There are so many factors that can play a role in determining our results, performance and ultimately our success, but some factors matter more than others. We asked folks what they felt was the most important factor driving their success.

Rashaad Burghàlie | Creative Director

I feel that the most important factor behind the success of our brand is having a dedicated team. I don’t think I would be able to accomplish even a fraction of the things that I have accomplished without a solid team working diligently on every project. Read more>>

Deminicus McKinnon | Music Producer/Audio Engineer (1/3 of Steaksawse)

The important factor behind the success of Steaksawse is that each person sticks to their strongest ability. I don’t try to do what Kingpin Da’ Composer or LJ1S does and they don’t try to do what I do. Now that’s not to say that we don’t use some of each other’s techniques but we still use them in our on style. We push each other even on days we may not feel like creating. Most of all we are continuously learning new things. We will always be a student to the game. Read more>>

Jon M. Dailey III | Photographer & Entrepreneur

I would say the most important factor behind my success and my brand would have to be losing my mother at the age of 15 in 2008 on Thanksgiving night. When that happened I knew I had to grind ten times harder to make a name for myself and never give up. Because the one true person I knew I had in my corner was gone. But it turned out that I acquired an entire village that was dedicated to my success. My village instilled love, patience, understanding, resiliency, into me to the extent that I put that energy into every aspect of my creative being.I would like to think my loss allowed me to gain even more in all aspects of my life’s journey. Read more>>

Allison Person | Salon Owner & Hair Stylist

I believe that the most important factor behind my success is consistency. I have always been a Hair Stylist that valued my client’s time and I always provided them with a clean and professional salon environment. Even when I opened my own Salon in 2010, I always provided certain amenities in my space and was always consistent in those amenities or upgraded them over time. Whether it was weekly fresh flowers in the salon or making sure we provided our clients favorite cookies. The clients appreciated those little perks and looked forward to them as well as receiving a high end hair service. I have always called myself a “Highly Paid Servant” and I believe that’s what kept me booked and busy for all these years. Read more>>

Sean Smith | Wedding & Portrait Photographer. Available Worldwide

The most important factor? That is a really great question. It starts from the beginning. When starting photography, I was escaping reality. I was 16, in a difficult space, facing myself in a new way. I found peace by picking up a camera and capturing the beauty of the world around me. I did a lot of volunteering at a church and ended up connecting with a famous photographer. She gave me my first professional camera because God told her to bless me. Her willingness to pour into me and her anchor in God is what gave me my start, and is, ultimately, the most important factor behind my finding success in this field. I was just a kid having fun expressing himself behind a lens. But receiving this camera showed me how much impact can be made when you’re listening to the Lord. Hebrews 6:19 says “This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Read more>>

Kareem Bawaallah | Creative Director

Easily say my team by far. I love what Kevin Durant said recently. “I’ll NEVER be able to do anything that I really want to do on earth, by myself.” You can only do so much by yourself, the team surrounding me has helped me produce some amazing content and pieces. I’ve come to trust their judgment on business decisions and to help me make such a successful brand. Read more>>

Taylor/Mekinnah Duncan/Currie | Taylor Duncan, FNP-C, Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner, Owner, Mekinnah Currie, FNP-C Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner

In one word, personalization. Our desire is for anyone to walk in the door and feel comfortable, educated, well-cared for and cared about. We strive to customize our treatment plans to accomodate the individual needs of our patients. We want to get to know each one of our patients not only aesthetically, but individually as a person. We want to develop a trusting relatioship with every patient we encounter. Our goal is to create a culture in which our patients feel welcomed to pop in on their day off, grab a cup of coffee, or hang out and do work from our cozy reception area. Read more>>

