What is Success?

Following Black Friday, today is deemed Small Business Saturday. And so, today, the world is given the opportunity to support small businesses. Celebrating and understanding different models of success has been a common theme for me as I build my own business. Is a small business less legitimate because it's small? What should be rewarded by society and competitions? Only the businesses that get big, and get big, fast? My answer is no. I believe that all models of success should be celebrated. Sustainability, work-life balance and moving from small to mid-size are great things to strive for as a small business owner.

A dictionary definition of success says (among many other things), that success is...

: the fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect, or fame

: the correct or desired result of an attempt

: someone or something that is successful : a person or thing that succeeds

What does success mean to you? What does it look like to you?

After many months of talking to small business owners- from fitness health business owner Christie, to lawyer Elyse, to event management company, Agouti...I finally reached out to some friends and colleagues to ask them this specific question. These are mostly women who work in a variety of jobs- some of them full time moms, some of them working full-time, some of them single and working full time, and some of them still in school.

• "For me, success is a combination of feeling accomplished, creative and whole. Success is a moment, but it is also a journey with many different destinations." -Noa Daniel, Teacher, Writer and Workshop Facilitator

• "To me, true success isn’t simply considering what we are doing for a living, or how much money and power that brings us, but it’s more about liking what we're doing and working with people we admire, respect and like while we are doing it." - Erin Munro, Schmoozer Extraordinaire

• "Success for me is when can make a living doing what you love, balancing your family, friends and work and having a good time doing it all. Appreciating what you have and making more goals for the future." - Angela Zaltsman, A to Z Event Management

• "Success, to me, is more than simply achieving a goal, although that is a defining factor. True success, I feel, is the pride, happiness and drive to do more after each accomplishment. Success can be a work in progress, but the person working is smiling." - Amanda Sordelet, Freelance Schmoozer

• "Success is when you find meaning in what you do and when you live in accordance with your values." - Anonymous

What is success to me? This is a question that challenges me because I always aspire to more, and comforts me because I am allowed to define what is important to me. I don't believe there is or should be one definition of success. I am only beginning to learn what makes different people feel passionate, and motivated...and I love that this is different for everyone.

What is success to you? Which answer resonates with you most?