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.

Brittanyy Krenz | Accidental Florist – The Pampas B

Authentic. We do not pay for followers or reviews. All are 100% authentic and real. We believe in and take pride in what we are selling. Our first arrangement was sold directly from a shelf in our home which really sparked the idea for a brand. From that point on we focused on portraying a brand that shows exactly what we are selling and executing above and beyond the customers’ expectations. Read more>>

David Samorano | Co-Founder and CEO

An important factor behind my success is my passion for serving others. A person’s value increases when they serve more people, it’s a fact. Another factor for my success is my wife. She really has my back with everything and she has supported me through the ups and the downs. I really don’t think she will understand my appreciation for her. Read more>>

Todd Langford | Owner…Chequest Millworks

I share my story…with everyone who will listen. And then…I ask them to tell me theirs. I love people and talking with them and making friends. My “client base” doesn’t grow in numbers, my circle of friends do. I honestly think our foundation of success is based on our genuine desire to create lasting friendships. Read more>>

Dani Bautista | Filmmaker, Photographer, & Skateboarding coach

I think the most important factor for my success is that I love what I do and I have fun with it. Read more>>

Janis Sarrazin | Event Planner & Artist

The most important factor behind my success thus far has been the constant support of the community. Not only has my personal community of family and friends pushed me to where I am today, but also the local community of my hometown has been amazingly supportive. From purchasing my artwork to helping me gather supplies, I have gotten to meet and work with so many lovely people. All of the feathers that I integrate into my artwork come from a loving, local San Tan Valley farm that are all foraged for naturally. Due to this process, my artwork and product have brought people together through the love of art and birds. My brand, Free Range Feathers has been a success thanks to the amazing people who have helped me along the way. Read more>>

Ahmad Thomas | Founder of Sh3gotgame

The biggest factor behind my success is me staying genuine through this whole process and on. I’m a believer in truly loving and losing yourself in what it is you are doing. Giving it 120% every time you put any peace art out their. Ppl can feel that and that feeling creates genuine connections where ppl want to be apart of what ever it is that your doing. Read more>>

Chelsee Parsons | Farming Online Influencer, Chicken Breeder

I suffer with anxiety and depression, I’m also a mama to two beautiful daughters. Being a mama is hard and exhausting. Add depression and anxiety and those things are a hard mental block to break through, so I can follow my dreams. Sometimes I have to get out of my comfort zone, to achieve what I want. As someone with depression all you want is to stay in that comfort zone and never leave. I can’t progress that way though. Read more>>

Sean Rojas AKA Lavish | Artist, Producer, and Father

The main driving force behind the want/need for success of my music and brand, is the idea of my family for generations has had to scrape by. I want to be the one to give my family the lives they deserve. The lives we’ve been working so hard for, for years. Read more>>

Molly Shea | Curator/Owner of Dandelion Decorium

Get ready for the cliche… honestly love. I’m a mother of 2 and I wanted to be able to be with them constantly. So that was the original draw to all of this. I could take my 2 year old with me while sourcing, my 6 year old loves doing so much of the refinishing and staging with me. It was just perfect for what I needed at the time. And then, I just started to fall in love with everything about this. The pieces themselves, the stories behind their time periods, the makers, all the different styles, the community, oh my gosh, the community of small business owners and vintage lovers I have met along this journey is absolutely incredible. Read more>>

Ali Patton | Owner/Founder Mama Mitchell’s Pound Cake

Before I begin, I think the most important question we often ask ourselves is what exactly defines the meaning of “success”? Thankfully, there isn’t just one answer. Success can mean so many different things to so many people. At the end of the day, for me, it has been whatever brings a true sense of fulfillment, accomplishment and gratitude. Born and raised in Birmingham, AL, my southern roots run deep and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My life has been an adventure and brought me right to where I am supposed to be. The people, places, decisions, and lessons learned have been stepping stones for growth and continuous development. In 2012, I took a job as an International Business Consultant and over the last decade, I’ve traveled over a million miles helping other grow and develop their own business, dreams and aspirations. Read more>>

Maria Gadea | Pastry Chef & Owner

The success behind my business is the drive and support that I have received from my family. Service and quality is my number one priority along with a sense of community. I’ve worked in the hospitality industry for over a decade, which has allowed me the ability to build relationships with many people who have successfully owned their own business. I have taken everything that I have learned over the years from my mentors about service, quality, customer engagement, trust, honesty and food done right to create my brand. My experience and everyone’s support had been tremendously helpful in guiding me through this process. Read more>>

Jamie Aronson Tyus | Producer, Writer, and Artistic Director of The Cosmonauts Sketch Comedy Troupe

Being able to roll with the punches. Over the ten years that The Cosmonauts have been performing, there have been countless challenges. Theaters close, cast members move out of state, personal issues arise, sketches don’t work well, our audience doesn’t laugh like we had hoped, you name it. If you can imagine what could go wrong for a theater/comedy troupe, it has probably happened to us at one point. Read more>>

Elizabeth Birchard | Back-office manager/Dental office, RDA

It’s all important! It’s not just one thing! It all starts with the quality of the ingredients, product quality, brand packaging, customer satisfaction & relations, including our vendors and retail store owners who believed in me! This and so much more are balled up into that 1oz bag of goodness! Read more>>

Stephanie Tosi | CEO and founder of Carre d’artistes

« When I decided to launch Carré d’artistes, my main objective was to take the consumer into account. I love art and perfectly know the benefits of art. Art is very special, it gives everyone unique emotional experiences. This is something you can’t easily put into words but art never leaves you indifferent. Art is what makes life so beautiful : it inspires you, it comforts you, it amazes you. When I started my enterprise, the art market was very exclusive. Read more>>

Cheri Naudin | Owner, Founder

Collegiate Sports Advocate was founded by Cheri Naudin after her own 3 Student Athletes went through the process and she discovered each had their own path that included different sports, academic success and athletic talent! During their journey Cheri saw many other companies that provide services in the Athletic Recruiting space just care about the sign up and the gimmicks that they offered. She was unable to find ANY OTHER service that focused on what was best for the Student Athlete. CSA was founded in July of 2015 with the strategy of making each Student Athlete their own individual path and guiding parent through the recruiting process. CSA stays with the Student Athlete until their GRADUATE COLLEGE!. Read more>>

Anna Marie | Singer/Songwriter and Visual Artist

Dedication, Purpose, and Authenticity. I guess those are three factors, but they all contribute to my personal and professional success! I began “Anna Marie Studios” as a way to market myself as a creative of many forms, whether it be visually or musically. I have to have dedication to my audience every single day to continue to build and grow a following, posting on social media often, reaching out to possible clients via email, and updating my website. I have to ask myself, “what can I give them right now that would not only help my own success, but keep their interest for the long run? How can I also help them?” Read more>>

Marcus Tinsley | Singer/Songwriter

Where to begin! I’ll have to start with a little backstory, to fully be able to explain the most important factor behind my success in music. Like most artists, my musical journey started alone with just me and my guitar. I would spend hours locked in my room watching Youtube videos of other artists, trying to mimic what they were playing. Over time, I started writing my own songs, performing at coffee shops near my house, and eventually formed a band with some friends. Read more>>