Through our work we have been constantly amazed at the incredible things people in every neighborhood are working on. What’s even more exciting is that they all have different stories, backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses. That there isn’t a single formula for success means that everyone can take their unique set of strengths and characteristics and turn it into a success story. We recently reached out to some folks we admire and asked them what characteristics they feel are responsible for their success.

James Lanham | The Garage Door Guru

Being a Top-Rated garage door company helps – doing good work and being ethical in pricing and being found on page one of Google – all these factors seeth success. Read more>>

Darcy Guac | Finance Writer and Coach

By far, the most important factor to my financial success is understanding how to manage my money; this also involves taking the advantage I can of the opportunities and privileges that have come my way. Understanding the role money plays means you can then start to use your money and resources to play it your way. Read more>>

Brittany Nemec | Wedding + Portrait Photographer

Hospitality and treating others exactly how I would want to be treated. This is the biggest day of my couples lives, and I am one of the few vendors that is with them 99% of their wedding day, so I need to be able to serve them, calm their nerves, and love of them all throughout the day. Read more>>

Joselin Oudemans | Restaurant Owner

The most important factor behind my business success is my family. From the start, they have had endless support for myself and my restaurant, LB’s Lunch Box. They inspire me to be better every day – from their own creative minds to their work ethic. Read more>>

Sarah Robinson | Photographer at Sunshyne Pix

I think the most important factor behind my the Success of my photography business is Passion. I feel like I found my calling when I discovered my love for photography. When I have a photosession, I’m genuinely excited to go to work. Read more>>

Jonah Ballard | Local Arizona Artist

Something my parents always instilled in me was to see where I want to be and feel as though I’m there. To know the power of our imagination. And I think that is the most important factor behind the success of The Painted Ladies. When it comes to achieving a short term goal like completing a series of pieces, or a long term goal, like expanding sales to other states, I imagine how it would feel to have achieved those goals. To live as though it has happened. Looking back in hindsight, I am now where I imagined I would be 10 years ago. Read more>>

Jose Dynamite | Stand Up Comedian & Comedy Promoter – Comedy U – Hawaii

My passion is stand up comedy, and there were several times when I would go to a lot of the local comedy shows with the up and coming comics, and a lot of times it was really bad comedy. And for me it didn’t feel like the focus was on creating an audience experience that would get them to return and become regular customers and raving fans. So my though process was to build local professionally run shows with a product that was marketable, while creating a great customer experience. Read more>>

Dori Bell | Owner, Blossom Creative LLC (copywriting, SEO, website design + aromatherapy)

The most important factor behind my success is realizing I could (and should) define success on my own terms. What you hear from business coaches and inspirational speakers are the steps they took to achieve their idea of success, which may not align with yours. Maybe you don’t need 1,000 employees and a multi-million dollar business to get you where you want to go in your life. Or maybe you do – but at some point you need to turn off the volume of what other people are saying is success, and listen to yourself.

Daveed Cohen | NBA Agent at Young Money APAA Sports

When it comes to the concept of success, it’s all relative as everyone has their own definition and ideal meaning of what it truly stands for. Defining success in the eyes of others can be limiting and debilitating to say the least, so in my opinion, the only measure of success that matters is the one you put on yourself. Do what makes you happy and create your own success! Read more>>

V. Alexandra de F. Szoenyi | Writer, Creative Writer, Historian, and Pop Culture Expert

My work is all about empowering and informing Latinxs, especially Latinas. Having this niche has allowed me to connect with my community, and offer them content that they may not get from anywhere else. I make it a point to delve into history, pop culture, and Latinx culture and find important information that will best serve the people I’m presenting it to. Most importantly, wanting to learn about these things myself and share them with others is why I have found success in this field. Read more>>

Michelle “Honey” Thomas | Writer & Author

The most important factor behind my success/the success of my brand is reaching my target customers and motivating them in their professional and personal life. I want them to know it’s never to late to start a business and take on a new venture. I started writing at 45, by the age of 46 I became a self-published author. Read more>>