We asked folks to tell us about the most important decisions they’ve made along their journey and have shared some of the highlights below.

Sundi McLaughlin | Owner of Mockingbird on Broad

I think the single most important decision I made was about 4 years into owning my shop. The shop was failing and I decided if it was going to fail I had nothing to lose so I gave myself permission to be myself through my buying and through the shops social media page. I was too worried about being professional and putting on a certain persona I thought would portray myself as a proper business owner. Once I gave myself permission to be silly and sell the things which made me laugh and buy some things with some salty language for the shop, I felt more like myself which better reflected my tastes and personality. Once I did that it seemed like customers responded really positively, they laughed with me when I admitted mistakes or told a funny story. Read more>>

Paige King Johnson | Singer-Songwriter

I think the most important decision I ever made as a singer-songwriter was to stop worrying myself so much about trying to write music to please other people or people in the music industry and to just start writing songs that told my story and resonated with me on a deep level. Once I stopped trying to force “good art” by other people’s standards and just started making art that mattered to me, it became GREAT art and people could see that! Read more>>

Paige Hardy | Freelance Photographer

The most important decision that contributed to my success was investing in the right people to surround myself with. “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”- Jim Rohn. Starting up your own company or brand relies on the help and support of other people. Those willing to give their time for little or nothing in exchange except for the opportunity to watch you hone your skills and grow. For me, this mainly focused on small start-up companies and many local artists from different industries. My success in Photography would not have been achievable without the continuous support from other creatives, business owners, and friends who were willing to invest in me, share tips & tricks, and spread the word of mouth. Read more>>