We asked some of the city’s hidden gems to tell us about what they feel is the most important factor behind their success.

Paula Newlands | Personal Wardrobe Stylist

Creating value! It is so important that I do not come across as a salesperson. I am in the people industry, so building relationships and helping my clients feel confident in their clothes brings me so much joy. I want the men and women who come to me for help and guidance to know that my goal is to educate them on what flatters their body type, complexion, hair color, and eye color while keeping their lifestyle and goals forefront. Read more>>

Dr. James & Ginger Dellaripa | Cofounder of The Family Core and Family Core Ministry

The success of The Family Core brand thrives on the powerful combination of faith, godly wisdom, and calculated risk-taking. Faith grounds the brand in a purpose beyond profit, inspiring authenticity and resilience. Godly wisdom provides discernment, guiding decisions that align with core values and fostering trust within the community. Calculated risk-taking drives growth, allowing for innovation that aligns with long-term vision. Together, these elements create a brand that is not only successful but meaningfully impactful. Read more>>

Oking Habib | Haberdasher

Dedication and passion for fashion and bespoke styling.. The success of my brand today is from my over 35years of experience in men’s custom clothing and retail. I also reinvent both myself and business model to reflex today’s digital and internet world through social media and online presence. Read more>>

Chaiti Chatterjee | Founder of Saree Mahal USA

Honesty is the key factor behind my success. I am straight forward, I don’t make false promises or create false impressions. For example when customers inquire about the purity of a silk fabric, if it is not pure I don’t hesitate to let them know that. On the other hand there are many businesses in the market I know who are selling artificial silk fabric as pure one. So customers easily recognize me as an honest business owner and the trust starts building. The more they trust me the more businesses I get from them. Read more>>

Mikaela Mcekron | Reformer, Poet, Artist & Podcaster

The most important factor behind my success is my “why” some would classify their “why” as purpose or passion. I consider my “why” to be the very essence of my being. The moment I started to walk in alignment to what I’ve been created to do I became successful. I went through many phases throughout my creative career where I was trying to follow the mold and model of others. This left me unmotivated and uninspired to create and I found no success in it. I believe that success isn’t the overall goal but achieving a firm sense of identity and confidence in what one brings to a room, a business and ultimately to each other deems ones success. Read more>>

Jake Otankis | Financial Professional

The most important factor behind my success is the strong, personal connections I build with my clients. Understanding the unique challenges faced by medical professionals, from fluctuating income to significant student loan debt. By taking the time to listen to their concerns and aspirations, I’m able to develop tailored financial strategies that truly address their needs. It’s not just about numbers and investments; it’s about creating a collaborative partnership where my clients feel heard, understood, and empowered. My expertise in the healthcare industry, combined with my commitment to building genuine relationships, allows me to guide my clients towards financial security and peace of mind. Read more>>

CJ Starr

For me, it’s the pros and cons of any decision that I make I always try to look at what success would look like and what are the risks that I’m currently taking to achieve that goal. It could be taking a certain gig, looking at distance and who I will be entertaining and how much time it will consume. Read more>>

Deanna Lariz

The most important factor to my success is my Faith and Resilience. I’ve overcome poverty, domestic abuse, numerous sexual assaults’ and numerous health scares. In short it all started in 2015 I was leaving an 18 year marriage that became abusive from a severely mentally ill spouse. He cheated on me and discarded me. I was left abandoned and with 2 children. I was morbidly obese because of all the abuse. Id played piano since I was 4 years old and started singing at age 13. I had taught private lesson throughout my 20s but as a side hustle. Well now that I had no income, never really worked because I was a house wife I needed to feed my children. Read more>>