What’s the right balance between work and non-work time? The traditional 9-5 has slowly disappeared with the emails and zoom and texting going far beyond traditional business hours. We asked members of our community to share with us how they think about work-life balance.

Jennifer Hihn | Owner

Making sure I have healthy plants, a clean shop and a Knowledgeable staff! We want to make sure people are successful on their plant journey. I take pride in always having a wide variety of plants, pots and other gift options Read more>>

Rachel Altman | Owner & Photographer

I think there are a few important factors behind individual success. One is patience. I am not a patient person, so this one is really difficult for me, but knowing that everything and everyone is going to move at a different pace and that your overall success won’t be hindered by something so trivial is important to keep in mind. It may take a year or five, but success will always come with hard work. I have yet to see it fail. Another important factor would have to be the hard work part. Even if you’re doing something that you love, you are going to fall out of love with the work quite a few times on the path to where you want your business/brand to be. You’re going to question yourself a lot. Read more>>

Tony Burkhart | Studio Owner, Music Producer & Audio Engineer

The BlackLite Team is made up of music producers and mixing/mastering engineers who genuinely LOVE making music and collaborating with artists. We treat every song as a unique work of art and take a highly-detailed approach to understand and achieve each artist’s vision. This is one of the top reasons we have been blessed to work with over 1k artists worldwide, spanning virtually every genre and style of music. Read more>>

Justice Maxwell | Model, creative director, artist

It would definitely be consistency and communication. There’s more to being a model than just physically taking care of yourself. When it comes to building your brand, you really have to learn to network and get connected with those that are also consistent with their craft, whether it be other artists, photographers, and designers. You really have to be consistent with yourself and with your team. Read more>>

Aleah Harris-Hosea | Artist

The most important factor behind my success/ brand success is Jesus, the ultimate King of Kings, the Holy Spirit, and the Almighty GOD. They’ve been myrock-solid crew, guiding me through challenges and helping me build up all the skills, qualities, and knowledge I needed to find my groove and succeed. It’s like having the ultimate life coaches in my corner, and I couldn’t be more grateful for their guidance and support. Read more>>

Crew Life | Music Group/ Production Company

Consistency! With us consistency is really the bread winner for our crew, if we aren’t releasing something as a collective, someone is releasing something as an individual, and that keeps us relevant with our supporters. Read more>>

Camille Petruccio | Owner & Designer

I have to say my customer service and complete customization. Customers are always surprised at how quick I am to reply, answer questions and provide what they are looking for or have envisioned. My ability to create a cohesively branded collection of paper goods for customers in the style and color scheme they want is imperative. Customers often request things that they aren’t certain I can provide and 99% of the time I can which happily surprises them. I also offer unlimited revisions which go a long way in the design world and add to my customer service. Read more>>

Johnny Wu | We Produce – Create – Deliver video and event productions

I met a great photographer back in 1998 and so we decided to start Media Design Imaging, the goal is to create compelling design/video/photography to help small and medium businesses, it was a struggle at first but now, I took over and continued full time and do some work in the city including three large events such as Cleveland Asian Festival, Cleveland Cultural Gardens’ One World Day and the Cleveland Cultural Gardens’ World on Stage The most important factor about our success is work hard, don’t exaggerate, make sure you are humble and be real, always make sure client is happy by providing more than they want. Let them be your testimonial to help bring more clients in. Read more>>

Cassandra Kay | Lifestyle Blogger, Mental Health Advocate, and Hobby Gardener

The most important factor behind my success and the success of my brand is being authentically myself. I don’t think I will ever measure my success by a number but rather knowing what I’m sharing and putting out into the world is positive and brings light into someone else’s world. I have always strived to be myself in every aspect of my life and to pave my own way. I have tried to follow that same principle with Roost Eleven Eighteen. I want it to reflect my uniqueness but still be a welcoming place for anyone alike and different from me. Read more>>

Xposyur | Spoken Word Artist, Lyricist, Workshop Facilitator, Motivational Speaker, Musician, Small Business Owner,

