We asked the community what factors they felt were responsible for their success and we’ve highlighted some of those responses below.

Arzu Tekir | Business Strategist, Founder & CEO

Grit and having a support net; my personal advisory board and loving husband guiding, supporting, and encouraging me to evolve. A day is 24 hours; let’s say we work 8 hours a day. How you live the 16 hours, two-thirds of your life is also critical to your work success. I believe the health crisis, climate crisis, and economic recession we have been facing forces us to rethink success, happiness, and our way of living. Success has a different meaning to me at this moment. When I create a positive change in someone’s journey or in a business’s journey by working, being, or talking with them, I feel success. When someone tells me that something I said or did inspire or helped them somewhere along the way, I feel successful. When I can say no to any prospect whose values don’t align with mine, I feel success too. Read more>>

Francesca Marcos | Designer & Digital Creator

The most important factor behind having my own brand is being as authentic as possible and as cliche as it can sound: do not give up. In all fields of life there will be ups & downs, high & lows, but if you keep pushing, working, and dreaming your goal won’t ever die. Instead, it will grow in different ways you’ve never imagined. Each day is a new opportunity we have to come up with new ideas, and work harder and smarter, so keep on keeping on and trust the process. Read more>>

Steve Timcak | Business Owner & Artist

Over 50% of what we sell is by local artists, the remaining items are chosen for their quality and uniqueness. With few exceptions a customer can’t “go on line and buy it cheaper”. Read more>>

Paige Virginia | Master Bridal Hair Stylist & Educator

I attribute all of my success to the authenticity of the human experience Majestic Hair brings. I myself am empathetic, and I am fueled by the happiness that radiates from my brides and clients when they see themselves after I do their hair and confidence just pours from their smiles. I have never been the in and out kind of experience as a hairdresser. I want to know you, your lifestyle and your love story.. these details help me to create the real life pinterest photos on them, but catered to their hair and style specifically. Especially on wedding day, when you’re surrounded by your bridesmaids and your beginning the day, I want my bride to trust that I am there with her in making her and her girls look and feel stunning, but ALSO that I am truly happy to be there with them for such a beautiful memory. I know this matters to my brides, especially because i genuinely care for them and their experience with me and throughout their entire day when I leave as well. Read more>>

Tamer Harpke | Partner & Farmer

Relationships are the key to our success at Harpke Family Farm. We had the courage to launch the business in 2013 because of relationships with a few chefs that I worked with during my restaurant days. Since then, we have insisted that every new account start with a tasting tour at the farm. Serious chefs make the time and they leave with a deep understanding of how our ingredients will elevate their dishes and of how their support will cultivate local, sustainable agriculture. Most importantly, we have planted the seed for a lasting relationship based on a shared commitment to the highest quality produce. It’s these relationships and the support of our local community that have helped us weather every storm, from Hurricane Irma to medical crises to COVID. Relationships will always be at the heart of our business. Read more>>

Lauren Beall | Luxury Travel Agent

This is a hard one as there were a lot of people and inspirations that led to my success. The most important factor behind my success was my passion and love for traveling and making other people’s trips as special as the ones I plan for my family and friends. When you truly love and are passionate about what you do then you succeed as it does not feel like a job. This comes across to other as well and they would rather work for you. Read more>>

Adriana Lerner | Creator

Uniqueness of its quality and design. Read more>>

Giuseppe Salamone | Co-Founder

What is the saying…? The road to success is paved with failures…? For me, the road to success was not paved with failures, but certainly wasn’t smooth pavement. The road has been long and bumpy, full of potholes and slippery when wet. The reason I’ve been able to overcome adversity is by being consistent, disciplined and patient. My natural inclination is to work harder when feeling overwhelmed, to feel satisfaction from my own accomplishments (no one celebrates you when you’re an entrepreneur just starting out), and to thrive in the chaos that defines entrepreneurship. It was by practicing these three principals I have been able to move towards my goals and grow the brand of my company. We live in a world of instant gratification, and I think most people would throw in the towel too early. Building something takes time, and if you approach each day as if you are laying a foundation for something bigger eventually it pays off in a big way. Read more>>

Delphine Nephtalie Dauphin | Published Author, CEO & Inspirational Speaker

The most important factor behind my success is my passion for my brand. It keeps me motivated to create new goals that will help me scale. It also reminds me of why I started. My passion for my business helps me take risks and I can easily ignore negativity because I have confidence in my future. Read more>>

Myke Celis | Global Master Coach & International Best Selling Author

I believe that authenticity played a huge role in my brand’s success. Being able to love myself whole and embrace myself fully allowed me to inspire others to do the same. #bestmeever is all about becoming your authentic, unapologetic, grandest version of yourself. And you can only do that if you are able to live life and express yourself minus any form of filter or pretension. It’s all about tapping on your real self’s power from within. Easier said than done though because it takes a whole lot of courage, humility and self worth to show yourself and the rest of the world who you really are and what you’re meant to be. But here’s the thing: when you come from a space of authenticity, you would never be caught off guard, whatever the rest of the world throws at you because you know (and understand and accept) yourself fully.. And that makes you (and your brand), unstoppable. Read more>>