We asked the community what factors they felt were responsible for their success and we’ve highlighted some of those responses below.

Chanel Van Horn | Small Business Owner

Word of mouth support. It really means something to a small business because it makes a huge impact! If you’re passionate enough to tell a friend or family member about the product you love so much, that shows them that that might be worth buying for them too. It’s the biggest compliment. Sometimes it’s even strangers or acquaintances who will come over and ask people. We have had customers send us photos when they run into other dogs out at a bar or at the dog park, some tell us they’ve had to post in local Facebook groups because they were being asked so often, vet locations who all immediately find us on Instagram after seeing a dog walk in wearing pearls, doggy daycare locations, the list goes on and on!  Read more>>

Kasseem & Michelle | Owners at Burn 60

The most important factor behind our success at Burn 60 is the positive and supportive culture we’ve built to make this the best hour of your day when you walk through the doors. From day one, we’ve prioritized creating a welcoming environment where everyone, regardless of fitness level or experience, feels empowered to succeed. Read more>>

Bernice Cohen | The Master Injector. RN, BSN, PHN, CANS

Putting in the effort to understand my patients overall desired outcomes while ensuring that we achieve a favorable, natural look throughout the treatment process. Each person is different – some people come in knowing what they’re interested in doing, others are seeking advice and direction on what would be best to do, while others still are willing to be a blank canvas, simply excited for trying out whatever I feel would enhance their look. Read more>>

Ivan Talaichuk | CEO and Co-Founder at Pibox.com
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I’m motivated by fundamental things to keep going and reach new heights.

1. Understand where are you going in the long run, but stay flexible on the methods you use to get there
2. High empathy and open-mindedness
3. Curiosity
4. Love and infinity Read more>>

Jessie Fang | Tattoo & Visual Artist

The most important factor behind my success is persistence. I think everyone has different standards for success, and it is difficult to define. For me personally, as a tattoo artist, success is persistence in creation. It is not an easy thing to do, and busy work and daily trivialities will affect it. But I have always tried my best to keep time for creation. The result of persistence has turned into career success, and my works have been seen, recognized and chosen by more people. I want to say that no matter what difficulties we face, we can only achieve the success we want if we keep going. Read more>>

Carlos Beltran Arechiga | Artist

My definition of success is to have the ability to share my work with a wide audience, and I think I have achieved this by practicing two constant rituals. The first is to place myself in a situation, where I’ll have a higher percentage of possibilities to investigate and question what painting can be. This involves a conscious decision of remaining curious and honest. The second an equally enjoyable for me, is to make sure that I stay connected and nurture new and old relationships amongst people within the art world. Read more>>

Shannon M | Paramedical Tattooer

Success is such an open ended word. Everyone has different definition of the what it is to be successful. Some might be finances, others it might be notoriety. I would say what has made me feel successful in my career is being able to execute my vision, and having people come to me for the reason of why I do what I do. Read more>>

Brock Goldberg | Chief Marketing Officer @ ERGO Styling Tools

There is no one key thing that defines success. The answer is multifaceted. It requires a clear vision, the courage to take risks, and most importantly, building a strong, cohesive team. Without solid leadership, there’s no culture, no purpose, and no real drive to pursue the vision. But with a leader who’s willing to get in the trenches, lead by example, and show that it’s a collective effort—it transforms everything. That kind of leadership inspires a team to go above and beyond to turn the vision into reality. There’s no single answer to what makes a company successful, but I think you get where I’m coming from. Read more>>

Steven Vigilante | Director of Strategic Partnerships at OLIPOP

I think the most important factor behind our success is the growth mindset that our CEO Ben has instilled in the team since the business started. All of our employees are ‘yes and’ types who go above and beyond their job description everyday. Everyone is totally bought into our mission to provide a truly better-for-you option in the soda category, and it really does make an impact on the growth and profitability of the business on a daily and monthly basis. Read more>>

Zachary Pierce | Director, Production Manager, Editor, & Tour Manager

The most important factor to success is pushing through the most difficult of challenges and never losing sight of the passion you chase. Doing what you love is the most important aspect in the work that you do, even in the face of what may look like to some as an impossibility. Failure doesn’t arrive when we encounter a roadblock, it is when we choose not to find a way through it, and giving up hope in the dream you have chosen to pursue is the only moment you truly have lost. Progress will inevitably seem slow and discouraging at times, but when we climb enough steps, we can look back on the amazing journey we’ve taken, and if we could already make it this far, then we can take it that much further and beyond. Read more>>

Philippe Fernandez | Tattoo artist

My art has always been about pushing boundaries and giving visibility to things that are often kept in the shadows—especially in the queer and fetish communities. I started out as a tattoo artist, and that’s still a huge part of my identity, but over time I’ve expanded into other forms of visual art. I’m drawn to raw, intimate, and sometimes taboo subjects like gay sex, kink, and fetish culture. I want to challenge people’s perceptions of what’s acceptable or “normal” and help normalize the things that are often hidden or misunderstood. What sets me apart is that I don’t shy away from what others might find uncomfortable. Read more>>

Alex Moritz Brooks | Associate Marriage & Family Therapist

As a therapist, I am deeply motivated to support adolescents, adults, and couples navigate the challenges of being human! Whether one is grappling with life transitions, anxiety, or depression, I provide a grounding and therapeutic space that fosters connection, awareness, and reflection. Within this space, I challenge my clients to uncover underlying patterns and beliefs that shape certain behaviors. Through this work, I support clients in building a more meaningful life, one that aligns with their values and goals. Read more>>

Jorgelina Tortorici | Jorgelina Tortorici & Asociados Estudio de arquitectura e interiorismo

The most important factor behind our success is the love for details. We live our work with too much dedication. Architecture is a beautiful profession. Details give quality and make the projects unique, different from others. Our sole purpose is the work. There‘s no interest on business. We are on an endless unceasing quest to explore different ways of living in a house. We aim at /want a sensitive architecture. Read more>>

Joe Cahill | Composer and Director

For me, my success has been how I connect with people. I grew up thinking that the way to network was to cold email composers and directors, pitch myself as the guy, and ask for a job. I realized it is not that complicated, just focus on the basics, and make a new friend! Read more>>

Jasmine Mobley | Content Creator

The most important factor I would say is simply trusting myself and the process. Not just moving to LA and believing I will be okay out here on my own, but believing I can actually be a content creator. When I first started creating content for fun, I didn’t have a specific goal in mind. I knew I had pretty curly hair and always thought to myself “I want to be a curly girl making videos for curly hair brands”. I thought maybe I had to be part of an agency for them to notice me, or have an agent submit me, but in reality all I had to do was post the content on my own and be confident and full out in what I post.  Read more>>