There’s a ton of research around how setting habits can help us conserve energy because it reduces the number of decisions we have to make in a day. However, not all habits are created equal and so we’ve asked our community to tell us about the habits they have been most effective for them.

Jesss Johnson | Real Estate Photography

We try to separate personal from business. We are professional, take a very friendly approach to our clients, but do what we need to keep our brand, stay professional, and be consistent. Being consistent is super important in being successful. Our clients expect a routine, and skewing away from this can create conflict, restrictions, and trust issues. So we are always trying to make sure our clients get the product they pay for, and right every single time. Our brand is important to us. We also stay competitive in our product, keep up to date on the latest trends of products, so as to not age out of the business, and are consistently looking for ways to be the company that clients choose over the competition. Read more>>

Marc Rodriguez | Kitchen Designer / Cabinet Painting

The key to our success has been customer service hands down. When I meet with a new client we try to go above and beyond when discussing design options, materials, our process and timeline of the project. This way our client will know everything that will happen in their home and they won’t have any surprises pop up. I also take care of every element in the project, from coordinating sub-contractors, picking up materials, which enables the client to have stress-free kitchen renovation. The main focused is the client and this means that I pick up all the calls, text messages and emails to answer any questions or concerns they may have. When a client sees our brand, they’ll know they’ll be getting quality craftsmanship and excellent service without any surprises at a reasonable price. Read more>>

Dr. Nicole Steele | The Confidence Coach

If I had to identify the most important factors behind my success it would actually be narrowed down to three primary things. The first is understanding how the work I do to empower ladies, leaders, and little girls is part of my life’s purpose. Knowing this helps to drive me and helps assure me that the work my team and I do and the lives we are able to impact matter, and are for a far greater purpose than what we may understand now. The second factor behind my success is persistence. This line of work is challenging at time, however it’s by far the most rewarding work I could ever do. I have learned over the years the importance of persistence and pressing through seasons of adversity and opposition. I have learned that the journey is not for the faint at heart, but if I will stay the course and remain committed to the cost and persistent in my pursuit, that I can’t loose. Read more>>

Preston Reid | Mixer/Engineer/Producer

I think the most important thing is creating value to others. Learning how to be present in the moment and give things your full effort and attention to each task. Read more>>

Carla Jordan | Owner of the VIZ’ARD MOSCATO Spirit line and Founder and Designer of the JON-LUC’ brandND

The Most important factor behind my success is the Favor of God!!! I learned to listen and seek His guidance in all that I put my hands to. Read more>>

HollyAnne Knight | Online Quilting Educator / Passionate CEO & Entrepreneur

The most powerful decision I ever made for String & Story was committing to play the long game. It shaped everything about my first few years of business because commitment to the long game kept me from shiny object syndrome, from flexing just because, from thinking I needed to be the best right NOW. Instead, I focused on being patient and staying scrappy, on keeping my overhead low. On building strong engagement by showing up consistently. I didn’t have a lot of money or experience, but I had time, and I used my time to learn and grow, test and tweak, and build a solid foundation of dedicated, OG customers who are keeping the heartbeat of String & Story strong even as the brand is now growing faster than ever. Read more>>

Evelyn Burttram | Fiber Artists & Photographer

My businesses always seems to have growth spurts as I myself have growth spurts. As I experience life, deal with difficult situations and learn more about myself, I am able to run my business in a way that reflects who I am. I believe that, more than ever, people want to connect with the people behind the brand and feel true sense of authenticity and a transparency. If you don’t know or like yourself and you are trying to run a business, most likely you won’t be sharing much about your true self with your followers, clients, and greater audience. Instead, you may be trying to emulate and “be like” other brands instead of owning who you are and letting that come out in your branding and your social media. I’m to a point in my life where I can truly be myself and share with my audience and my clients unapologetically and this has allowed my connections with my customers to become that much stronger. Read more>>

Starr Harris | Owner StarrLite Events

The most important factor behind my success is many things, but I will just name a few. Patience is one, I concentrate on incremental progress overnight sensations and blockbuster victories are usually optical illusions facilitated by months or years of quiet effort . The other one is persistence, I always remember to never forget the vision and what I’m doing it for. Big dreams don’t come true overnight – often, they’re the result of several small successes along the way. Remembering Yes, it may take me some time, effort and lots of determination to reach your life goals, but even if your progress is slow. I think the most important factor behind the success of my brand, without a doubt, is exceeding customer expectations. I can take any idea, a product or service, no matter how ‘unrealistic’ it may seem to others, and possesses the will, skill-set and grit to take extreme risks and allow this idea to be crystallized into reality. Read more>>

