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.

Karen Collins | Registered Dietitian Nutritionist – Taking Nutrition from Daunting to Doable™

My focus on translating nutrition research across the pathway from accurately interpreting results to placing them in context of overall research and then prioritizing practical action steps according to that evidence. My trademarked tagline is, “Taking Nutrition from Daunting to Doable™.” While my consulting practice involves a wide variety of projects, that tagline phrase pretty much sums up the combination of accuracy and pragmatism in the way I work and why people turn to me. And it’s the foundation of the approach I take in the dietitians-only membership program I created. Read more>>

Alli Hunt | Softball Facility Owner, Private Instructor, & Mental Edge Mentor

What has brought us the most success is exactly what we value most: our personal relationships with our players. All of our instructors are former college softball players, so we can relate to the success and the struggles they face every day. Being a student-athlete is an identity. It’s in your soul. We have been in their shoes and have also been where they are trying to go, so there is an unspoken connection that comes with that experience. Many of our players we work one-on-one with from the time they are in elementary or middle school through their college careers. We learn their personalities, what motivates them, what builds them, what brings them happiness and success. Read more>>

Kenzie Elizabeth | Content Creator, Podcast Host & Founder of Friend of Mine

In my opinion, the most important factor behind the success of building my brand has been to stay true to myself. Since I am in the business of content, I have always had free reign on the type of content I create. I have been sharing my life for the past decade online. Since I’ve stayed true to myself, I’ve been able to build a brand with longevity. It’s made it far easier to evolve as I’ve gotten older because it was a natural progression. Had I just gone after the trends and vitality, I’m not sure I would have lasted this long. Read more>>

Julia Sims | Clinical Director | Board-Certified Music Therapist

I believe that authenticity is the most important factor in the success of Wildflower Music Therapy, particularly as it relates to communication and connection. As business owners, I think it can be easy to get stuck in a “perfectionist” mindset: we try to minimize any mistakes so that we don’t “look bad” to potential clients and miss out on contract opportunities. However, to be perfect is to not be authentic; perfectionism is not a genuine part of the human condition. As a recovering perfectionist myself, I’ve worked to really lean-in to my authentic self and praise both her successes and flaws. As a result, I’ve established meaningful connections with both my team and clients and am able to communicate with them in a way that helps us all work towards our goals. Read more>>

Ariel Laporte | Lead/Vocalist of Against All Odds

As cliche as it sounds, the most important factor behind our success is the support we have from our family, friends and fans. Seems generic, but it’s as simple as that. I could tell you it’s the way my band writes music or how we perform on stage but we wouldn’t be where we are without those who are undeniably loyal. I have an outpouring of support from my husband who sacrifices his ear drums and sanity during rehearsals. Friends and fans who will travel hours to hear us play, download every song, buy every piece of merch and show up in inclement weather to our shows. And then there is our family. They are the ones that passionately sing our praises to every person in the universe regardless if they want to hear them sing it. Read more>>

Tasneem Kagalwalla | Life Coach & Therapist, Trainer & Speaker

Finding my WHY has been pivotal to my journey. I believe, knowing your “why” is the most important factor behind the success of any endeavor. I’ve been greatly inspired by Simon Sinek. He talks about knowing your ‘Why’ before you figure out the ‘How’ and ‘What’ in your business or brand. My ‘why’ is to help people lead the best version of their personal and professional lives. It is to empower individuals to lead their best lives with authenticity and purpose. 1. My ‘why’ motivates me. Any kind of success takes time, dedication, and hard work. My ‘why’ is the driving force that keeps me going and helps me stay disciplined when things get tough. Read more>>

Mallory Roelke | Director, Actor, & Digital Marketing Specialist

Much of my success comes from my ability to manage projects and rally a group of people behind a vision. I am an analytical creative, and it’s kind of my superpower as a director. You can’t just rest on your creativity to be effective; you have to have the leadership, communication, and project management skills along with the vision to see it through. I’ve found that when your creative process is a well-oiled machine, everyone from the cast to the crew can better get behind the show and support the end goal. I believe that my ability to add fine details and nuance to a project, as well as manage the big picture with the end goal in mind, has allowed my team to create great work. Read more>>