We asked some of the city’s rising stars to reflect on what made a difference in their journey. We asked them to tell us about what they think the most important factor has been behind their success.

Ariene Bethea | Huntress, Founder & Retailer

I’m very organized – type A. I think in logical order, so that has helped me to focus and prioritize important tasks and meet deadlines. Read more>>

Samuel Oluwafemi | Videographer/Photograper

Open-minded – I believe for anyone to be successful you have to be open-minded, to learning from others, have the ability to consider other perspectives Humble – Been humble is a very important habits to have in succeeding in life,not been proud or arrogant to take criticism from others. And lastly Work Ethic – Having a good work ethic and hungry to learn from anyone either above or below you. having the ability to stay focus on tasks having for as long as necessary to get them done. And always be respectful and punctual to any clients and every work you do give 1000%. Read more>>

Sydney Anderson | Athlete Manager/Consultant

I feel as though consistency has played a major role in the successes I’ve had thus far. I have been consistent in providing quality services for my clients and exceeding most of their expectations. Even on the days where I didn’t have a lot of clients and nothing seemed to be going right, I continued to put forth my best effort. Another thing is not taking everything personal. I have learned when to separate my emotions and my work. This is key because it helps one make decisions that aren’t based off emotion. Read more>>

LaRodney Haynes | Actor, Model, Entrepreneur

I’ve always been very ambitious and attentive to my challenges and goals. I’ve adopted many different habits and applied them to my work to see what is most effective towards my success. I would have to say the best habit that’s been most effective is prioritizing my time to take care of what is needed without procrastinating. I truly believe this can help minimize missing major opportunities and put you in rooms you would never believe. Read more>>

LINDA MILLS | Wedding & Portrait Photographer

I am a planner fanatic! Even in the age of digital everything, I love a paper planner. I use it to keep track of everything both for my business and personal life. I take at least 30 minutes each day to do a “brain dump” to make sure that I write everything down that is outstanding or might need my attention or followup. Then I block off time on my calendar to get things done. Execution is so important. It doesn’t matter how well you plan if you don’t take the next step and execute on that plan. I read a book called “The 5am Club” by Robin Sharma and it changed my life. I now wake up daily at 5am to get a jump start on my day. That first hour of the day is used for exercise, planning for the day and doing some sort of learning whether it be practicing a language, reading a book on business or watching a photography tutorial. Read more>>

Anyla Fulton | Fitness coach and Owner of the Fulton Fit Academy

There are a plethora of reasons as to why I succeed, but a few main reasons would be remembering my end goal, remembering to take breaks and most of all having fun. These three things are ideal for my success because my end goal keeps me motivated at times when I want to give up, taking breaks and spending time with friends and family helps me take care of my mental so I am able to serve my clients to the best of my ability and lastly, I have fun with what I do so it feels less like a job. Of course there are a lot of other aspects that could play into my success, but these three are the driving factors. Read more>>

Shailza Vanacore | Artist & Yoga Teacher

Anthony Robbins said, “It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently.” I truly believe in that statement. Habits make us who we are. And to change something, you have to change old habits and make new ones. Consistency is the key to success. Everyday I follow a routine that sets me up to have a successful and fulfilling day. Some of the habits that I follow are – 1. I wake up early every morning to do yoga and meditation 2. I start my day by drinking warm water with fresh lemon juice in it 3. I drink my morning tea and read couple of pages from a motivational book 4. To keep my mind sharp, I learn a new language for 10 minutes I try to do everything with an intention. I often ask myself ‘why am I doing this’, and if the answer does not serve my goals, then I realize that I need to reassess my actions. Read more>>

Breana Jeanfaivre | Photographer

Getting into a steady routine and staying organized has definitely been a lifesaver for me. As a photographer and business owner, it can get very easy to get into a rut of going through your day to day but not having a schedule. At the beginning of each week, especially when I know that I have a lot coming up, I always start a to-do list. I list out my to-do’s for each day and the feeling of crossing off each task once it is completed is so incredibly satisfying. I will admit, it is harder for me to set aside time for myself each day to just relax, but that is something I am trying to be better at. Success isn’t measured by the amount of money that you make or the amount of sessions that you book. To me, being a successful photographer is about creating relationships with my clients and capturing beautiful photos for them that will last a lifetime. Read more>>

Mace Toussaint | Photography/interviewer. Founder of “The Weird Ones Blog”

When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is thank god and the last thing I do before I got to sleep is thank God and reflect on how I want to grow. That single handed has made me more motivated because instead of focusing on what is not working I start the day thanking God for what I have. When I started doing that every obstacle turned into a resource because I could finally see it’s value. It has really made me a more productive person. That and listening to “I AM” meditations on YouTube and mirror affirmations. Just like you might give your friends and family encourage i believe it’s important to give that same energy to yourself… sooo in the morning I love to start my day giving myself encouragement. That too has helped me a lot. Read more>>

