Through our work we have been constantly amazed at the incredible things people in every neighborhood are working on. What’s even more exciting is that they all have different stories, backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses. That there isn’t a single formula for success means that everyone can take their unique set of strengths and characteristics and turn it into a success story. We recently reached out to some folks we admire and asked them what characteristics they feel are responsible for their success.

Mariel Awoniyi | Creative

The most important factor behind any of my success is GOD. I am a living testament of the scripture John 15:5, because I can‘t do anything good without him. Everything good that I have done can be attributed to power higher than myself. Read more>>

Louise Henry | Online Business Strategist and Tech Expert

Being committed and consistent is what’s really made a difference for me. It’s all about sticking with it, day in and day out. Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy; there are highs and lows, and it takes a lot of grit to keep going, especially when things aren’t taking off as quickly as you’d like. But I’ve learned that if you keep at it, stay focused on your goals, and take small steps forward every day, success will follow. It’s not instant, but it’s so worth it in the end. So my advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs is always to keep at it, stay committed, and trust the process. Read more>>

Kimyatta Albert | Wellness Expert Life & Mindset Coach

With 22-plus years immersed in the wellness space and a solid 16-year track record as a business owner, my journey reflects the duration of time and the depth of experience. My commitment goes beyond the surface. It’s not merely about physical transformations; it’s about fostering emotional and mental metamorphoses that become the secret sauce, the essence of what brings clients back time and again. In these years of business, my intentional focus remains unwavering — each client’s journey is a unique narrative of transformation. It’s about the sacred space created, the personalized touch, and conversations meticulously aligned with individual needs. The goal is not only to make them look good but to leave them feeling as good as they look. Read more>>

Tasha Devoe | Online Fitness Coach & Personal Trainer

The most important factor behind the success of Fit With Tasha is my faith. My faith has taught me resilience and never giving up on myself, or my clients. Fit With Tasha was created because I saw the value of giving a woman, her voice back through my own personal weight loss journey. My experience has pushed me to fight for and alongside my clients.. Read more>>

Melissa Mitri | Registered Dietitian & Freelance Writer

Persistence and consistency. Running a successful business and brand requires grit, resilience, and consistency in your efforts to see long-term success and stand the test of time. Even when I had challenging days or weeks (like we all do), I continued to show up for my audience and clients and did the work needed to move the needle forward. My drive to remain an entrepreneur and help the people who need me keeps me going each and every day! Read more>>

Amanda Hyacinth | Faith Messenger, Life Coach, HR Professional & Small Business Owner

My Faith. I would have to say the most important factor behind my success and the success of my brand is my faith in myself, my vision for the woman I am becoming, and most importantly, my faith in God who gave me my brand. To speak about my success and my business, first, we have to go way back to 2018 when God gave me the idea of turning an interest and hobby into a business, but of course, my lack of obedience at the time and lack of faith in believing that I could actually be successful hindered my motivation to finish what I began. In 2018, I started dabbling in candle making and also set up an inspirational Instagram page called Candle Communiqué to promote mental, emotional & spiritual healing through community & conversation. Read more>>

Angela Karros | Nurse Injector and Owner of Angela K. Aesthetics

I contribute my success to multiple factors. It all started with a vision, goals, strategy, a great team and excepting that failure was not an option. My success is driven by motivation and determination. No matter what happened, I kept my end goal in sight and worked hard to overcome any and all obstacles that were thrown my way. Read more>>

Mark Pettit | Entrepreneur, Actor and Best-Selling Author

Without a doubt, hard work and a “never give up or in” attitude. I also believe that you have to a be a bit naive when going into a new phase of your life. For example, becoming an actor and a best-selling author are extremely difficult tasks–and if I had know just how difficult they were, I might never have tried. But I was naive enough to think I could accomplish both–and I have. Read more>>

Jiayi Zhang | Illustrator, Graphic Designer , Educator

The most important factor that positively influenced the success of my career is persistence. I always remain passionate about the things I truly love and insist on doing them for a long time. This quality also supports me in overcoming numerous challenges. For example, I need to do a bit of graphic design sometimes, even if I am specialized in illustration. But there is a challenge: graphic design requires a high level of proficiency in using software like Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator ,and InDesign. I was unfortunately too slow to use the software, but I kept telling myself it is crucial to master those softwares, which are also beneficial for my field of study. Therefore, I pushed myself to search for tutorials, ask for help from professors, and classmates or try to find alternative ways. Eventually, I could somehow produce high-quality graphic design pieces, thanks to my persistence. Everything in this world is not easy; it takes great effort, courage, and persistence to make great achievements. So what I should do is do my best to pursue the success of the things I love and never say, “Give up”. Read more>>