Marvin Lim | Attorney & State Representative

In the political sphere, the “most important factor” would be internalizing the idea that, really, it’s not about me. Yes, I have compelling stories, personal concerns, and ideas – I don’t doubt that. But, even before my recent political endeavors, I already had some power, privilege, and platform to be able to translate those things into change. I’m not particularly ambitious for more of those things, and I’m far more concerned about those who have far more compelling, immediate needs – yet haven’t felt listened to, and feel understandably disaffected and disenfranchised. So I try to make an active, daily choice to put others – most of all, the residents of my district – front and center. To that end, one of the things I’m proudest of is having used my platform, namely social media. Read more>>

Stephanie Stuckey | CEO & Candymaker

Resilience. Since our founding in 1937, Stuckey’s has epitomized resilience. Our brand was founded by my grandfather, W.S. Stuckey, Sr., as a pecan stand in Eastman, GA. From these humble beginnings, he built a veritable roadside empire of almost 370 stores in 40 states offering snacks, kitschy souvenirs, Texaco gas, and our world-famous pecan log rolls. But, over the years, Stuckey’s has suffered incredible setbacks. WW2 almost brought the fledgling business to a halt with sugar rationing. But my resourceful grandfather survived those lean years by selling candy to the troops. After the War, he benefitted from the economic boom and started building stores as an oasis to families eager to travel and see America. But Stuckey’s was dealt another blow when the Interstate Highway system was built in 1956, bypassing our stores. Read more>>

Melony Hill | Safe Space Curator & Award Winning Author

The most important factor behind the success of Stronger Than My Struggles and myself personally, is transparency. Mental illness and mental health awareness are not topics often discussed openly in urban community. Growing up, I was taught that what happens in the house stays in the house. That type of rhetoric not only protects abusers but isolates children growing up in unhealthy and unsafe environments. When I stopped hiding the struggles I’ve had to overcome and began to not only seek therapy, but speak out openly about what I’ve witnessed and survived. My own survival story, tenacity in the face of adversity and writing skills have helped Me be able to assist other survivors in reclaiming their lives through therapeutic writing, transparency and healing techniques. Read more>>

SiMaya | Singer/Songwriter

In short, ownership. Not just within the music I create/masters, although that is extremely important too — Owning who I am is most important. I’m learning that when I own who I am, not only do I thrive, short-comings & all; but my team thrives, the people that listen to my music get an opportunity to connect and thrive. Ownership gives me more opportunities than not. Read more>>

Charles White | Franchise Digital Marketer

The most important factor is providing quality results at an affordable cost within my industry. Read more>>

Jessica Smith-Presley | Owner + Principle Event Planner

Events by Jes’ success is defined by our ability to produce personalized/custom events all while making a difference in the lives of our client family and their guests. Although it is quite difficult to narrow down the single most important factor behind our success, we have to note that our ability to build relationships has been extremely important to defining our brand as well as an integral factor to the success of the event planning company. Events by Jes takes pride in the fact that we have and will continue to collaborate with many industry professionals including other Event Planners to bring a distictive quality to each event. Our ability to network and build healthy business relationships has afforded Events by Jes opportunities to create as well as lead events ranging from initimate events such as weddings to assisting with Superbowl LIII. Read more>>

Justin Washington | Filmmaker

I have always told myself that you can’t be a filmmaker if you don’t know how to improvise. I have been making videos/films since my freshman year at high school (2012). It’s something that I grew to love and wanted to do as a career. After years of honing my skills, learning new ones, and applying those skills to various film projects, I have come to learn that the world of filmmaking is very unpredictable. If I have a dollar for every time that something has gone wrong in one of my films or a friend’s, I would be richer than Jay-Z right now. You can literally plan out an entire production day, weeks in advance, and have every ready to go. I promise you that something is bound to go wrong. Several actors can go awol or unavailable, the weather can change drastically, and you can come down to a skeleton crew on production day. Or maybe all of the above. Read more>>

Vickie Martin | Mixed Media Artist and Musician

Artists don’t typically think in terms of having a brand, but before I became I full-time artist, I worked in advertising. So, branding is not foreign to me. My brand grew organically and began with my mother’s dementia. This began seeping into my visual art and began teaching arts and crafts at adult day-care centers. I began noticing how music could change the most non-verbal person, so I began researching and learning about music and memory. I come from a musical family, my grandfather was a piano tuner and had a music store and my father rebuilt pianos. So my artwork pivoted towards music themed art. Read more>>

Jeff Glassmeyer | Home Inspector

The most important factor behind my success is my family. Having my family support throughout the startup and years of business is vital. Starting up a business can be very stressful that’s why having good support is needed. The success of my brand is due to pushing myself to be the best, learning as much as I can about my job and being 100% honest and standing behind all my jobs. Also being available to my clients to answer all their questions. Read more>>