Monique Waters | Communications Advisor and Founder, H2O Strategies

The foundation for my success started with developing an intentional plan. While I have been blessed with many opportunities to advance my career, it was my plan that allowed me to truly purse my calling. Developing a plan allowed me to set realistic goals and chart a course anchored in my desire to make a difference. So when I had to make choices and navigate environments, it was my plan that kept me grounded, focused and full steam ahead! In 2018, I started my advisory, H2O Strategies to help cause-driven leaders and startups develop and stick to a plan of their own. Read more>>

Dennise Mizell | Fashion Designer

The most important factor behind the success of my brand is always being appreciative at every point of the journey. Being appreciative has helped me keep sight of the vision and remembering why I started. I’m able to balance the challenges by being grateful in the mist because it’s often easy to lose hope or become frustrated when things don’t pan out the way you thought they would. This has helped me continue on the journey countless times. I’m absolutely appreciative of the love and support ByMIZELL continues to get daily. My appreciation is just a small symbol of the push and drive that is created from it because the support is everything. Without it the brand would nothing. Read more>>

Ryan Cunningham | Owner & Team Leader

The most important factor behind the success of Travel Dens is always operating with the customer in mind. To elaborate further, it simply means to go above and beyond the expectations of our customers. We at Travel Dens understand that without our customers we would not exist. Providing top quality service and everything that it entails keeps our customers satisfied. Some of the top quality service that we provide to our customers include thorough cleanliness, rapid communication, desired amenities, and quickly resolving any issues that may arise. Our goal is to provide an experience unlike any other that’s memorable and worthy of a referral. That is why Travel Dens has and continues to thrive. Read more>>

Gabrielle Fisher | Artist & Author

The most important factor behind my success is definitely my support system. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the unconditional love I receive from my friends, family, and most importantly God. All the people in my life motivate me to be a better version of myself, but my parents and brother play an extra special role. They’re there for all the brainstorming, sleepless nights, when I doubt myself etc. They remind me why I do what I do and for that I’m forever grateful. Read more>>

LaNicia “Chef Smiley Wilson | CEO/Founder of Indigenous Coffee Beans & Herbs and Chef

The most important factor behind my business is staying consistent with my customers. I make sure I follow up with my customers and just check up on them. Customer service is the support you offer your customers-both before and after they buy and use your products or services which helps their experience with you especially if they have questions. I want to stick to five core values of my business, which is, INTEGRITY, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, AND QUALITY. Read more>>

Tamiyah Garrett | Model/Actress

The most important factor behind my success is that I take advantage of every opportunity that is offered to me. I make it my business to leave an impeccable impression on the company or brand I am working with. I network as much as possible to ensure I am considered for future collaborations. Read more>>

Brandon Davis | Chef & Owner of a Food Truck

I’d say one of the most important factors behind my success, is persistence. Without that, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Just the sure will to win and be successful is what you need in life. The never give up or in factor stands strong. Read more>>

Bilgah Moka-Moliki | Creative Entrepreneur & Founder of blaQbar

Most people would say that success is marked by the amount of money you have, the number of locations your brand is in or in today’s world, the number of social followers you’ve accumulated; but with the current positioning of the brands I’ve created, hands down the most important factor would be the Lord. He gave me the vision, gives me the strength to continue pursuing my purpose, and reminds me that it’s ok to not be the fastest to get to “point b”, but to arrive with grace, humility, and integrity. My family is also a major factor(s), They’re always supportive of my dreams and they inspire me to push harder, but keep me grounded. Read more>>

Sister Sister | Youtubers

Honestly God for making us sisters. We do what we love and I believe people can see that when they watch our content. It bring us so much happiness creating new ideas to film. Along with doing what we love, we are learning that discipline is key. For example filming the video is fun but editing is where we need discipline. Balancing both the fun and the business is key. Read more>>

Tamani Lyn | Founder and Chief Executive Officer of WOMEN OF LYN

I believe that the most important factor of my ‘success’ is the fact that I do everything within my organization to truly assist the community in any way that I can, from a genuine place. It’s also the fact that WOMEN OF LYN has such a strong tribe and audience. Whenever I host an event, have a partnership, community service event, or more – the girls always come through and support. I’ll forever acknowledge the impact my community has had on our success. People truly want to see me (and us) win. It’s truly a blessing. Read more>>