I do not know if I have just 1 most important factor. I have several but the ones solely behind the brand of Xposyur are: grace courage grit and growth. I placed these specifically in order.. First, here at team X we have dual meaning: one you support Xposyur and 2 you understand everybody is “X -something”. So show people GRACE! I cant stand a person who act like they are perfect. There’s only. One who is. I hear something the other day and it attests to that statement ” everyone has a chapter in their life’s book that they don’t read outloud”. Read more>>

Mary Carley | Health and Wellbeing Professional, Digital Creator, Blogger and Influencer

I think the most important factor to my success is that I am a lifelong learner. Because of my curiosity and desire to learn something new every day, I have been able to break into new career paths and creative endeavors. I built my webpage myself by learning WordPress. I started posting on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for my first client about ten years ago. This client, The Heathers Club Of Bloomfield Hills has now increased membership, sells out all of their special events and has eliminated their paper mailings resulting in several thousand dollars of savings annually. . Read more>>

Jacinda Brown | Salon Owner, Licensed & Multi Certified Esthetician, Lash Artist & Skin Specialist

n my opinion, the most critical elements that led to my success are my faith in God and my children. From the outset of my career, I knew I wanted to be financially independent and to work in a happy and flexible environment, which led me to the beauty industry. During the initial phase of establishing my business, I was a single mother, striving to create a better life for my son. With unwavering faith in God, additional education, and an abundance of hard work, dedication, occasional tears and self-doubt, I strived to create a life for my family and myself. These efforts led to the establishment of Jacindarella Lashes & Beauty, which has enabled me to achieve the life I love for my son, and newborn daughter. Read more>>

Hope Easton | Musician, Cellist, Singer-songwriter, owner of Sonos Chamber Players

I think one of the most important factor’s behind my success is belief, consistency and steadfastness. One, or I believe you have to believe in yourself, in your “product” ( music) , be consistent whnen you perform and constantly strive to get better. Read more>>

Jerry Justizia | Army Soldier & Conscious Entrepreneur

The success of my brand comes from my customers’ satisfaction. Femme Yogipreneur puts customer’s wellbeing first ! We bring a wide range of holistic and metaphysical products to the people. I do my best to create brand awareness and have a presence locally.I go to various events in Springfield, Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati area. Read more>>

Hailey Birchfield | Photographer & Artist

The most important factor behind my success is one I learned recently. It’s staying true to what I love and am passionate about. People can tell when you’re heart just isn’t in it. Don’t get me wrong, passion isn’t solely what drives business but as an artist it’s evident in your work. Read more>>

Candice Quick | Private Chef

Success. I believe the definition of success is different for everyone, and even changes for everyone depending on their current situation. As a younger person, I saw success as a job I enjoyed and a family I loved to come home to. I have been blessed for the last 20 years to have employment in an industry I enjoy, and the last 5 years, wonderful husband to come home to (and yes, ofter our work/home life over lap, which is truly surpasses any vision of success I could have ever imagined). Now, in terms of success of our business the last 3 1/2 years? Well that comes down to a lot of hard work, dedication and at times, luck. Read more>>

Daniel Nardi | Author

The success of my book Daniels Way was made possible through Cincinnati Book Publishing. My stories are authentic, deep and truthful. Many people have a story to tell and I encourage others to write or journal your own stories because you could help others. That was my goal. Not only was it therapeutic but impactful, inspiring, and eye catching. The success I’ve gained has made me happy. Happiness is all I want and to get comments saying that my story is inspiring means a whole lot to me. Success in Daniels Way will live on forever. From a street sign to a new beginning in my own life. Unfortunately, my Uncle Dan passed away at an early age. This book has been dedicated to him. Read more>>

DJ Noe | Latin DJ & Event Coordinator

100% – surrounding myself with good people. People that have my and our community’s best interests at heart, that are genuine, reliable, good communicators, and passionate about our cause. Curating a solid crew around you is the biggest key to success, and without them I wouldn’t be nearly where I am today. Read more>>

Ayana Johnson | Hairstylist

While personal beliefs and faith can be a source of inspiration and motivation, the success of my brand is typically influenced by a combination of factors. These may include a strong and unique value proposition, effective marketing strategies, quality products or services, customer satisfaction, brand reputation, market demand, competitive advantage, and a well-defined target audience. While Jesus may play a role in guiding my personal journey, it is essential for me to touch base on various elements to ensure the overall success of my brand. Read more>>

