There are so many factors that can play a role in determining our results, performance and ultimately our success, but some factors matter more than others. We asked folks what they felt was the most important factor driving their success.

Grace Everett | Playwright & Actress

My philosophy is that every creative needs two things: a whole lotta confidence and a whole lotta hustle. It took me years of hard work in this industry to feel like I’m not a *complete* impostor, and even so, I deal with impostor syndrome on a fairly regular basis, ha! All this goes to say, feeling like a fraud is, unfortunately, a very real part of being an artist, and in order to find the necessary confidence to start building my personal brand, I’ve had to deconstruct those feelings so that I can actively unlearn them. It’s still a very growth-heavy process, and it’s not easy, but getting started is the biggest hurdle. Read more>>

Jacob Niemeier | Founder & Executive Director of an 501(c)3 Nonprofit International NGO

This question for me and the organization, Vera Aqua Vera Vita, that I founded can be answered with two simple responses. One, personally, the answer to this question is simply my x-factor which is my deep burning desire to see everyone thriving & living the life they were created to live. I desire to inspire others to pursue their passions & dreams by pursuing my own, allowing my life testimony to serve as a witness to others, & giving True Water True Life & thereby a chance to those that are hindered by their quality of life due to their lack of access to the basic rights to life! This is the primary reason behind my success which I give all credit to God for instilling in me this passion! Read more>>

Kennedy Watkins | Fitness Trainer & Health Coach

The most important factors behind my success? I would say I have plenty of things and people that has motivated me to keep going. When I started my fitness journey I wasn’t sure if I would be consistent so I decided to make sticky notes to make sure I go to the gym after class. Another important factor behind my success is the support from my family and others. Once I started my fitness page so many people reached out to me and wanted to know more about my journey. I then knew I inspired many. My family always told me if this is something I wanted to do to give it my all and I did just that. God, Motivation, inspiration and support is why I keep going every day. Read more>>

Nina McGowan | Portrait photographer

Persistence is the most important factor to my success. When first starting on my photography journey, like most people, I took a lot of bad photos and my work was very inconsistent. There would be times when I would get into ruts comparing my work with other’s on social media. And while that alone can suck the joy out of creating, I decided that the only way to feel confident in my work and my ability as a photographer was to keep working at it and to use each bad photo as a learning experience instead of viewing it as a failure. Being persistent with working on my craft and not allowing missteps to deter me has been the largest factor in success. Read more>>

Joedi Summerville | Singer, Songwriter, & Producer

The most important factor behind the success of my brand is love. I put love into my art. Everything that I do is out of love. Every piece of music, every piece of clothing, every performance is out of love. I surround myself with people who love me and want what’s best for me also so that makes everything run smoothly. So to sum it up, love is most important because if I didn’t love what I do, there wouldn’t be any brand or art. Read more>>

Mike Day | Owner & Founder of DAYVISION | Film Director

The most important factor behind in my success is God and the DAYTRIBE. From my wife, to parents, brothers and lifelong friends, they get the word out about DAYVISION by being a part of my projects, being brand ambassadors, attending events and showing genuine support to the content we offer. Read more>>

Chanelle Wilson | Business owner, Barre instructor and Full-Time Mother

The most important factor behind the success of my brand isn’t any secret sauce or fancy techniques but rather showing up being my genuine self. I believe authenticity is magical! Showing up as my authentic self and allowing my audience to see who I truly am, is a representation of my brand. I was slightly nervous when it came time to introduce myself as the face behind Confetti & Kindness. That self doubt talk crept in (just for a second)and I was worried if I wasn’t someone’s cup of tea. I had to drop that self chatter real quick, as that didn’t represent any part of my brand. I had to show up as me and knowing if I wasn’t someone’s cup tea, that was just fine. Read more>>

Richard Green | Artist, Musician, and Teacher

I have an unconventional approach. I’ve worked for and with a lot of different people and they’ve always seemed intensely focused on the financial aspect of the business. Too often, I’ve seen this come at the expense of the customer’s experience. I keep my finances in mind but my real focus is firmly on my love of teaching, creating, and helping others see music as a special art form through which to experience life. I charge what I think is fair, but I’m also sensitive to people’s situations. I work with them to help them continue and make it up somewhere else. The bottom line is they don’t give up and I can keep sharing this thing I’m so passionate about with them. Read more>>

Sunny Marcell and Simon Correa Sunny Disposition | Artist/Band

Simon: “One thing for certain, our approaches include firm determination, setting reasonable goals and learning from failure. Time management, because as musicians, you must hone your craft” Sunny:”Success is different to us all, but I’m certain that we can all agree that finding a common place is important, you know… make sure we’re all on the same page and if we aren’t, then we figure out a way to get there, and without pushing anyone out or making anyone feel like their voice isn’t being considered. One thing we are big on is kind words towards each other. And of course…Appreciation. Appreciation for your for your partners makes working together more enjoyable. as much as the appreciation of the people who are coming to see us and watch what we do” Read more>>

Angela Wynette | Author & Life Coach

The most important factor behind my brand was my religious belief that becoming a published author and life coach was my calling and purpose in life to help others. After coming to terms with being a person chosen to be an aide to others, I then had to learn how to whole-heartedly be the impact that I was being led to be. So I put in the work and invested in becoming the healthiest version of myself by going to counseling and learn how to deal with the different emotions and people and truly be a helping hand instead of a hindrance. I then went to school to enhance my knowledge and became a life coach. From there, I used my new educational skills to help others by publishing my books on how to heal from the hurt and truly be happy and overcome your own self-destruction. So my genuine success behind my brand is my love for people and wanting to make a difference to stop generational hurts and generate healthy, happy individuals. Read more>>

Thai Jecker | Music Producer & Storm Chaser

I’d have to say consistency. In my opinion, consistency Is the most important factor In creating success in any area of life. No one can master a certain skill or craft overnight, I believe If you’re really passionate and driven to achieve something, you will find yourself coming back to that thing again and again naturally. I’m grateful to have had the time to find things I truly enjoy doing and make me excited to get up in the morning. Once you find that one thing that you love doing, and work on it consistently, I believe It’s only a matter of time before you become successful In that area. Read more>>