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.

John Reed | Owner and Baker

The success of my brand had come from persistence and organic growth. My passion is to create the best cookies and desserts any had ever had. This is proven with every order and the customized desserts surpassing customers expectations. Reed Family Baking will be a household name sooner rather than later. Read more>>

Gabby B | Pop Artist & Performer

I think the most important factor behind the success of myself and my brand is having a team with me that always has my back. Without my team, I wouldn’t be able to be in the position that I’m in right now. For an artist in the music industry, it’s crucial that you have people that can handle the business side of things and can help out in day to day activities. My team allows me to focus on the artistry and really be my creative self. Success in music is definitely a whole team effort!. Read more>>

Mike Calderon | DJ and Event Organizer

I have always been socially inclined individual. I love making people happy and seeing them smile. I love bringing joy to peoples’ lives through my art as a DJ and through my music. I believe the accumulation of followers in my social database is large mainly due to my great personality and the way I talk, adapt, and listen to people. It all comes down to customer service. The more you are better at it, the more people will listen, follow, and trust you. As a DJ/event organizer, every person that walks through the door, I always make them feel at home and give the best performance I can. Read more>>

Jerome Nixon | Fitness Trainer/Business Owner

The most important factors behind my success and the success of my brand is Determination, Resilience and Grit. I believe these three factors will help overcome any obstacles a person may face down the road. That can mean in everday life experiences or in a business stand point. Read more>>

Tamara Benavente | Photographer

I believe there are two factors that are key to the success of my brand: strong visuals and great customer service. They’re both connected. You can’t get strong photos if you don’t have your client’s trust. And you gain that through the way you treat them and most importantly, how you make them feel. If you’re warm and relatable and make your clients feel at ease, it will show up on your images. Read more>>

Osmin Tervil II | Podcaster, Photographer & Videographer

For me the most important factor behind the brand is authenticity. I feel as if you are unapologetic being you, there is no way that can’t be respected and celebrated. For me the response has been overwhelming to say the least, Broward really showing that there is love and support out there. So from oztheplug, I and grateful, Thank you. Read more>>

Cristina Ortiz | Real Estate Lawyer

I make service and communication a priority. Even if it’s bad news, I believe in being transparent with a client. As a young lawyer, working at a law firm, I decided to learn from my former boss. I did not always agree with how my superiors treated clients and I decided to be different. I keep in mind that I am also a client and a customer myself, and I try to treat others how I would want to be treated. Read more>>

Seven Meave | Makeup Artist

The most important factor behind my success would be my relentlessness to shut up. I know that sounds strange, maybe even harsh? but being taught from a young age to behave, stay quiet and make myself small to fit in didn’t feel right or moral. It’s one reason why it took me so long to find my identity. In time I learned my creativity comes out best when I’m unapologetically myself, and I encourage others to be just as loud with their creativity. Read more>>

Pablo | DJ/Journalist

The most important factor behind my success is genuinely loving what I do. There’s never a day where I hate creating content for my own enjoyment. I think when people see you enjoying your creations they are more inclined to enjoy them too. Read more>>

Anthony Farese | Prop Maker/Cosplayer

Consistency and passion for what I do has been absolute key to the success I’ve seen with my social media. I love prop making and sharing my work on the internet every week. There’s nothing more satisfying than looking at a finished prop or costume piece and saying “I made that.” Read more>>

Konstancja Szymanska | Assistant Director for International Recruitment, Partnerships and Engagement, Consultant & Ph.D. Candidate in Educational Leadership

I think that authenticity is something that I always wanted to include in my journey to success as well as transparency. Sharing my stories and my personal experiences to connect with my audience is truly a priority and is one of the most recognizable aspects when you think of my brand image. Working in international education requires competence, integrity and innovation. I think one of the most important factors behind the success of my brand is the ability to create relatable experiences and spaces. Coming to the United States to pursue your education might feel very overwhelming for some individuals. Therefore, I always make sure that I create a dialogue that will provide my audience with the expertise that they require. Speaking about your own experiences and journey makes people more connected and curious. I strongly believe in presenting the most authentic self during presentations, webinars and consultations. We all might be talking about the same product but what makes it unique is YOUR story. Read more>>

