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.

Mervyn McKoy | Illustrator and Storyteller

The decision to work with my wife, Nicole, has been the single most important contribution to my success. It all started back in 2012 when together we decided to attend MegaCon, which was the largest comic convention in the state. Due to transportation issues, I almost scrapped attending, but Nicole was interested in entering a costume competition there, and so the stars aligned. It was the first time being back in Artist Alley after a long while since normally I had been a guest at a booth or at a booth with friends. Despite the smaller space we had to sell our wares, this was the first time where there was synergy and being on a smaller but super efficient team for me. Nicole was definitely more adept at maximizing the space, and since she didn’t like my original layout, she suggested changing it. This was a great first lesson in thinking on the fly. Whereas normally my booth setup was static, Nicole was all about flexibility and accessibility. Read more>>

Ann Kurtzman | Wedding Officiant & Meditation Teacher

The decision that Weddings with Serenity sprang from was the belief that every couple deserves to have a ceremony that is as meaningful and memorable as mine was. And that I can totally make that happen. I decided to choose JOY! I’ve had a variety of jobs. But when a position I held was coming to an end due to the facility relocating, I was talking to a friend and fretting about what to “do” next. Her words change my life. “Why don’t you concentrate of doing weddings full time? You’re so good at it and it gives you so much joy!” At that moment, I decided to choose JOY! My husband and I were married almost 37 years ago. I created the ceremony and we wrote our own vows. We had a close friend (who was the mayor of Miami Beach) officiate. Our family and friends loved our short ceremony and remarked that it was SO us. (there was a social justice theme with poetry from Gibran). Well, to this day, when he makes me a cup of coffee… he set’s it down in front of me and whispers in my ear, “tenderly caring for you!” (from our wedding vows) My heart just melts! I guess I’m a hopeless romantic. Read more>>

Anna Dolce | Hospitality Leadership Coach

Most important decision I’ve made and still make every day is to be myself and do what feels good to me. I live my life and have built my business on this principle. In the world where everyone is selling their “success formula”, it is easy to be seduced and believe that what worked for that person or business will work for you in the same way. Many novice as well as seasoned entrepreneurs make a mistake of copy pasting others playbooks for their business. Not only it doesn’t work for them, in the process they also forget who you are. They lose themselves. Once you lose yourself, you can not keep your business. I have a natural aversion for following the crowd. I do what feels best to me. As a result, it always works out for me. And if it doesn’t, I learn a lot more having followed my own path than If I would have copied and pasted someone else’s “success formula”. Read more>>

Nakia Osalami Blake | Registered Nurse, Health Coach & Holistic Health Practitioner

The single most decision I made was going back to school for nursing. I originally started the program eight years prior and had to delay my education due to illness, family, and financial obligations. However, I never gave up on my pursuit. This one educational endeavor provided me with multiple professional opportunities and experiences. Nursing afforded me the ability to design my career. I worked with children, the elderly, and students in various clinical settings. I was able to teach and speak at national conferences. I was also able to work in various leadership and management positions where I honed my professional skillset. Read more>>

Macy Calderon | Founder Emme Jewerlry

To keep going. Building a business, fast or slow, takes a lot of perseverance. Being confronted with so many decisions as a founder can take a toll on you. There is when you have to remember your purpose and keep working towards it. Read more>>