Grace Anaple | Creative Entrepreneur

I can’t take any credit for myself. It really is all God. He’s continued to put opportunities in my lap. Most of my jobs have come through connections and word of mouth. I haven’t paid for ads for my graphic design/photography business, but I continue to have more people come to me and request projects. The relationships I’ve built over the years have definitely played a role in getting new projects. Read more>>

Lisa McCraw | Professional Lifestyle Photographer

I’ve been a pro photographer for over 15 years. I’ve been very lucky and honored over the years to have captured the most amazing people. I think in the end, people just need to know they’re genuinely cared for. I would probably rather have a root canal than be on the other side of the camera and having empathy for people’s insecurities at having their image taken is key to bringing out the best in people. I also believe a true love for what you do is contagious. If you’re having fun, so will others. Read more>>

Anthony Covatta | Singer Songwriter, Actor & Performer

I think that connecting on a personal level has been paramount in growing an audience for myself as a performer. I have found over the years that people identify with your journey equally as much as your voice or the work. So many of my supporters have sent me messages telling me that they identify with my struggles and that it helped them get through theirs as well. It has served as a major motivator for me. Read more>>

Bridgetta Tomarchio | Seasoned Publicist | Master Book Coach

The most significant driving force behind my success, as well as the success of my brand, is undoubtedly a combination of factors that have shaped my journey. Integrity is the bedrock upon which I’ve built my career, ensuring that every interaction, every pitch, and every piece of advice I offer is rooted in trust and authenticity. My extensive knowledge and multifaceted background, having worn more hats than a hat rack, have equipped me with a unique perspective and a versatile skill set that few can match. Brand awareness and publicity have played pivotal roles in my career. I understand the power of a well-crafted pitch and the impact it can have on getting your message heard. Read more>>

Shawn Douglas | Artist/Entrepreneur

The most important factor with my artistry and brand is consistency in everything I do weather it’s dropping music to promotions or engaging and giving the people what they want. Read more>>

Joe Burdon | Host of The Guiltless Podcast

I think the most important factor in any success I have had is the guests I have had on. The city of Cleveland is filled with so many interesting and talented people (musicians, fighters, artists, entrepreneurs, etc) and they have made the podcast what it is….a spotlight on the personalities and stories of the new coolest people the city has to offer. Read more>>

Logan Blankenship | Furniture Designer & Maker

I would say the most important factor behind our success is our commitment to high quality not only in our products but our customer experience as well. Having a great product can draw people in, but a great customer experience retains them and keeps them coming back. Read more>>

Topher Nevoso | balloon twister, clown, big fan of ravioli.

There is really a lot that goes into finding success, but being open to everything helps. As an entertainer it’s easy to get stuck in your own way, but you’ve got to listen to your audience. They’ll tell you what they want, then you just have to be willing to put yourself out there to make them happy. Read more>>

Stephanie Heeb | Founder & Executive Director

The success of YourChoice Concierge, which specializes in providing flexible, hourly administrative and personal assistance to individuals who can’t afford or don’t need a full-time assistant, is the result of several vital factors. However, if I were to pinpoint the most crucial element, it would undoubtedly be our unwavering commitment to meeting the unique needs of our clients. Throughout our six and a half years in operation, we’ve come to understand that thriving in our industry hinges on our ability to comprehend and adapt to the ever-evolving demands of our clientele. Our approach has always been client-centric, with services tailored to each individual’s specific requirements. Read more>>

Dr. Valencia Moses | Success Mentor & Life Coach

The joy I bring and operating with authenticity have been key ingredients to the success of my brand. I also wear a signature color whenever I am at networking events or facilitating sessions. That color is green. Not only is it my favorite color, but it represents the growth that is a guiding value for what I want my clients to experience as a result of saying yes to working with Vibrant Coaching. I started realizing how powerful my joy, my positivity, is whenever I have had people reach out to me weeks after an event to share that of all the coaches in the room, if they ever said yes to coaching that they would want to work with me! In paying attention to such unsolicited and affirming feedback, I decided to own the joy that I bring even more as a facet of what sets me apart as a coach. Read more>>

