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.

Aaron Norris | International barber & Influencer

Marketing myself. “show and selling” an exprience that delivers confidence and a desired look! Read more>>

Rachel Abi | Wedding Photographer in Raleigh NC

Care for clients. No matter what your business, if you focus on loving your clients where they are and helping them by speaking to their pain and joys. The reason I have been able to successfully have business for over a decade is because my focus was on loving my clients. Thinking about where they are, what they need, what questions they have, addressing how to help their pain points and help them get to what they want. This priciple literally works for any brand and any business. To be a success you must fall in love with loving your clients and take the time to really think about their life. What they would say, what they feel, what they think about, what they love, what they hope for and help them go from where they are to where they want to be! Read more>>

Michelle Gray | Owner & Esthetician

It is what makes many businesses successful… set yourself apart from the competition. Additionally, offer amazing service at a competitive price too. Read more>>

Ashlee & Myndi | Owners

Removing barriers for our clients absolutely! We pride ourselves in not having minimums to work with us as a florist, but most importantly we change our scope of work to best fit our client’s vision. You see this when we flex to different types of designs, colors, ideas, etc. Our passion is truly fueled by bringing our client’s flower dreams to life! Read more>>

Briana Boddie | Motivational Speaker & Entrepreneur

For me, the most important factor behind my success is faith. You have to have faith in yourself in order to achieve your goals…if you don’t have faith or speak up for yourself, who will? Always remember that you are the narrator of your own story, so go and write it. Read more>>

Ashley Owens | Chandler & Print Broker

As a young African American female chandler and mother, my journey is unique and relatable to many people who may not often see themselves represented in the entrepreneurial world. This authenticity allows me to connect with customers on a deeper level. When I share my story, challenges, and successes, it’s not just a marketing ploy; it’s a genuine and relatable narrative that creates trust and loyalty. Read more>>

Evin Guzman | Owner & Co-Founder of Guzman Brothers Tree Services, LLC

We focus on creating a win-win experience for our clients. This means we provide our clients the highest quality of tree services, such as tree trimming, pruning, removal, and stump grinding, at a very fair market price while focusing on building long-term business relationships with them from start to finish. Read more>>

Jessica Kelly | Visual Artist

The most important factor for success is to be consistent and to have confidence in yourself. Success starts with your mindset and how you view yourself. If you believe in what you’re doing , you will be successful. I have become a successful Artist by truly believing in the craft and also respecting the craft. On my life journey, I found out that Art is a tool for success and a tool for wellness. As a child, I remember having vivid dreams filled with color and movement that would later inspire me to create illustrations from dreams. This was the beginning of my art journey. Soon after, I beginning creating more illustrations but this time of my environment around me. Read more>>

Ryan Wynn | Lifestyle Creator | Event Planner and Interior Design

The most important factor behind my success has been fully trusting in God and believing in the talents and skills that He has given me! In addition, I stay true to myself and present a genuineness that sets me apart from others. Read more>>

Jessica Vargas | Multicultural Hair & Makeup Artist

The success of my brand I would said that it has to be uniqueness. There are many amazing artists there. I love to create my art for each person that they feel a better version of themselves but with a touch of how I think it would look the best for them. And I believe every artist had to make their own signature. Read more>>

Alonza Mitchell | Photographer

In addition to possessing talent, I’ve come to realize the value of relationships and the connections you build. My journey wouldn’t have been possible without the meaningful relationships I’ve cultivated. Your talents will get you noticed, your relationships will get you through the door. Read more>>

Megan Williams | Wedding Videographer

To begin, I think the word success means something different for everyone. To me success is being happy in what you do and proud of the work you produce. Success is being able to do what you love and having joy within that. I think the most important factor behind my success is the heart behind what I do. My goal is not to just create a film that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye and “wow’s” everyone who watches it. That is a piece of my goal, but the main goal is to create a film that places the couple back into their wedding day. I want them to watch my films and feel like they are reliving that day. I want to create a sentimental, nostalgic film that evokes true emotions. The couples that hire me see that within my films and I believe that plays a factor into my success and what I offer. Read more>>

Jennifer McRae | Artist & Jewelry Designer

The one of a kind nature of my pieces! Every piece begins as a painting that is cut into the jewelry – my customers really connect with this and love that they have a one of a kind item. Many women are initially pulled in by the bright colors and fun aesthetic but then their jaws drop when I tell them that each piece is a tiny part of a painting. And the fact that each piece comes from a painting – the collections are always evolving and always new. I can not recreate a piece no matter how hard I try. It’s always going to have a different color combination or the tiny bubbles that are part of the creation process will be different. Read more>>

Jasmine Johnson | Owner, Therapist & Mindset Coach

My success has been deeply rooted in my unwavering faith in the Lord and belief in the unseen. This faith has been a constant source of motivation, driving my hunger to learn and grow. Remaining humble and open-minded has been instrumental in my journey, enabling me to continually evolve. Moreover, my passion for serving others and my genuine care for people have played a pivotal role in my achievements, garnering respect and support along the way. Read more>>

Na’ja Odom | CEO

The most important factor behind the success of the brand is the team that contributes to our success. Read more>>