Alex Cormont | Relationship Expert

I think the most important factor behing my success is to give always the best client experience. I will always go behond our promises. It’s very important to make our client feel specials. Read more>>

Julie Rath | Image Consultant and Personal Stylist

I absolutely love what I do and believe passion truly drives success. At the end of the day, my job is to make people feel their best so they can live their best lives. I consider myself part coach, part stylist, and part confidante. Trust plays an important role too. I work with very successful clients – many of them men – who don’t have a lot of time to focus but expect “results.” I have to teach them that our work is both mental and physical. Clothes and styling are very powerful tools for performance in all aspects of our lives. I get such a high when I see clients feeling great in their own skin as a result of our work together. Success also means being able to adapt quickly. With the shift to video calls for work, this past year has been significant for business because it requires teaching clients different strategies to look their best on camera. Read more>>

Kathia Green | Florida Realtor®

The most important factor behind the success of my brand as a South Florida Realtor is my hustle and tenacity. Being a stand out realtor in this market requires great work ethic, honesty, integrity, authenticity, attention to details, and an engaging personality. I try to always put myself in my client’s shoes so that I can deliver empathy , compassion nd understanding during every transaction from start to finish and beyond the closing day when AI hand over keys t o their new home. My network of professionals (mortgage loan officers, appraisers, home inspectors, title/escrow agents and attorneys) also contribute to the success of my brand. we work together as a TEAM to bring a seamless and worry-free experience to the home buying and selling process. Also, staying up-to-date on the latest topics in real estate and in the local market allows me to service clients more effectively. Read more>>

Lizzy Molina | Creative Consultant & Producer

The most important factor behind the success of my business is being fearless in our vision. We are not afraid to pivot or disrupt the traditional way of marketing and branding. Read more>>

Valerie Diaz | Digital Creator & Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur

Ever since I was a little girl I always knew that I wanted to become an entrepreneur. My entrepreneurial journey began when I was around 8 years old. I started doing nails around my neighborhood and charging $15 – $25 Dominican Pesos. After a few days, my team grew and eventually, it was not just me doing nails – It was me and my crew: Las Tres Mariposas (The Three Butterflies) rocking our business around the “barrio”. My purpose grew and at that point, I was not only doing it for me – but for my “Amigas”, I was doing it for my friends and I. Now reflecting back to those endless sunny days in the motherland, Dominican Republic, I fully understand that the biggest factor behind the success of the two businesses I co-run with my sister in law – Gelsandra Guzman, Posh Palma Styles, and Raices Media, is that I am not just putting in the work for myself, but also for my people, for my ancestors, for generations to come, for women and for those young girls that never thought it was possible to successfully run a profitable business. Read more>>

Adam Shlomi | Founder of SoFlo Tutoring

Businesses are all about people, so I care about people on all ends of the process, from the parents and student to the tutors themselves. Working in the service industry means we’re putting time from hardworking and nice people on the market, and fostering a positive experience is the top priority for us. Normal bosses can be stressful and overbearing, so it’s important at SoFlo that we’re thinking about our employees and considering them in all aspects of the businesses. All companies are customer-centric, but we’re employee-centric too. We can offer support to our tutors when needed, but we’re also cool with stepping back and placing trust into our incredibly talented employees. Read more>>

Billy Jones | Author, Professor & Podcaster

The most important factor behind my success, including the success of my brand, is remaining constantly creative and staying connected to my creative voice while at the same time learning and growing along the way. Each year, I try to be a better and more creative me. I love taking creative risks; you learn throughout the journey. Currently, I’m reading three books and writing my next short story collection. Also, as a professor, I learn from my students, too, especially my Creative Writing scholars. They motivate me through their creations. Somehow, everything relates back to my brand. Because I’m in tune with everything I’m exposed to, it motivates me to be even more creative and to provide readers and podcast listeners what they’re yearning for… and so much more. Read more>>