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.

Ed Eakin Jr. | Broker & Owner

We work extremely hard to make sure all of our clients have the very best real estate experience. Read more>>

Lic. Michael Del Toro Navarro | Founder, Chairman & CEO

When I founded the company in 1998, and up until this day the company was founded under the principle of passing all vacations at cost and only in-taking profit on the membership dues to be able to compete against all major travel sites and companies. Providing personal exceptional service to all of our members and prospective customers has driven us to success. Read more>>

Kasey Vaitekunas | Underwater, Senior and Family Photographer

Niching Down! When I started my business in 2011 I was still a high school theatre teacher and loved my teens so they were my clients. Seems easy right? Well, when you decide to start a business you clearly want it to be successful and for it to become successful quickly; that’s not real life! LOL! I thought that if I was going to be a photographer I needed to do weddings, and newborns and everything that others in my field were doing. I later learned this was very untrue. I tried it all, went to college for it, took workshops, etc. I did weddings for years, loved them because those students that were my first senior portraits models were becoming brides and mamas! How fun right? It’s true, it was super fun, but the hours away from my twins were not. I decided two and a half years ago that I was no longer going to do weddings. I tried newborns years ago, yikes, not for me! Read more>>

Steve A Klein | Keynote Speaker on Leadership, Sales & Performance, Talk Show Host

It’s Being Relentless! When we dissect the greatest achievements in history, there’s always one common element and that’s Being Relentless; it’s what makes the impossible, possible. Success isn’t supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to be difficult, challenging, and exhausting or everyone would be successful. When faced with an immense challenge or roadblock that’s going to become physically or mentally painful, we need to stick to our guns, buckle down and Become Relentless in order to push ourselves over the finish line. Being Relentless drives performance, creates persistence, drives consistency, creates mental toughness… all of which unlock results! If we’re not Relentless, outside conditions and other people will take over the control of our lives, whether we like it or not! Read more>>

David & Kylie Knight | America’s Premier Christian Illusionist Team

If we have had any success, it is because we practice what we preach. We typically end our shows by talking about the value and uniqueness within each of us. We believe that this is because everyone is created Imago Dei – in the image of God. This belief that everyone has value impacts how we treat them. We want to show that we truly care about each person we come in contact with and hopefully, that comes across in every interaction. In fact, we have been blessed to receive a couple of accolades over the years and each one has to do with how we treat others. For example, a few years back, we received an award for our customer engagement. This is simply because we treat others the way we want to be treated. In 2018, through our efforts, we won an international competition for “Marketer of the Year.” Read more>>

Dr. Hallie Sheade | Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor & Certified Equine Professional

I think the most important factor behind our success is the emphasis that we place on our relationships. As people, we have relationships with everyone we come in contact with from those we are closest to in our personal lives to the cashier we have a fleeting moment with at the grocery store. At STEPS With Horses, we prioritize our relationships with everyone involved in every aspect of our organization. As the strength of the therapeutic relationship is the greatest predictor of success in any type of counseling, we have expanded this relationship to include the equines interacting with our clients. We recognize each and every equine as a sentient being capable of offering organic feedback and unconditional support to our clients. Including the equines in this way, not only the people coming to us for counseling, but also the equines themselves as they become more trusting of people. Read more>>

Lauren Houston | Founder

The most important factor behind the success of L&G is the team of individuals behind us that have poured into this business to ensure we have all the tools necessary to prosper. Although Gabby and I are the faces of L&G, we have assembled of Board of Directors full of educators, medical professionals, and successful entrepreneurs to mentor us and provide feedback on our ideas to ensure we are making the most informed decisions possible. Without the support of our Board, L&G staff, the outside tutoring support provided by FlUrNing Learning Group, and our family and friends providing prayers and encouragement, we would not be where we are today. There was no blueprint to follow when creating L&G so the development of a supporting cast we could trust was extremely important in managing the growing pains all new businesses face. Read more>>

Taylør Giørdanø | Owner & Freelance Graphic Designer

I believe the most important factor behind any sort of success is always self motivation. There was many doubts that came into my path weather it was towards my freelance or my clothing company. I used those doubts to push to prove that I will not fail and come out bigger and better than ever. Being the face of Bad Alien it gave me so many opportunities to meet incredible people to help myself grow as a artist. We as collective individual artist brought together can be the most powerful force in the creative world. Read more>>

Tiffany Jackson | Web Developer & Business Coach

Prodevrs’ most critical factor behind the success of our brand is the “WHY” we do what we do! When creating Prodevrs, I was very intentional about helping my community grow and scale their businesses online with the right tools. We all have these incredible talents that need help bringing to life for a divine purpose. I knew many people with an idea of a brand; however, the common problem they ran into was bringing the vision to life to flourish. With a website, we provide credibility, quality design, and functionally to thrive online! Read more>>