Jasmine Marshea | Baker

In 2017 I lost my uncle to lung cancer. Losing him sent me to a dark place that I never want to visit again and it led to me quitting. I barely touched or thought about cakes for three years. It took a serious heart to heart with a close friend of mine to point out that me giving up on my dream isn’t something that my uncle would’ve wanted me to do. The thought that I could possibly be making him proud of the woman I’ve become is the most important factor behind my success. In the fall of 2020 I dove in head first and relaunched Sugars By Shea. Read more>>

Ronisha Saunders | Event Planner & Consultant

One of the most significant factors behind the success of The Social Climate Events is the love for my clients & passion to make every event my company handles a step above excellent! I aim to assist clients in every area of their planning process that could potentially add unnecessary stress & guide them into make it an enjoyable experience. The passion for seeing my clients worry free on the day of their events always make for a successful experience. Read more>>

Cory Ricks | Recording Artist, Empowerment Teacher & Entrepreneur

The most important factor would have to be my relationship with Jesus Christ. Submitting my will to His will, realizing that everything that I am doing is greater than me and doing my best to love His people. Read more>>

Ryan James | Musician

Success, for me, doesn’t involve thinking about the word “brand” ever. “Brand” feels like a corporation’s idea of individuality. It’s metallic and lifeless and calculated and tied directly to profit, which is not synonymous with success. The world wants creative people to believe that success is tied to instagram followers or Spotify listens or earnings, and there’s just no version of that reality that will ever leave me feeling fulfilled or the slightest bit happy at the end of the day. There is, however, a profound sense of fulfillment in my life and it lies simply in making sounds with people, in front of other people. Everyone in DOTS has other jobs to pay the bills, we’re often riddled with self-doubt, and the world is looking less and less sustainable for musicians and artists. BUT I make things that I like with people that I like, and I don’t need anything else. It’s can be a hard life to explain and justify, but I’m quite happy with it. Read more>>

Sean G | @TheGrayJedi

In The Holy Word there is a Formula . It goes like this: Faith + Action = Life When I act according to my authentic belief system and back up the prayers or plans made by myself by executing the right actions to make them happen….I become like God. That means unstoppable, without fear, creative and all loving. When you move within the power of your self belief, you become the battery and the toy race car and the boy sitting with the controller. Alot of us do not take our Faith/Belief System serious…but think about this. If you and MJ were about to have a Basketball Game, you only have a chance IF you BELIEVE you do. Marinate on that. If you believe you gone beat Michael Jordan, you may just play well enough to score atleast One Point on The Greatest of All Time. That’s how belief works and that’s how my life has worked before I took my leap and after. It was only when I took my Faith and Action and focused it on my Passion/Gift, that success was made possible. Read more>>

Ms. Curly Girl | Content Creator/Lifestyle Vlogger

I am a true believer in being transparent with my followers. Connecting with them on issues that matter, and taking the time to acknowledge and maintain a dialogue with those that have taken the time to come along with me on my journey, is very important to me. Read more>>

Geesus Shuttlesworth | Painter & Rapper/Songwriter

The most important factor behind the success of my brand is authenticity. Everything became more fluid for me when I leaned more into who I am and what came the most natural. The fun part, especially with music, is creatively making it sound cool. Read more>>

Benji Holmes | Bassist for Underground Springhouse / Environmental Steward / Dog – Lover / Gemini

I think the most important factor behind the success of Springhouse is the free flowing of ideas in the group. Idea suppression is a huge no-no in our group and we try to welcome all new suggestions or modifications whether it be in the music or any other type of realm regarding our decision making process. Read more>>

