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.

Calli Henley | Realtor and Fine Artist

The most important factor behind my success is my commitment to my self care. There is no higher priority for me than to make sure every single day I am fed. To be fully satiated and give myself fully to my day I need to do these few things: Pause, Reflect, Pray, Affirm, and Plan. When I make time to be Pause I am committing to being still, not distracted and focused on my own needs versus the needs of everything around me. Reflecting on yesterday sparks instant gratitude- what was I able to accomplish, what went well and what didn’t. Prayer reminds me of who my identity resides in and who ultimately gives me strength, favor and all of my abilities and gifts. After I finish I plan the rest of my day and week so I have clarity on what I need to do and it allows me to serve those around me best. Read more>>

Jeff Riman | KING KANINE, Partner/ Founder

When I first got into the pet products space I realized how poorly and unsafe so many of the products were. There is no real regulation or compliance and so to me it seemed to be a real free for all. You were lucky if you actually bought a pet product that was natural, safe and effective. I developed a very easy philosophy which I refer to as “P and P over P”. What this stands for is “put products and pets over profits” To some business owners this may seem counter productive. But when your passion is to create the best pet products possible, you’ll see it totally makes sense. What happens from there is, and specially in the pet space is that if a product is working or the pet owner and of course their pet love the product they become customers for life. Read more>>

JOHN FUMERO | ATTORNEY

My success is due in large part to taking the time and doing the work to have a clear understanding of the client’s business objectives and needs. I pride myself in not just being a lawyer, or someone who knows the laws and regulations, but also a counselor. A counselor is someone who has a fundamental understanding of the style and approach of a client and their approach to identifying problems and solving them. In most cases, my clients come to me because they are facing a challenge or dispute with a particular project or in their business venture. My clients want and need strong, and creative. problem-solving capabilities. I would like to think that I am known as someone who focuses on what needs to get done and is able to bring others to the table to resolve a challenge or dispute. Read more>>

Krystal Thomas | Chief Shine Officer & Broker Associate

Service. There are two mottos that really influence the way I live and conduct business: 1. Service Above Self 2. No one has ever become poor by giving One thing I know for sure is the more people you can help, connect, and serve, the more you will receive. Maybe not immediately, but ALWAYS eventually because life always comes back around. Read more>>