Crystal Render | Classically trained Stylist & Chef

Authenticity, I believe this and my faith wholeheartedly are the driving force for how I live my life & run my Businesses. Being genuine is very near and dear to me, because all I know how to be is ME! So, I try to lead every day with integrity & do my absolute best even when I don’t feel my best. Because being impeccable with your words & doing your best will always lead to success. Read more>>

Sara Szelagowski | Project White Butterfly – Founder, Program Director

Our organization is successful because it fulfills a prevalent need in our community. The need for tangible, non-clinical social connection and resources to those impacted by substance use in Cuyahoga County is great. Through our street outreach, Community Safe Space meeting, Dispelling Stigma Gallery, and the handwritten messages in Project White Butterfly cards people see that we are approachable, understanding, and genuine. We can relate because we have been there. Lived experience is our best asset. Read more>>

Jillian Highsmith | Founder of The What’s Next Project

As the Founder of The What’s Next Project, I attribute my success and the triumph of my brand to the unwavering commitment to a well-defined Vision and Mission, combined with an unrelenting pursuit of consistency. The cornerstone of my journey has been the establishment of a clear and compelling vision for my business. It not only provides a roadmap for the future but also encapsulates our purpose and the impact we aim to make on our community with our youth. With a distinct vision, we not only chart a strategic course but also inspire our team, clarifying our collective purpose. Read more>>

Ashley Saunders | Entrepreneur

In the journey of our brand’s success, the most pivotal factor has been our unwavering humility. We proudly acknowledge our imperfections, That’s why we proudly embrace the motto “Perfectly Imperfect.” This acknowledgment fuels our constant pursuit of growth and improvement in our products. Moreover, our commitment to kindness stands out as a cornerstone of our success. We treat every interaction with kindness, recognizing that our relationships with customers and partners are built on these human connections. Crucially, we listen attentively to questions and concerns, responding with genuine care. This approach fosters trust and loyalty, indispensable in our brand’s triumph. Read more>>

Ming Cardwell | Youth Advocate & Business Owner and Consultant

One of the key factors contributing to our success at Cheviot house is our commitment to three essential elements: quality, attention to detail, and exceptional customer service. Looking back at the past 15 years, whether it was establishing our non-profit organization or starting The Cheviot House, our unwavering goal has always been to provide a high-quality experience for everyone we work with. We strive for excellence and aim to give our customers the same level of service that we would expect ourselves. We have set high standards because we understand that our customers deserve a positive experience and a positive attitude, regardless of our own personal feelings. Read more>>

Lamar Thomas | CEO/Owner

I would say staying consistent. Staying consistent throughout everything has brought me this far. When people didn’t believe or things may look slow, I stay consistent with my work and continue to push even more so. I would also say my willingness to learn and experience new people and things such as events around the world and being in the same room as some successful entrepreneurs. Even though i have met many entrepreneurs and etc the best advice that i received and that actually works is staying consistent with my brand. Read more>>

Olivia Kristin | Photographer + Serial Entrepreneur

The cornerstone of my success, and that of my brand, is rooted in three essential principles: 1. Alignment with God’s Purpose: My foremost consideration is whether I am walking in alignment with God’s divine plan for my life. My success is intricately tied to fulfilling His desires. 2. Genuine Love for Others: A key measure of success is how well I love and serve others. True success extends beyond financial gains and includes fostering meaningful relationships and positively impacting lives. 3. Self-Care and Well-Being: My journey to success also hinges on self-care. To achieve lasting success, I prioritize maintaining my well-being: physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally and financially. Read more>>

Dr. Michelle Pierce Mobley | Writer, Producer and Co-owner of Tab Talks

Goal Setting. – Clearly defining your goals and objectives so that you and your team are aiming in the right direction. Hard work and Perseverance, continuous learning, and a positive mindset and attitude. You have to remain optimistic especially when others may not share your vision or feel a project is as great as you think it is. Read more>>

Adub Nati | Music Artist

Bringing people to Christ and encouraging them in Christ. Read more>>

Jess Laughlin | Founder & Lover of Messing Feelings

I have found that when I lead from the heart, I make more personable connections and build relationships that are successful. As a small business, your bottom line is always important, but shouldn’t be your soul focus. When you have a mission that drives you and excites you, you know you’re on the right path. Read more>>