Michelle Mackel | Founder and CEO, Plugstar Entertainment

There are a lot of public relations firms out there, but what makes Plugstar Entertainment different is the value that we place on educating those new to the entertainment industry about the ins and outs of the business and what pitfalls to avoid. We also coach clients on brand and business plan development, which sets them up to become both marketable and financially sound. Finally, we connect clients with our growing list of affiliates, who offer a wide range of helpful services. At Plugstar, setting our clients up for success translates into our own success. Read more>>

Autumn Henning | Speech-Language Pathologist & Certified Orofacial Myologist

The most important factor behind our success is effective communication. In healthcare, it is essential to develop multi-disciplinary collaborative teams that include professionals who have diverse skills to successfully manage patient care. This includes acknowledging personality and knowledge differences while working to create unifying communication systems so that everyone is on the same page. In addition, clients need consistent and clear communication on how we are addressing their healthcare needs. They also need to know that we care about them, so for communication to be effective, we must listen first to seek understanding and earn their trust. It is only after we have a full understanding that we can create a plan and communicate it in a way in which both clients and professionals can follow so that we have the best opportunity to implement a successful healthcare plan. Read more>>

Milan | Gamertag Tygarlily

My top three reasons I find success in the Gaming Industry is my creative personality, consistent schedule, and positive reputation. My brand survives around a creative island, lost in it’s own way, of fun costumes or live videos of our favorite games. I’m reliable and stick to my consistent online schedule and never miss a collaboration. The combination of all this, over time, has brought me success and great reputation. Read more>>

CHRISTOPEHR BUTTS | Spiritualality, Family, Education and Recreation

I believe the most important factor behind the success of our brand is authenticity, I believe that the “Calvin Butts” brand offers something that is organic and relatable to all people. We have all experienced some type of loss and either overcome or are still overcoming it. Through tragedy there is triumph and that is what Calvin Butts Memorial Inc stands by. Read more>>

Bianca Rugimbana | International Publicist and Branding Professional

As a workaholic by nature, I often struggle to balance a work/home lifestyle, especially with such a busy schedule. When I first started out 5 years ago, I found working around the clock to secure clients was important and so I came up with a routine in order to reach clients around the world. I would send up to 100 emails a day, complete follow ups and target specific, individuals and brands that would align with BMRPR.com. However, now I’ve been able to grow my brand and business over the years and secure steady, major clients, I do see the benefit in creating boundaries to be able to get proper rest and operate at the highest level possible to secure results. So, I would certainly agree that the most important factor, is not only working smarter, but also taking the necessary rest to avoid overworking yourself. Read more>>

Nehemiah Wilson | Visual Content Specialist For Faith-Based Artists

At the end of 2020, I felt like my work had no purpose. I genuinely enjoyed creating and connecting with people through photography and videography, but I did not feel the work I produced had a purpose other than making some side money. After a year of creating from this mindset, I began to feel uninspired and my work felt meaningless. I knew I had a passion for creating photos and videos that positively impacted people, but I felt like I was blowing wherever the wind took me, not moving in a focused, goal-oriented direction. I knew that to breathe life back into my creative passions, I had to have clear goals in the work that I do. To begin setting goals for the shotByNehemiah brand, it was essential for me to spend time asking God for direction. Conveniently, the church I watched online was hosting a 21-day of prayer and fasting from food to kick off 2021. Read more>>

Jeff Rice` | Luthier

I think the most important factor to our success is good quality work coupled with our personal interaction with the client. Our business is reputation-driven. When you do good work, people tell their friends. And when you do poor work, news travels even faster. We have to be very conscious of that and must take pride in every instrument that leaves our shop. We greet each client and work closely with them to understand their issue. We diagnose their issue and tell them how we will fix it and what the cost and time table will be. We treat our clients with respect and dignity. Read more>>

Amanda Browning | Restaurant Owner

Always reinventing what we do! If things start to slow down we reevaluate and creatively change to create a new and fresh experience. Read more>>

