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

Kari Joy Kuschel | Wedding Photographer

The most important factor behind the success of my brand has been the unique experience I give my clients. From the moment I first meet them to after their wedding day (when they receive their photos) I offer an individualized experience for each couple. It’s important that I get to know my couples well so I can not only meet their needs, but exceed them! When booking with me my couples get lots of mini guides to help them with each part of planning for photos, like an engagement session style guide, wedding timeline guide, and even a guide filled with fun date night ideas to have a break from wedding planning. They also receive little surprises along the way that are catered to each couple such as featuring their story on social media or getting surprise gifts in the mail! Read more>>

Brianne Pittenger | Wedding Planner & Designer

For me, the most important factor is building a relationship with every single couple I work with. I feel like going above and beyond to assist with whatever they need is one of the pillars of my success! Read more>>

Melinda Rider | Entrepreneur, Mother of 3 & Rock Climber

I believe that the most important factor behind the success of Hoopologie is my ability to see opportunities when others would not/could not see them. It is also my ability to ignore the evidence that we may fail at something. I simple do not consider these challenges or talk myself out of things. When I decide to do something, I am committed in a way with every fiber of my being. I’ve seen my business grow exponentially because of this one aspect of my mindset. It is in my nature to take on challenges that span years of effort and see it through to the end, being able to execute on our goals no matter how big or how small. The ability to see “opportunities” where others see “impossible”. I have trained myself to be blind to the impossible, because enduring tough times are second nature to us. We don’t feel uncomfortable in situations that others do, because we are used to it and thrive on it. Read more>>

Brianna Straut | Americana Singer Songwriter

Connection is everything for me. The most successful shows I have is when I’m able to connect to the truth behind my song and to relay that to the audience while performing. Writing music is for me, it’s personal, but performing those songs is me sharing my story with others. Some of my favorite memories from touring is when a stranger comes up to me after a show and tells me their story because of a song I played. Music opens us up and breaks down these walls we’ve built. Read more>>

Alyssa Thorpe | Head Brewer

The most important factor to my success is being authentic to who I am. As a brewer you have to make beer that people want to drink, but I always try to keep my voice and style on everything that I make. I believe this gives your brewery a memorable uniqueness that sets you apart from the many other breweries in the area. Read more>>

Melissa Downham | Luxury Travel Advisor and Planner

I think my obvious care for my client’s trips. I really strive to make the whole planning process as easy as possible on them – parents and young couples are busy! I try to be with them every step of the way – no client is “just a number” to me. And the trip itself is very important to me. Some of my clients can’t get away more than once a year and I want to make that time with their children/souse/extended family as meaningful and stress-free as possible. Read more>>

Jackson Nies | Business owner and Chief Information Officer

One thing I pride our company on is our honesty with our clients and customers. Honesty and integrity is critical to having a good relationship with your client. If they feel they can trust you at all times, you will naturally become an a trusted advisor to them and they will come to you over your competitors. Read more>>

Lara Boudreaux | Partner and Beekeeper’s Wife, Björn’s Colorado Honey

For Björn’s Colorado Honey, the most important factor in our success has been staying true to our roots. Pontus, our beekeeper, grew up in Sweden and learned the practice from his grandfather Björn; the company namesake. Because of this strong background in beekeeping and honey production, Pontus is able to focus on offering the best tasting and most healthy honey while making sure he is protecting honeybees and the pollination service they provide. He uses progressive beekeeping practices that he learned in Sweden from his family that help keep his hives healthy. He also knows that strong hives produce lots of high-quality honey. He loves being able to bring that high-quality honey to the local Colorado market and enjoys speaking with our customers at farmers markets about honeybees and their importance to the environment and agriculture in our state. Read more>>

Jennifer Schulte | Graphic Designer & Lettering Artist

Being one of a kind. Over the years there has been a boom among in-home small businesses. These small businesses cover such a wide range of products, it is truly amazing to see so many talented and driven people. This world, sometimes referred to as “the maker community” was something I was completely unaware of until I started my own business. When I explain to people that I create stickers and other products for small businesses, they usually give me a look of confusion. You wouldn’t think there would be success in something like that especially when there are very large companies that provide close to the same products. However, I have found that small businesses want to stand out from the crowd and they can do that with some simple additions to their business — like a sticker or holiday-themed card insert. Read more>>

Sally Ogilby | Founder of BLOCK21 Fitness, a cardio dance class designed to make your workout feel like a Friday night out

At BLOCK21 Fitness, we’re not about being perfect. Dancing in front of others can be quite intimidating. During classes, we encourage people to let go of their expectations, to remember that no one cares what you look like, and to not be afraid to mess up. This attitude has proven to be one of our most important skills, especially when the COVID pandemic hit, and we were notified that we had to close the doors to our studio. In just 5 hours after announcing our closure, we rolled out of first virtual class by utilizing this approach. It wasn’t the best quality and we’ve had many technical issues since then, but to be able to just “put it out there” knowing that it was imperfect allowed us to move forward and learn the next step without sweating the details. Read more>>

