and investments to fund my artistic endeavors. Usually artist sit back and wait for a deal to come along that allow them to financially be okay. I believe no one is going to save you before you save yourself meaning you have to invest in you before others will. Read more>>

Stephanie Santiago | Artist & Owner of Absalom

The most important factor behind my success is the desire to help people. Absalom is all about creating a safe space for people to create or enjoy what is being created right in front of their eyes. It’s a whole vibe where you have fun and enjoy the moment. Read more>>

Grace Garza | Interior Designer

To keep going, no matter what. My journey has not been an easy one. Even though I’ve had ups, downs, and detours, I kept my eye on the prize. I kept my vision clear and kept trying no matter what. With each hardship and triumph there is a lesson in each. To understand why that worked or why that didn’t work and bring it with you for the next step. To never stop pushing yourself and if you get knocked down, get up again. Most importantly, when you feel like crying just laugh. Positive energy will take you where you need to be. Read more>>

Todd Cole | Photographer/Director

Relationships. My relationship with my clients, my collaborators, my crew and my subjects. My success can be distilled down to the quality of my professional relationships. The act of creating images is a very collaborative process. Whether it is a personal project with one subject, or full-throttled advertising campaign with one hundred people on set, the most important element in creating a beautiful image is connecting with all involved on a human level. Strong creative relationships are about listening to each other, and inspiring one another so that we make the best image the circumstances allow. Read more>>

Trell Martin | Photographer & Graphic Designer

The most important factor behind my success and brand is keeping myself motivated and away from negativity. It is very hard to make sure that you do not get tangled up in the world with how it is revolved but have to think for yourself and make sure that you are making the right decisions. Read more>>

Amanda-Jayne Hofstetter | Equine Trauma Specialist, Usui & Equine Reiki Master Teacher, Holistic Horsemanship Mentor

I think more than anything it comes down to authenticity and intuition. The work I do really requires both. The authenticity piece having to do not only with how I present what I have to offer, but in how I show up with both my human and equine clients. In centering my work around creating safe and sacred spaces, in which people and horses can show up with totally raw vulnerability, I have to lead by example. Allowing another being, equine or human, to witness the parts of ourselves that we have been taught to hide and lock away Read more>>

Jack Rourke | Internationally renowned Psychic & teacher, Best Selling author & Success Strategist

To understand the most important factor behind the success of my brand I think it’s important to establish what a successful brand is not from the outset. For example, curating glamourous images online, vainly showing off the fruits of your labor, and giving unsolicited advice on social media does not make you a brand. In my view, there are two interrelated factors that are fundamental to creating a successful brand What I share is part of my inner work as a business operator and it’s what I work on with all of my entrepreneurs. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a defense contractor, clergy, retail mogul, or any one of my A-list Hollywood solopreneurs. I begin driving every client toward their brand’s success by teaching these same guiding principles. Read more>>

Elsa Lam and Joyce Lin | Owners

The most important factor behind our success is, hands down, the love and support from our friends and family. Without them we would not have taken the initial leap to turn our hobby into a brand we are proud of. Even when we had doubted ourselves, their trust and support fueled our ambition and motivation to continuously grow. Read more>>

Tiffanie Holloway | Model/Actress/PMU

The most important factor behind my success is simply “self-love.” As baffling as it may seem, I just began modeling February of this year and it happened by accident. Besides the pandemic, 2020 was a difficult year being that I suffered many family losses, as well as the worst breakup of my life. Suffering from the loss of my grandmother, aunts, uncles, and one of my favorite cousin’s on my father’s side, including my relationship, I fell into a deep depression. I came close to reaching 200 lbs, and I had no desire to push forward. Read more>>

Nestor Aguilar | Realtor & Social Media Influencer

I truly believe that an important factor behind my success as both a Real Estate Agent and Social Media Influencer, is that everything I do revolves around giving value and coming from a place of contribution. I’m passionate about making a difference in my community and building genuine relationships within it. Read more>>

Matt Beurois | Programmer, Yucca Valley Film Festival

The success of the Yucca Valley Film Festival is rooted in the community. People here in Yucca Valley and the Mojave Desert love art, and love movies. The festival offers an annual rendez-vous for audiences to gather and discover movies from all over the world. It’s a win for the filmmakers looking for an audience to engage with, and a local event full of fun. Read more>>