Kathy Dahdal | Teacher and Teacher Author

The most important factor behind my success is a growth mindset. A growth mindset has inspired me to set and achieve goals, view my failures as “temporary” setbacks as well as opportunities to learn new lessons, develop, grow, and make progress. Maintaining a growth mindset motivated me to take risks, be patient with myself, and appreciate the “process.” Building Queen’s Educational Resources, my online educational store on Teachers Pay Teachers, one of the most popular online educational resource marketplaces, was not an easy task. I have experienced many challenges and setbacks before my store became what it is today. A growth mindset helped me to embrace the fact that the challenges and setbacks I faced were simply part of the learning process rather than a judgement of who I am and what I am capable of. I wasn’t born skillful at creating impactful educational materials and content that educators all around the world can use to empower their students to successfully confront, address, and overcome the “real” issues and struggles they face today. I learned it through hard work, a positive mindset, resilience, dedicated effort, and a network of supportive people. Read more>>

Tavara Franklin | Psychotherapist & Your Healing Accountability Partner

I will have to thank “Annie” my anxiety for success. You’re probably thinking and chuckling to yourself, “Your Anxiety? Why would you give anxiety your success?” For many years, I have suffered silently with my anxiety. It was not overwhelming to the point where I needed medication, however it was preventing me from being authentic. I remember one point in my life, I would often hide within the shadows of pleasing others and being afraid to be my authentic self due to fear of rejection. I would silence my voice because my inner critic was so loud where Annie would have a field day. That is until one day, I woke up and had a long conversation with myself. I told myself that my mentor Stefanie Hughes was right. Annie can walk behind me, she can walk beside me because at times she will make an appearance to give me that push I need. BUT, ANNIE CAN NOT LEAD ME. I had to give myself permission to be completely authentic and love myself unconditionally regardless if others will agree with me, like me, or love me. Read more>>

Brian Wilbert | CEO of STONE JUNGLE APPAREL

My dedication to always providing the highest quality garments. Read more>>

Tambra Cherie | On Air Radio & Television Personality / Interactive Media Talent/ Host/ Entrepreneur

My faith in God. My determination, motivation, and belief that God answers prayers. I am a walking testimony that God answers prayers. I’ve always followed my passion. I believe in being to good to people and others no matter what. I believe in consistency. I believe in loyalty and honesty. I believe in helping others. I believe in doing the the work and not taking any shortcuts. I believe in patience. All of these things I believe have helped me along my journey of success. Read more>>

B Palmer | SmartAsBees

The most important thing for us, is something that our parents teaches us. Being independent as well as once we are successful we can take care of each other, our parents and family members. We put our faith in God above. Read more>>

Sonja Prince-Ward | Assisted Living Owner and Manager

The most important factor behind the success of Prince of Peace Assisted Living, is in the name itself. Our faith in God, the Prince of Peace, has contributed to our success in immeasurable ways. Prince of Peace is a company that truly puts God first. From the very beginning we included God in every aspect of the business. We prayed and asked God for guidance before we purchased the first home and we continue to seek Him first before every business related decision. We open all of our staff meetings with prayer and we make sure our employees understand that we expect them to subscribe to those same values when they are caring for our residents. My mother and I pray about every decision concerning the business. In order to be successful and remain successful you have to continuously put in the work. Scripture tells us that faith without works is dead so we know that our faith coupled with our strong commitment to Christ is the foundation to our success. Read more>>

Samantha Jax | Author, Business Owner, Mental Health facilitator&Advocate

The most important factor behind my success and the success of my brand is Education and great Customer Service. We strive to make every business that we touch become successful. Weather that be educating them through our AAA Universiti accelerated coaching program on our site at www.samanthajax.com, or with being a certified mental health facilitator for NAMI of Greenville. We not only offer accountability in each program that we offer, but we also offer assurance, confidence and results. Because of this we have been and will continue to be successful. Read more>>