Lia Abney | Consultant, Author & Speaker

A habit that has helped me to succeed has been journaling. The first time I journaled I wrote down everything that was on my mind and on my heart. It reminded me that in Habakkuk 2:2 when it talks about writing a vision. Once I did it became the foundation for me setting goals for things I wanted to accomplish. Now when I read things I wrote from months back I am amazed at all I have actually accomplished. It is so exciting to see the steps I have made especially during those times when I felt that I am not where I want to be in life. It gives me a reason to celebrate my life’s accomplishments. Also, journaling helped me to write down emotions that I was dealing with that was creating blockers from being proactive and moving in the right direction. I try to do this almost every day. This has led me to finish many things in my life where I am now a certified Goal Success coach. Read more>>

Jusderia | Model & Creative Director

I’d like to speak on one factor. Control. Or the more powerful thing, surrender. I’ve always imagined the kind of adult I want to be. Being raised by a village of many characters , I spent a lot of time picking and leaving the things about them that I did or didn’t want to take into adulthood.They all indirectly taught me surrender. To have real faith. Real give it to God moments.I feel like I was taught that my ability to control things was a direct reflection of my self worth, my status in society. How good could I be at controlling things ? Anyways, I released that idea. Surrender , which ties in with faith and freedom and other beautiful things really contributes to my success. Read more>>

LaTricha Hamilton | Creative Boss, CEO, Wife &Mom

One main habit to succeed for me was to always keep God first. I know it may sound cliché but honestly that is what has helped me. While I would be creating products or pushing out orders I always thanked God for it. Tired and all He get’s first dibs. As well as have great support team. Thankfully I have my family in my corner rooting for me and a awesome team of creative women as well called CBCIC (Creative Boss Collective Inner Circle. When I am feeling overwhelmed or even overly excited both my family and sister tribe are their supporting and pushing me forward. I keep pushing myself to keep going and don’t quit. Ignore the negative and remember my Why. These are a ew of my healthy habits. You need that support team with you to keep you going. To ask questions when you don’t know the answers. It can be lonely out there without it. Trust I know, I started that way and refuse to go back. Read more>>

Yasmine McBride | Fashion & Lifestyle Content Creator

Being consistent and creating a schedule/routine for myself. I am a creature of habit. I’ve always owned a planner and I write everything down. This has helped me to be consistent with my work and manage my time. When I first started creating content, I didn’t know what I was doing or how to land those brand partnerships but the more I learned and continued put my work out there, good things started happening. Consistency is key for any success. You only lose win you quit trying. Read more>>

Taylor Kraus | Photographer

Habits I feel have helped me succeed are writing everything down, making sure I manage my time correctly! Having a schedule and making sure I know what I need to do and when has really helped me, if I do not have it written down then I am less likely to do it because I will forget. Read more>>

Dante Harmon | Entrepreneur & Multi-Instrumentalist

I feel there were 2 things that helped me succeed. One is consistency. When something works, repeat it, duplicate it, and outdo. yourself. No one likes process, but a cake just doesn’t bake itself. It takes repetitiveness and consistency to remain a great baker. As a creative musician, and motivational speaker, I’m always figuring out ways to maintain the quality of my work, and figuring out how to be relevant and steady as Im doing it. The second thing is being intentional. Growing up I saw people want to do things because it was popular, or it made them look important. It was not their purpose, volition, or something they calculated as something meaningful. I believe when you are involved in something you love, it breeds intent. Why? You want to know it, and you understand it willfully. Read more>>

Davida Edwards | Fashion Account Executive & Entrepreneur

Prayer, first and foremost! I have found myself in places and positions that only God could have orchestrated, because I still do not know how I got there. Sure, I had the education and work experience, but the connections were truly divine. I still believe in hard work. I commit to everything I do with passion and I think that is something that is missing today. You hear a lot about “working smart, not hard” but as an entrepreneur you must do both! Intelligence is having the ability, smart is knowing what to do with that ability, and work is the effort, the passion you put into using the ability. For me, it is about the passion for what you are doing. It is that intangible quality that not everyone has. Read more>>

Whitney Huffman | Salon Owner & Stylist

I’m a Virgo, so I’m very detail oriented and thrive on routine. I tend to set my schedule/to do list first thing in the morning. My mornings are very important to me. It’s my time to meditate and prepare for the day ahead. Making time to sit with my thoughts and my coffee is an absolute must. A morning workout is another nonnegotiable habit. After the lists are made, orders are placed, and emails are answered, I like to give myself time to move my body. I’m naturally an introvert (as well as an empath) so prepping my brain with extra endorphins allows me to truly be there for my clients. Hairstylists do so much more than just highlights and haircuts. Yes, we are artists, but we are also listeners, supporters, and therapists… sometimes we are even expected to be mind readers and magicians. This takes more energy than some people realize. I believe a solid routine is the most important habit. Staying organized and making time for a healthy work/life balance has definitely been the key to my success. Read more>>