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.
Fiona Joi | Social media influencer
Authenticity! I continue to be my truest self . My real motivation is leading an extended family and impacting lives and lifestyles! I have had many ups and downs in my career but talent and intent continues to secure my success!. Read more>>
Desiree Nathanson | Founder & CEO, Interfusion Fitness
I use fitness and movement to make people feel better! Not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. I believe fitness should compliment and enhance a person’s life, not add anxiety and stress to it. The fitness industry has taken a turn towards using shame and guilt to try to motivate people to move, and while that might work for some people in the short term, it is not going to help anyone achieve healthy results that are sustainable. Aside from using fitness to make people feel better, I encourage people to focus on goals that are going to benefit their lives, not just change aesthetics. While aesthetic goals are incredibly popular in the world of fitness, they can be toxic and encourage unhealthy behaviors that will prevent people from leading happy and healthy lives. Read more>>
Jasmine Johnson | Founder and Media Correspondent
SessionsWithJas was a created under a year ago, in where, it is a brand that helps other creatives to tell their story. The success behind that is when creatives come to the show, it will help them get the audience to listen by sharing their story to the world for them to see. Read more>>
Daniel Green | Creative Director
I think the most important factor behind my success is my personality. I was gonna say something about the art, but before that, it’s my personality that gives my brand success. I’m fun to work with, HILARIOUS, and I’m really good at bringing the personality and rawness out of my clients. I can feel the passion you have for your brand, and I take it to a whole ‘nother level. You can feel the enthusiasm I put into every project by the end result. Our clients are on cloud 9 when they receive a project from us, and are just as excited to share our work with everyone they come across. I’m really transparent, and down to earth, so all of my clients and the people I work with are like family. Nah, but for real though, with every client I work with, it feels like we grew up in the same neighborhood or something lol. I ride for my people, and my people ride for me. Read more>>
Questa | Self Taught Stylist
The most important factors to my success and my brand is patience and confidence. Even though it’s a on going learning process, I’m patient with my brand, my growth and my clientele. I feel as though people remember that and value that about me. It helps me to be able to process everything going on without having to worry because I know and understand that everything takes times. Understanding that helps me reach and set new goals for myself and my brand daily. My confidence is so important to me because that’s what set me away from different brands. Just being myself helps create different bonds with my clients which makes me happy that I’m making you happy and that makes me want to keep going. Read more>>
Jerrika Brown | Certified Business Coach & Instructor
The most crucial factor behind the success of my brand has to be FAILURE! I know it may sound crazy, but my failures have made me successful. Within my coaching business, I can teach my clients sure success through my trials and tribulations. I use these strategies because I embrace every hiccup that I’ve experienced along my journey. Failure has taught me how to be practical, successful, disciplined, and persistent. If you haven’t experienced some level of disruption in your business, you will never experience true success. Read more>>
Desmond Wiggan | CEO & Co-Founder of IOT company BatteryXchange
When I think about my success and my brand I think about my many relationships and a philosophy I live by that goes “If you give more to others than you expect to receive, then you’ll never be without”. There have been many relationships that I’ve simply given what I could whether it be a connection to someone else, advice, or tangible work that I had to do. It’s through those times that I believe God sees your willingness to be there for others in their time of need and when it’s your time everything works out. There’s also an authenticity to help that has to be involved as well with this, you can’t be giving and expecting because you cannot control when you receive. But, as I look back at my may wins and successes I know it’s God, but I also know it’s because I’m a servant of others first. Read more>>
Jonathan Tillman | CBD Entrepreneur
The most important factors in my success is putting my faith and trust in God. Keeping God first in everything I do. Also, I believe that success don’t have a zip code. To me it doesn’t matter where you from and who you are. I believe that we all have something to offer in this world. Last, I don’t ever give up on myself because I know I can find a way to get to the top and overcome. Read more>>
Christopher “The Real Frii” Elliott | Lyricist & Author
For me, it goes without saying for anyone who meets me, that my faith in God is the MOST important factor behind my success. Aside from that, I would say my unbending desire to genuinely not want to waste my time, or the valuable time I take from my family while engaged in activities to build my brand. So basically, if I’m going to be grinding over here, but that is time taken away from family because I’m in the studio for example, then that means I need to make the BEST use of that time in the studio because it’s costing my family their time with me. Read more>>
RobinOnTheMachine | Children’s Fashion Designer
The most important factor behind my brand is always staying true to my art. I have a high level of integrity. I don’t believe in copying other kid fashion designers whatsoever, which is why most of my creations go viral. I think supporters recognize things like that. The uniqueness is what attracts the consumers. To be honest, I doubt my brand would have even reached the level of success that it has, if my work looked like other designers & I’m grateful for that. I’m 100% self taught but I don’t believe in taking the easy way out. I can’t be known as the designer that can’t come up with her own ideas in this fashion world. My goal is to be legendary. Read more>>
Lauren Hill | Maker, Creator, & Lifestyle Floral Designer
I believe that the most important factor behind my brand and its success is integrity. I have always operated under the idea that personality will open doors, but only character will keep them open. Everything that is created, delivered, and executed falls into the thought that it is genuine and true. Meaning, that the creation comes from a personal place, and the entire process of making sure that every client or customer is satisfied with the attention to detail and effort that goes into every single step of the journey. I value being honest with my customers and communicating with them, no matter what the situation. I believe that something as simple as operating with great morals and treating everyone as I would want to be treated can make you successful, and make people love you and your brand. Read more>>
