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

Tyler The Red Tie Guy” West | Owner & Host of The Scurry Show”

Promoting the haunts and their amazing crews who bring it to life. Promoting and uniting amazing haunters from all over the world who are in this industry for the right reasons. Every industry has it’s ugly/toxic side to it. The haunt industry is no different. Our role and goal is to find individuals within it who share the same goals and determination as we do. Ones who do not let political ideologies cause division, ones who don’t allow the differences in race, religion or sexual preferences dictate how we treat one another. A lot of our success and positive reputation comes from us standing our ground on that mindset and us not associating with those who are known to divide just to attach our name/brand to something. Read more>>

Kara Cavalca | Photographer Videographer

Success means different things to different people, for me success is doing what I love and being able to support my family and live my life at the same time. Success is not having worry about where the next paycheck is coming from, and so in photography and videography that would translate to not worrying about where the next client is coming from. Read more>>

ego n friends | Artist & Producer

Collaboration is the bread and butter to my brand as an artist. I decided to release music as ‘ego n friends’ at the start of this year because I saw how much collaboration my music had. There’s usually at least one collaborator per release. When I perform, I at least have one friend fly out, and for headline shows at least two from across the nation. Read more>>

Bailey Ness | Founder & CEO

The most important factor behind the success of Nesscessity was hiring the right people! It is so important to work with people that have strengths in your weaknesses. My team is made up of a group of women that are all very talented within their specific realm of marketing. Each of these women contribute significantly to Nesscessity and the business would not be where it is today without them. Read more>>

Sam Thompson | Writer, Actor, Film Producer

I often think of the saying ‘if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.’ In my younger years, I had a zealous sort of ‘me-against-the-world’ philosophy with which I approached my career, which is something that I regret now, looking back. I used to rigid and unpliable in my procedure, and I’d guard my positions like a beachhead. It took a few years, I think, for me to fully realize that the entertainment industry (and all industries, I’d imagine) are largely political in the sense that your success is facilitated by your connections and the value you bring to other people. Read more>>

Desiree Guerrero Richardson | Artist, painter, all around doodler.

I’m very blessed and fortunate enough to where the people I love in my personal life, live what I do in my creative/business life. When I paint, they are home, they give me their input and ideas and that helps me a tremendous amount. If it wasn’t for them, Doodlez_by_Dez_ would’ve never happened. They are as involved with the creative process and growing ideas for the business as I am. They know that what I do is what I love. Before I started selling my art, my husband would put my art in the walls to decorate our new home. He believes in Doodlez_by_dez_ as much as I do. They all contribute to my vision. It’s a family afffair. Read more>>

Betina Infante | Co-owner Hangai Mountain Textiles

Strong partnerships and authentic, inspiring collaborations are vital to the success of Hangai. Our partners in Mongolia are phenomenal. They are responsive, flexible, creative, talented and professional. We grow together. The collaborations that we have developed with U.S. entrepreneurs are exciting and inspire us to develop and conceive new designs. Most recently, we had the fortunate opportunity to develop our second exclusive collection for the breathtaking Blackberry Farm resort in Tennessee. Read more>>

Chris Dalton | Owner of F45 Green Mountain

We have only had a small taste of success as we are still waiting for our studio to open. The one thing I pride myself and my team on is care. Like the old saying goes, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I have been in the fitness industry for 18 years and lucky to have been brought up by mentors who instilled that exactly. I understand not everyone loves working out like I do and for most people its a chore or their doctor tells them they need to start working out for health reasons. The gym can be intimidating and it’s our job to break that barrier immediately. Read more>>

Jessica Dory | Founder + CEO

Transparency—from Seed to Shelf™ The foundation of our business model is transparency from Seed to Shelf. We are the farm and the brands. We pride ourselves on holding the USDA Organics certification from Seed to Shelf along with being MD Backed by Dr. Noah Kaufman, and woman founded and owned by Jessica Dory. We are hyper-local production and a closed loop system brining customers not only the certifications to establish a peace of mind behind every drop, but the highest quality full spectrum product available on the market. Read more>>

Jesse Starr | People Photographer

I think the biggest thing for me is that, unlike many creatives, I went to business school instead of studying photography. There are many ways to define “success” but if part of it is a financially sustainable business that turns a profit, it’s vital that you understand what it takes to do that. You can be the best photographer, artist, designer, etc, but if no-one is paying you for it or not paying you enough to cover your expenses, it’s hard to make a career out of it. Read more>>

Travis Hamblen | Hatter

When we started the business, it was very clear that we had a ton of support from the community. The 2 driving factors behind our growth and success is the fact that as a team we never forget that this is our customers shop and we are blessed to be able to do what we love every day. As long as we never forget that it isn’t our shop it’s our customers and God’s we will always stay grateful and humble! To us those are the 2 keys to staying successful in these times! Read more>>

Joseph R Cantu | Dance Studio Owner & Artistic Director

It is difficult to isolate the success of J & J Hip Hop aka J & J Hip Hop Dance & Performing Arts Company to just one important factor. However, I can truly place one factor above all the others. My personal faith in God takes precedence over all the other factors that have played a role. I feel strongly that my faith in God is the strength that propelled me going through the challenging seasons. In business you will face times of doubt, points of feeling like a failure, rough roads financially, and seasons of feeling drought if you will. Read more>>

Aveeda Goodall | Denver-based Food Influencer

I think the most important factor is finding something you truly love and enjoy and simply STARTING to share it with the world! I think the most difficult part for most people is deciding on what that exact something is, but more often than not, it’s something you’re already doing, creating, enjoying, etc. And what a great time we are living in where opportunity is literally at your fingertips (oh, hey cell phones) and starting your own brand or business is as easy as just deciding to do it! Read more>>