We asked some of the city’s rising stars to reflect on what made a difference in their journey. We asked them to tell us about what they think the most important factor has been behind their success.

Josie Warren | The Hashimoto’s Expert

My success lies in living what I teach. There is no way I could help my students in the way I do without knowing their struggles with autoimmune disorders from my own experience, and teaching from my own experience of becoming fully healthy. Everything I teach I have lived, I know it inside out because every step and concept has been instrumental in my own journey of outgrowing my autoimmune disorders and living a life I am proud of. I am simply myself. What my students see is exactly what they get. Teaching women how to outgrow Hashimoto’s and autoimmune disorders is what I am an expert in. I know where my students are coming from. I can see the world from their perspective because I used to live in their shoes. I used to have 8 autoimmune disorders. I know the challenges they face, both physically and emotionally, and can speak to them from a deep place of knowing and understanding. Read more>>

Kelley Barrett | Foodtrucker and Chef

In a word: flexibility. We opened three weeks before Covid-19 became a nationwide issue and lockdowns were enforced. Our dream was on the knife’s edge and it felt like all our hard work was about to be taken from us by this massive, faceless entity over which we had no control. But we never stopped trying. We changed our menu daily to suit our event location. We have found weird niches for ourselves completely by accident and leaned into them. We never stopped looking and booking. We made friends with as many other trucks as we could and always were and are ready to try new things to see where they take us. Read more>>

Irisol Gonzalez | Visual artist and Muralist

One of the most important factors behind my success has been my ability to accept and embrace challenges as well as my openness to adapt in unfamiliar territories. This mentality has given me the opportunity to look for bigger and better opportunities that sometimes were beyond what I thought was possible. Read more>>

Lem Tingley | CGO / Growing Spaces Greenhouses

We are a community of like-minded individuals, families, schools, businesses and non-profits. We all want to live, and help other people live, a healthier, more sustainable, more self-sufficient lifestyle. We have built this community over the last 30 years through our employees, customers, our website, YouTube Channel, Facebook groups, community events, and charity work. We don’t just sell geodesic dome greenhouses, we make sure our customers are successful in growing fresh organic food in their greenhouse. Read more>>

Sara Cook | Yoga Teacher and Lead Inspirator for Mind Body Battalion

Being the interpreter of my own success has been paramount in sustaining my business. I’ve been teaching since 2003 and I have made lots of money, and very little money, I have worked for corporations and for myself, I have trained others and developed my own methodology. All of this has been born of the pursuit how I define success in the given stage of life. This is the beauty off entrepreneurship. Read more>>

Brittany Smith | Founder and Executive Director

Family Holiday Promise is a 100% volunteer and donation driven organization. We would be nothing without our amazing donors and volunteers. Giving their time, money, Expertise and passion in order to support families in need in our community. Read more>>

Kristylee Gogolen | CEO, Tandem Design Lab

Here at Tandem, we operate under the concept that “a rising tide raises all boats”. When our clients succeed, we succeed as well. And this belief influences the daily practices and the big picture decisions for our business. Instead of creating a business model that is transactional – you pay me and I deliver a product – we believe that there should be a mutual drive for all parties to succeed. There are three ways that this belief comes into practice. 1. We create a relationship with our clients, where we care about the outcome of their business. The success of our clients is intrinsically tied to our own success. 2. Secondly, we believe that this belief adds more value to our products, because we hand tailor each product to the client’s specific needs, versus creating the same one-size-fits-all product. We won’t sell you on products you don’t need. Read more>>

Brittany F Griggs | Artist

Growing up in a home with a father who was an artist inspired me to pursue a creative path. After high school I got my first job, and quickly realized that the idea of working to retire was something I wanted to run as far away as possible from. Around the time I was 21, I decided I would devote all of my free time to painting. Pursuing an artistic career takes a lot of courage. I had been told multiple times when growing up that one can not make money by being an artist. I remember having the realization that if someone out there was doing it, who was to say that I couldn’t do it? Having courage and staying committed to what I felt was my life’s purpose, has been the most important factor behind my success as an artist. My father once said if you wish to become a master at something, you must practice your skill each and every day – this has been another part of my success story. Read more>>

Rockstar Aaron | DJ & Forbidden Bingo Producer

Thing outside the box. I think it’s very important to do something nobody else is doing and diversify your business without causing too much confusion with your core audience, which can be difficult unless you’re a one-trick-pony. Read more>>

Jennifer Ross | CEO, Founder of Rocky Mountain Soap Market

Exceeding expectations. From customer relationships to product development and everything in between. Our staff at the storefront are focused on really caring about our customers on a personal level. I’ve said from day one, I want them to focus on the human connection, not sales. Plus, we strive to craft the best products, with the best packaging at a fair price point. Internally, we treat our employees with the same love and care with which we do our customers. I’ve always believed that we are in the ‘loving people’ business and our medium just happens to be bath & body products. Read more>>

Matt Hilliard-Forde | Relationship Coach

As a relationship coach I deal with the intimacies and vulnerabilities of people’s lives. For my work to be effective, to support a person and guide them forward in their relationship life, I have to be a trustworthy and grounded presence, and clear in my communication. I’ve done, and do, the work that I lead my clients through. I became a relationship coach, not because I’ve always been great at relationships, but because the biggest challenges in my life have been in relationships. I believe people can have fulfilling relationship lives. Most of us enter relationships believing that too. Unfortunately most of us were never taught the essential perspectives and skills that make this possible over the long run. Relationships are challenging!. Read more>>

Maya Elizabeth | Kreame Hair Oil

My why is the most important factor of my business. Why do I want to sell hair oil? It’s personal for me it’s not to just get a few dollars and stunt it’s to actually make a difference for females/males who aren’t as confident in wearing their natural hair because they’ve been told their whole life “you don’t have good hair”. Read more>>

Brittney Carpenter | Actor

I’ve always placed a lot of importance on community, especially in terms of achieving success. What good is making it to the top without a community or loved ones to enjoy it with, I say. In order to achieve success, we require the support of others, and in turn, they require it from us. We can offer it with integrity and a genuine desire to see the people around us succeed with us, and lead ourselves to a life of opportunity and stable relationships, or we can offer it selfishly and come to color our lives in an entirely different life. For me, to be successful is defined by the amount of happiness felt, not just by me, but by those around me. Read more>>