Deciding to work for yourself is often cited as the best decision folks in our community have made. Hearing the same response over and over led us to ask them about the next best decision folks have made and we’ve shared their responses with you below.

Mike Cotter | Owner and Operator of Christian Brothers Automotive Alpharetta Milton

For me, the single most important decision that I made was picking a business that enables me to get really close to my customers. In today’s business world, it’s so easy to get lost behind a computer screen or an office door, losing touch with your customers’ needs. Over my 30-year corporate career, I often felt like the distance between what I did every day and how it impacted people was widening. That distance can make you numb, whether you realize it or not. Read more>>

Manny Larcher | Marketing and Operations

Taking the time to focus on the health of my mind and body. A little under two years, I blossomed to a weight that I was not comfortable with and was just unhappy about many things. I began working out 4 or more times weekly, reading more, engaging in more healthy conversations and relationships. Over time, I noticed how these changes impacted my mentality and led to improvements in every facet of life. Read more>>

Mango Kush | Model, Actress & Content Writer

Cutting out my social life. Everything from the outside is made to look like glitz and glamour, that’s the point. In reality, you work hard to get into that position. When I was in college and trying to make everything work, I drew out a simplified triangle of my life: Education, Expanding my career and Social life. That’s when I realized I couldn’t juggle all 3 without another faltering. I completely distanced myself socially, and refocused my goals and aspirations.
To this day, I have no regrets. Read more>>

Ebonee Williams | Business Strategist

Other than deciding to work for myself, the single most important decision I made that contributed to your success has been my ability to take risks in my life in general. I moved to Spain and I’ve been really enjoying life abroad. Read more>>

Tiffany Tillman | CEO, Entrepreneur, Urban Socialite

Other than working for myself the single most important decision I made that contributed to my success was deciding to try various business ventures and not be ashamed to do so. When the pandemic hit and I was laid off from my job, it definitely gave me some extra time to try some new things. I think sometimes we become extreme reliant upon our day to day jobs that we forget about the fun things we enjoy doing for leisure or money. Read more>>

Tabatha Dandridge | Virtual Assistant, Speaker & Best Selling Co-Author

Pivoting has been the single most important decision I have made that contributes to success in both my personal and business lives. Being able to embrace a mindset that says ‘it’s ok to shift’ is crucial. Pivoting does not mean I have failed or abandoned my goals; instead, It means I am learning and examining the current situation from a fresh perspective. It does not necessarily mean I do a complete shift or change, but rather take the necessary steps to determine the best course of action regardless of how different it might look from my original thoughts or plans. Read more>>

Ashley Lawhorn | Boutique Owner & Stylist

The single most important decision I made that contributes to my success is to trust myself. For a long time, I was easily influenced by the opinions of others when it came to who I am and my capabilities. I would allow people to speak over me what they thought of my abilities, not considering that I know me better than anyone else. Imagine someone you assume is in a greater space than you, rather that be in their personal, career or social media personas and they tell you, “you don’t believe in yourself.” How would you respond? Read more>>