Linda Dominique Grosvenor-Holland | Brand Builder & Wealth Coach

The success of my brand Six Figure Your Passion® came through time management and consistency. When juggling household chores, raising a child, trying to fit a day job, college courses and a spouse into your life in a way that leaves nothing lacking–it can be challenging if time isn’t managed properly. For me I’ve learned to tap into my peak performance time to get the high priority tasks completed so that my “To Do” list isn’t rolling over to the next every day. I’ve also learned that a huge part of being successful is being consistent and showing up even on days when you aren’t sure you can give 100%. Read more>>

Mike Cohen | Kirtan Leader Institute Founder and Lead Instructor

The most important factors behind my success have been learning and iteration. Through Kirtan Leader Institute I have been training students all of the world to learn how to step into a practice they love, sacred chant, in a deeper, more personal way. We teach them how to chant at home, and share with others. We even guide some of our students to create albums, tour and play at yoga/music festivals. For over a decade, after each program (private sessions, live and online classes, group training intensives) we ask, what worked? What didn’t work? What was missing? We ask that of ourselves (as teachers). And, we ask the students. These questions help us see what really works, and what we can improve. Continual improvement over time has led to what those in the tech world call “the miracle of iteration.” Doing, learning and iterating has been a huge factor behind our success. Read more>>

Bryan Hylenski | Entrepreneur, Climber and Father

I truly believe in challenging one’s self. No matter whether you are 14 learning to play softball or 50 starting your own business. I believe the minute you stop challenging yourself to learn, experience and/or get involved with new ideas, concepts or people…you will get “stuck.” When I get “stuck” I take the time to think of what I can do to not only challenge myself but engage the most exciting parts of my self. I love climbing, I love being outside, I love problem solving. In the past I have challenged my self to climb mountains and walls that were never climbed. I challenged my self to start a business, I challenged myself to be the best father and/or husband. in 2019, I had a health scare and needed to get “unstuck,” when it came to my personal health. My businesses were going well, my family was strong, yet my personal health was suffering. Read more>>

Brent Ramos | Koa House Founder | Martial Artist & Healer

Brand is literally the most important thing to focus on if you are creating a business. And a hyper focus on this stage, is what makes Koa House successful. Whether acting as an individual contractor, SMB, or an enterprise company, the art of branding will ultimately be your key to longevity and success. It is a three part mix of: Art, Grit, Science. I have always considered myself having a deep brand mind, but could never translate it into success or activation until I learned all of the non-creative components work from a business perspective. The full grasp of brand did not come to fruition until recent years. But once it was found, I actually took it a step further with things people traditionally miss in designing a business. This led me to creating a process called “Soothesaying & Gunslinging”. Read more>>

Leah Leguizamon | Photographer

Being an open book. Read more>>

Amy McKelvey | Chief Energizing Officer & Founder of Her Vital Way

First let me start by saying that success for me has very little to do with money. Money tends to dominate the conversation anytime business is discussed – and I get that, but it’s such a small part of the story. Feeling in alignment with what you’re trying to achieve each day and enjoying the deep sense of accomplishment that comes from that (no matter how crazy things get) that is success to me. But it’s also about having a vision and seeing it through, especially against all odds. Honestly the toughest day working for myself is so much more satisfying than the very best day working for someone else. The allure of having a fabulous job and financial security is real, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of one’s soul or dreams. Read more>>

Danny Elliott | Tattoo Artist & Studio Owner

I believe the most important factor actually has nothing to do with my art form. It’s not about designing tattoos or the techniques used to create them. It’s not about marketing and it’s certainly not social media. No, the most important thing for me has been surrounding myself with the right people. That can be said for any endeavor really. People that pick you up when you’re down and keep your ego in check. People that play off each others strengths because you achieve more together than alone. People that won’t settle for “good enough,” and challenge you to be better. In short, you need people that inspire you. Read more>>

Evan Butteris | Graphic Art and Design

I define success as being able to work on projects I enjoy and get excited about for clients I respect. I still get exhilarated when I hear from a new client or fun project, getting paid to do it is just a result of that enthusiasm. And the biggest factor that has allowed me to do work I love, is just saying yes to every opportunity. I might be completely slammed, and the timeline might be unreasonable, and the pay is less than I’d like, but I am gonna do it. Being intrinsically motivated will manifest a path to fulfilling work. Taking on the work, getting it done on time and communicating as much as possible with the client helps build respect and trust that I really cherish. I’d love to say that my creativity and unique style are what attracts new work, but I really think it comes down to hard work and unrelenting determination to keep doing work I love. Read more>>

