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

Adam Rosenberg | Filmmaker

My mindset as an entrepreneur and as an artist is not to be the best, but to be unique. To be the best means you have to compete against others, others who may have more experience or resources than you, and heck, they might just plain be better than you. Why go through all that trouble when you can do something that no one has ever done? If you do that then you are inherently the best, because there is no one to compare you against. This mindset is what makes me successful. Read more>>

Noor Bahjat | Visual artist

that I’m not afraid to try something new and I accept f failing and keep trying untile i get what i want Read more>>

Kitti Maherin | Owner of Neko Squared

One of the most important factors behind our success is that instead of thinking to ourselves “what can we build”, we think “what do we want to build” and construct the “how” of it from there. We are not afraid to try new things and take risks in order to create engaging content for our audience. We’re enthusiastic about the process and delighted to learn skills along the way. Read more>>

Zack Turner | Owner + Operator of House of Vibes

When it comes to the success of House of Vibes: Coffee + Curiosity, we wouldn’t be here without the collaboration of our close-knit community of family and friends. It’s no joke when I say it took a VILLAGE to open this coffee shop — I’ve partnered with my brother’s roasting house in the Smoky Mountains to supply our coffee, we sell several of our friend’s unique arts and crafts to decorate and bring the vibe to house of vibes, and sometimes I even ask our regular customers with specialized skills to help with projects around the shop. Read more>>

Emily Christensen | Book Blogger

When I first started my Instagram/Blog, HonestBookGirl, I really dove in blindly. I knew I wanted to put forth an effort but I also knew that I would be happy sharing my thoughts on books with one person or any amount of people who wanted to hear my thoughts. I never in my life thought that over 14,000 people would be interested in hearing what I had to say about books. So, success has been funny because my expectations were low, but seeing how my community has grown since I posted my first review has been an incredible feeling of success. Read more>>

Ezgi Devi | Spiritual Guide, Sound & Energy Healer

The most important factor behind my success is self-awareness. When one knows who they are, and what are their strengths and weaknesses; I believe, it becomes easier to decide what to do in life. And this awareness brings success naturally. I built my brand and business based on the things that I love and I’m good at. Having my own joy and talents as the compass of my business allows me to enjoy my services and offerings, rather than seeing them as something that I have to do to maintain my life. I believe doing what you love and loving what you do is the key to success. Read more>>

Molly Obert | Dog Trainer and Consultant

There are many factors that have played a role in my business’s success, not the least of which has been hiring my badass head of management and development. If I had to choose one that has been *most* important, I would say, showing up. Showing up for my clients and business to the best of my ability, everyday. For my clients, offering emotional support in addition to practical solutions, and keeping myself educated and always striving to know better and do better. Read more>>

Rich Stoner | Après Ski Specialist/Content Creator

Without a doubt, it’s relationships. Après-ski literally translates into “after skiing” but it is really about the social activities that take place at the time of day. The operative word here is social. I love meeting new people and connecting with them to learn their story. This is something that I have taken from après ski and applied to my own business which is about getting out there, earning it and sharing that experience with others post activity. I try to incorporate this mantra into how I grow All About Après in order to establish a community of like-minded people. Read more>>

Wally Carney | CEO/OWNER

The most important factor behind the success of LOWDED has definitely been staying consistent and dedicated. In 2012 LOWDED originated from a group of friends in the beginning of it all. At the time we were all active duty Air Force and separated throughout 2 different states; we constantly ran into work schedule barriers such as deployments or temporary duty assignments that hindered the full and true fruition of what we had conceptualized for LOWDED and unfortunately the brand/business was abandoned and dissolved. Read more>>

Farrah Fry-Ettlin | Service Dog Trainer

Endless Pawsibilities Service Dogs is a small nonprofit, founded by a highly educated and experienced dog trainer. Being small allows us to provide a more personal and personalized experience for our applicants. When raising a Service Dog candidate, the puppy lives with a professional trainer, which greatly increases our success rate and allows us to place pups sooner than many larger organizations. As the puppy grows, we see what traits develop to determine what job or applicant could be the best fit. Read more>>

Mike Papi | Founder, OneGoat Foundation and People Connector

I love this question. There is one factor to me more important than all others. It’s commitment. There is a quote that illustrates the importance of commitment. Usually attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe or William Hutchinson Murray, the quote is “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. Read more>>

Thomas Fisher | Videographer & Founder of Bomb Visuals

Consistency. As a business owner, consistency in all aspects is essential to success. We have to meet deadlines, communicate with clients, post on social media, and manage the company on a daily basis. These tasks can get overwhelming when doing everything individually. The best way to stay consistent in business is by having the right team. My team allows me to focus on scaling the company and gives me assurance that tasks are getting done on time. Read more>>

Joni Franks | Award-Winning Author

When I started my writing career, I choice the path of self-publishing over traditional publishing and I believe it has proven to be a key factor for the success of my book series and my brand. There are pros and cons to self-publishing. Being an indie author has required a 100% investment of my time and money, but it has allowed me to retain creative control of both my storylines and my illustrations, maintaining my original vision for my books. Read more>>