Dr. Jennifer Jones Bryant | Leadership, Personal, and Professional Development Coach|Mentor|Multi-Bestseller Author|Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Leader
The most important factors behind my success are purging those things that no longer serve me, moving according to my pace, executing initiatives in phases and stages, not comparing, doing what scares me by taking bigger risks, and coaching and mentoring clients by equipping, empowering, and igniting the fire in them to show up as their best selves. Read more>>
An’Darrio Abrams | Chasing: Reality Owner, Producer, and Editor
I think one of the most important factors behind our brand, Chasing: Reality, is that we are passionate about the work we are doing. We have deadlines we have to meet and we have stories we would like to share. The purpose of the network is to showcase those individuals that have a voice that just need that push. We (Ressie Gamble, Quentin Harris, Markel Logan, and Myself) work really hard with our shows to showcase our community through the good and the bad. As I am the editor of all of the content seen on Chasing: Reality, I have to put what I’m doing aside to deliver the content on time and in a polished manner. That is the promise behind the brand and what makes it successful. Read more>>
Donny Hammonds | Musician. Producer, Recording Studio Engineer
I believe one of the most important things to have when owning a business, Being “Full Time” at something rather than doing it as a side job or hobby, is Consistency and Persistence. I see so many individuals and people start up a business, Brand etc. and then not stick with it or have the dedication to make it work. They don’t promote and market the business and brand but yet expect client s and others to see it and help them make it grow. It takes more than a “Facebook” post every once in awhile. I see individuals who start a business, they’ll make an announcement on social media, get t-shirts made and do things that aren’t wise in my perspective, to advertise the business for the first couple weeks and then you never hear from it again or see any results from the said Company that they started. Then a few weeks later you see the same person take on a new adventure and do the same thing over and over. Then folks start commenting and asking, “What about the other business you had”. Read more>>
Brianna Francis | Entrepreneur
I would say the most important factor behind my brands and my success are the impact and effect I have on other’s lives. Knowing I was able to help someone, give them a certain motivation or positive outlook, is the greatest feeling and reward. Read more>>
Nicole Outlaw | Boutique Owner & Small Business Advocate
The most important factor behind my success and that of my brand is my consistency. Read more>>
Simone Jester | Small Business Owner of Self-Care Bath Products
Support from my mom, my family CONSTANTLY supporting without having me to ask for them, and random strangers that like to support my small business by making a purchase, referring us to others, or showcasing our products/business on their social media platforms. I can’t do this without the support of others. I love knowing that there are people that enjoy my products and want to support me by making a purchase. Without the support, I think that it would’ve been a struggle to main success and continuing to try to maintain a positive attitude. I love showing support to others, and when I see others showing support to me, it warms my heart. Read more>>
ASIA GRIGSBY | Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker
The most important factor behind the success of my brand is remembering my “why”. Therapy is currently increasing in demand, but I continue to reflect on how my work is making a difference in our community, specifically the black community, even during the busiest times. There are studies in the early phases that indicate that depression and anxiety have increased significantly during the pandemic, which have resulted in an increase in people seeking therapy services in the past year. My belief is that being a therapist is a lifestyle and providing a safe space for others to work towards healing is my purpose in this life. When others feel your sincerity and authenticity behind the work that you do, they will continue to support your brand with no hesitation. During times when I feel overwhelmed with the fullness of my schedule, I’m able to practice self-care and gratitude for my ability to create a space for others to feel safe and heard, which ultimately helps me remember my “why”. Read more>>
Brittney Smith | Book Coach & Editor
The most important factor behind my success is how I feel about myself. Every day, I show up to the world as my authentic self, which indicates success to me. It took me years to be myself because I was too worried about who would like me or want to work with me. So, essentially I hid anything that I felt wouldn’t make me likable. It wasn’t until I decided that I wouldn’t be afraid of people’s opinions that I found true happiness in owning a business. My job is to serve my clients the best way I can. It’s not to make sure people like me. That’s a bonus–, and when it happens, I’m extremely grateful. Letting people get to know the real me, the amazing parts and the quirky parts, has actually brought me more business than the pretend me ever did. Read more>>
Jazmyn Alexis | Singer-Songwriter & Recording Artist
This may sound cliche, but the most important factor behind my success is having faith. There’s been so many times I’ve been told “No”, that I’m not a star, and many times where my projects get delayed or destroyed due to things outside of my control. But my resilience is how I keep defying gravity; and ultimately, my resilience comes from faith. Just like everyone else, It’s up to me to pursue the life and dreams I’ve had since birth and I intend to take on the battle for as long as it takes, and then some. Faith is such a broad factor which is why I believe it’s the most important. Faith exudes confidence. Faith exudes the patience and ability to manifest the impossible. Even in my personal life, faith has helped me to stay on track and not spiral into emotional turmoil, which foresure has happened several times on my journey. The key is bonding self and spirit so that outside forces can’t deter you from your vision of success. Read more>>
Jarvis “JBo” Hamilton | Owner of Black Love By JBo
The most important factor of my success is the fact that I live the brand. Black Love By JBo isn’t just a saying. I express love, and go out my way to show love to the whole community. When people think of me, that’s exactly what they see. Not only me, but my wife also. We are the brand. Also, we make sure we keep it that way. I do panel discussions, and talk shows, and seminars on black love, just to keep that in the forefront! This works suffers if we don’t love ourselves, and everybody else. Read more>>