Lyndsey Brantley | Medical Aesthetics Practitioner

I’m a wife, mother, writer, Beautyprenuer, teacher, and medical aesthetics practitioner with an unshakable faith and ambitious mission to help aspiring Beautyprenuers to successfully launch beauty brands and to provide high quality natural skincare for those struggling with razor bumps, ingrown hairs and cellulite. I come from a single-parent home, where we struggled daily just to have the basic necessities. However, my mom always found a way to provide for us. That humbling experience most certainly motivated me. When I went to college to study engineering, I knew I wanted to make a better life for my family and show my mother how much I appreciated her sacrifice. Later in my career journey, I went through medical aesthetics training because I loved the spa industry and wanted to know more. Read more>>

Gabriella Aratow | Matchmaker and COO of KIS, Keeper Introduction Services

One of the interesting things about success as a matchmaker is that to me the best ones have a combination of seemingly contradictory traits. For example, I am an excellent listener, an absolute must in my business, yet, I also know when listening to my client is actually not in my client’s best interest, since their way of thinking hasn’t worked, and my way of thinking works all the time. I must balance learning from them to know how to match them uniquely well, and also I must teach them new perspectives to help them get the connection that’s alluding them. Similarly, I need to be both tremendously compassionate for their experience in single-hood, which is often full of disappointment, frustration and uncertainly, but I also have to be a bot of a tough cookie, and not indulge them, because we are not here to self-pity, but to drive forward towards a great relationship. Read more>>

Dr. Jacqueline Berens | Chiropractor

Most health practitioners practice what’s called symptom-based care, a method that treats symptoms instead of identifying the underlying causes of dysfunction in the body. Because of this, the idea of simply managing debilitating symptoms has become quite common. At The Wellness Way, we believe that common is not normal, and unlike the restrictive healthcare mentality, we dig deeper to find answers to life-restricting health challenges. We focus on overcoming the three main causes of interference in the body — trauma, toxins, and thoughts — to go beyond symptoms-based care and address your unique physiology in ways that allow your mind and body to find a path back to total wellness. Here, you are doing more than improving your health. Read more>>

Abby Rupsa | Landscape Designer/Owner of Botanical Living

Since Botanical Living offers landscape design services only and not installation, I feel it is extremely important that the client is heard. I’m not selling a design, I’m really selling a dream. I get the client talking in terms of how they see themselves living in the space. I ask very specific questions because I want them feeling emotional about it. Do they have children, if so, what ages? Do they entertain? Who is around the table with them? Are there pets? What plants do they love/hate and why? I really try to get them to convey their feelings when talking about the vision. I watch their body language and how they interact with each other, as it actually shows me another side of them. Creating a plan that encompasses everything they’d ever wish for, even if it takes time or phasing to complete it, gives them a full picture of their yard’s potential. Read more>>

Emma Van Vranken | Wedding and Event Florist

Without a doubt, the most important factor behind the success of Emma Lea Floral has been community! When first starting my business I had incredible support from family and friends. Those referrals and helping hands turned into a portfolio and organic leads. I also continue to receive invaluable support from my fellow wedding florist in Denver. Colorado is lucky to have a warm and open community of creatives that come together to offer advice and help keep our industry strong. Covid-19 has pushed us to explore new services like weekly deliveries and smaller wedding packages. My local community has helped to kept us afloat during this exceptional time by choosing to shop small. Read more>>

Sarah Morgan | Co-Owner Sugar Mill Antiques and Vintage Depot

The most important factors behind our success is a combination of perseverance, innovation and commitment. We opened Sugar Mill in January 2020, just weeks before the worldwide pandemic erupted and changed the course of business as we know it. After being open only a few short weeks, we were forced to temporarily close our doors due to the statewide Stay at Home orders. We had to quickly innovate, implementing unique ways of conducting business without actually being open to the public. We implemented Live shopping events on social media, hosted virtual girl’s night-in events, created personal shopping services with local no contact delivery to keep our business afloat during the shutdown. The days were long and trying, however we were committed to providing for our customers and merchants, determined to ride out the storm. Read more>>

Caroline (Karuna) Ashley | Lifestyle and Yoga Coach

Today, with Light on Kundalini and its Light on Light Media doing Yoga programs around the world—the Americas, Europe, India— co-hosting with the United Nations community, VoiceAmerica broadcasting, and co-producing a major e-magazine Light on Light (note the name!) it’s amazing to see how far the work has come! This year alone we have added a new aspect—the Light on Light Press—which can now bring books, and further creative media, to the world. I wanted to take the “Bhakti” aspect of Yoga – the aspect of love, devotion, and selfless service– and offer it to everyone who was there to take it– nurturing creative lifestyle, wellness & well-being, fitness and helping people find a real path to a fulfilling life. Undoubtedly it has been the surety of that path, and the ongoing dedication to sharing it, that has build today the substantial work of Light on Kundalini and all of its offshoots. Read more>>