We asked some of the city’s rising stars about why they think they have been so successful and we’ve shared their responses below.

Travie Rozae | Creative Director & Wardrobe Stylist

Being persistent and having great energy would be two habits I can definitely say created life-changing opportunities for myself which put me in positions to win. I love that no matter what cards I’m dealt, I’m always able to find a way to make it work or get things done. With what I do, people depend on me to bring their ideas to life regardless of the obstacles they may not even be aware of, so persistence is definitely what separates the winners from the losers in my book. Having good energy goes without saying – people gravitate to what makes them feel good. I’m able to secure long-term clients, new customers and life-long friends not only because of my talent and work ethic but because of the energy I put out into the universe. Read more>>

Niqua Jeanette | Content Creator

One habit that has helped me succeed thus far is making sure I get the most value out of my day. I look at everyday as blessing and a new day to accomplish something off your check list and I don’t take that for granted. Read more>>

Addison Hill | Photographer

The biggest habit that I feel helps me to succeed or move closer to success is consistency. Whether it is consistency in the imagery I create or the way business is conducted I feel it is a very important habit to practice. Consistency has always been an important trait that I value because it provides a certain satisfaction of knowing what the outcome will be. Consistency is extremely important to provide to clients that hire me to photograph their projects. It is important to grow as a photographer and I feel that being consistent at something will foster a certain type of growth and creativity. I enjoying trying new ideas and taking on new projects that challenge my but as a business I always attempt to keep a certain look or feel to the images that I create. Providing this consistency to my clients has helped create the brand identity I portray. Read more>>

Juan Reyes | Photographer/Videographer

One word comes to my mind off the bat, perseverance. {pre covid} It is a big sea of touring artist that carry their photog, it’s hard to no feel overwhelmed if you are missing opportunities when not being booked for a tour or show in your city. What has helped me is telling myself “I’ll get them next time”, and to me, that mindset has got me there more than a few times. It is just all about not wanting to give up; I haven’t done photo work for a festive but the multiple rejection emails definitely will not stop me from trying for the next one. Another habit that I think has helped me succeed would be, making each gig an effort to be enjoyable/ fun. Being called out to use my camera shouldn’t ever feel like a chore to me, we should use our time to its utmost and laugh along the way. I’m gonna always try to make the best of any situation I’m in with my camera. I really just want to have a good time with my friends; by this, I mean whether we are at a show, a field of flowers, or a kitchen taking pictures of your cake. Just trying to ball with my bros. Read more>>

Meagan Lafferty | Artist and Sales Consultant

Creating on a consistent basis has been my most helpful habit. I strive to do something creative every day whether it’s working on larger projects or simply drawing in my sketchbook. This routine has lead me to bigger and better ideas and projects, as well as improving my skill set. Read more>>

Madison Crawley | Tattooist

Being my own biggest critic has pushed me to continually grow and improve my craft. I believe that as an artist, you will always be a student, and the minute you think that you have nothing left to learn is when you’ve failed. Read more>>

Emmy Marshall | Abstract Artist

In one of my first interviews I stated that I have infinite possibilities and there are no rules, I simply make my own. That refreshing statement has help me succeed as an artist. Read more>>

Anthony Jones | Visual Designer

I have a lot of habits that I feel helped me get to the point that I am at right now. Habits that I feel helped me succeed the most were change, failure, and growth. I will elaborate because I know you are probably thinking well how can a single word be a habit. Change is something that I try to incorporate into my process of living as much as possible. When we take the time to change our perspective on what we feel is normal, we remove ourselves from a resistant state. Accepting things that may be uncomfortable to us will, in the end, open us up and push us past the fear of failure. Growing up my father instituted a saying around our household that stated ’90 or above’ , this saying was eventually plastered all of the house so my siblings and I could see it as a reminder for how we should carry ourselves through school and on. This saying bled into many other areas of my life and when I began to generate ideas I always wanted to make sure those ideas were perfect ideas, 90 or above. Once I got to art school ideas didn’t have to be perfect, you just had to be able to explain your perspective and its value. Read more>>

Gwen Gunter | Abstract Painter

Perseverance and a commitment to my personal voice. This combined with the belief that the creative work I have been given to do has meaning and relevance has kept me on the path. Read more>>

Omari Cudjoe | Wedding Photographer

It starts with a white board. I had a very hard time remembering anything that I would try to do on a day to day basis. My wife suggested it, and now it’s become something that is crucial throughout my daily routine. The next and most important thing is to pray over everything. Whether it’s jobs that I’m looking to be contracted for, or jobs that I’m about to perform, it’s all extremely vital to my business. I’ve seen how my business has operated on both sides of the coin, and to say that business with God is much better is a complete understatement. Read more>>

Nazir Hill | Owner of The Divine Shop

Before answering this question, I would like to state my definition of the terms habit and success. Through experience I’ve learned that a a habit can form naturally without an individual intending to acquire them, however, habits can be intentionally created to mold one’s transition to success. Success is a state of mind, if you do not truly understand what success is, obtaining it is impossible. Success is to living a life based on your own expectations and terms, not others. Formulating routines where I’ve consistently practiced self-discipline and accountability is how I’ve found myself achieving success. Think about self-discipline being the bridge between you and success. Having a sense of self-discipline ties into being accountable. You are the product of your choices. We make choices every single second of every single day. Being able to actively adjust my perspective throughout situations has been an advantageous habit for me. Read more>>

Phil Clancy | Relationship/Life Coach

The habit that I most subscribe to is getting in the habit of meditating and centering yourself. Many times we get so caught up in our lives that we don’t know what day it is. When you meditate you quite your mind and you are able to make sure you are in the here and now. Thinking about the past or the future is asinine when you are in the present moment. Getting in the habit of meditating has helped me immensely. Read more>>