Taylor Halterman | Pet Portrait Artist

In the time that I’ve been working as a pet portrait artist, I’ve had this incredible opportunity to peek into the relationship between my clients and their pets. Each client comes to me with a story, whether or not they are aware of it. Through their photos, I steal a glimpse into the connection between the pet and the person behind the camera – the owner and lifelong companion. The active engagement, the slight inclination of the head, those eyes eager to please and saturated with love, tell me so much about the relationship of the animal and the client that has commissioned me to capture their companions’ likeness. I truly believe that the most important factor of my success and the success of my brand begins and ends with the love between a person and their pet. Read more>>

Lisa Masteller | CEO + Principal Designer

If you were to ask yourself why you like your “perfect spot” and the reasons why it “just feels good”, be it a cozy, rooftop restaurant, or a quiet, cubby in a library, or a massive art display wrapped inside a woodland park trail, the reason may surprise you. Its influence is by design whether it be natural or crafted with intentionality. As a designer, I have always loved the process of collaboration and the internal skill it takes to execute. Having worked with several creatives and trades within our company, each layer of design exposes a language and knowledge that helps shape our spaces into a functionally and esthetically pleasing environments. Read more>>

SkinnyJay and Friends | A collective highlighting others through Collaboration and Community

I would say the most important factor behind my brand is the collaboration within community with my friends. Community brings everyone together, where I saw, I wanted to connect anyone I know with somebody they didn’t know. SkinnyJay and Friends started with myself collaborating with other creatives, which most of my friends. Support I would say help with success, just us as creatives believing in each other,. Opportunities come and go, one thing as we enter certain rooms, SkinnyJay and friends doesn’t just represent me, it allows me to talk about creativity within my friends. Read more>>

Lisa Edwards | Creative Director

The success of Sunday Salon and my personal journey are intertwined, and at the crux is a singularly important factor: authenticity. The core of our brand is the celebration of individuality, and this principle guides every interaction we have with our clients. From the moment a client steps into the salon, we strive to provide a genuine, personalized experience, not just a service. We listen to their stories, understand their aspirations, and then craft a unique style that reflects their personality and lifestyle. That authenticity, both in our approach to styling and our interactions with clients, has resonated with people: they appreciate the genuine respect for their individuality and the effort to truly understand and enhance their natural beauty. Read more>>

Lynn Woods | Owner and Rhinestone Artist

Prayer. I pray about my business each day and ask God to guide me on this entrepreneurial journey. Owning a business is hard and you definitely have days when you are discouraged. Praying and asking God to guide me is a BIG part of my business. Opportunities have been opened up because of Him that I never would have dreamed. I re-read my favorite Bible verse quite often, which is Jeremiah 29:11. Read more>>

Chef Lovee | Personal Chef & Caterer

The most important factors behind my success & the success of my brand are obsession, consistency, and discipline. I’m a strong believer of comparison being the thief of joy, and with the ability to see glimpses of other’s success via social media, I’ve had moments or feeling left out or left behind. However, the more I started to become obsessed with my own brand instead of others, staying consistent even when things seemed to be going slow, and staying disciplined enough to show up even when I didn’t feel like it has really changed the game for me. The only person I started to compare myself to, was who I was yesterday. Read more>>

Wendy Solomon | Portrait Photographer

To me, the biggest predictor of success for building a business is persistence! There’s no one magic formula that brings success; there are multiple paths to achieving your goals. But you just have to keep trying new things, expanding your comfort zone, and adjusting along the way. Throughout my career, I have learned a lot about marketing strategies, and I’m constantly changing things and trying to evolve with new technology. I know that my success depends not just on keeping up with my photography and photo editing skills, but also learning new ways to understand and influence consumer buying behavior. Read more>>

Camille Kauer | Speaker, Commercial Actor, Podcaster, and Producer

It’s as simple as defining what success means to you. Picture this: I grew up obsessed with American TV and pop culture, and now, I get to dive into the juicy stories behind the most iconic movies, music, and fashion. Hosting my podcast feels like living a dream, but here’s the kicker – I’m not just chasing my dreams; I’m helping others catch theirs. As a child, I’d talk at my mirror like it was the camera and my star-studded guests. I’d dream about hosting or even starring in a variety show like Diana Ross. I was obsessed with her after seeing her concert tape and movies. I never, not in a million years, thought I’d be the creator of my destiny, doing my show my way and on my terms. Read more>>

Scott Conary | President, Carrboro Coffee Roasters

As trite as it can sound, the People are the most important part of what we do & how we do it… This ranges from the coffee Producer-Partners we work with in all the coffee growing origins, and the many hands along the way that get that coffee from the tree to our Roastery, and then extends to all of our passionate employees in both the wholesale roastery & the retail cafes, and ultimately to the clients & customers themselves. Everything we do only becomes a reality because at every stage people believe in what we are doing and want to be part of the team that makes it happen – become part of the process that leads to something better and bigger than we are as individuals. Read more>>

Shellie Watkins Ritzman | Cut Flower Farmer

Aside from providing the freshest, seasonal, locally grown flowers, I believe the most important factor behind our success is our personal connection with each customer. Whether it is our bouquet subscribers and pick-up partner businesses, or events here on our farm, it’s important to be kind, accessible and consistent with communication. Read more>>