Success, at its core, is meeting a goal. Big successes are simply the completion of many goals, strung together to become one big goal. Ultimately, success comes from within, and can only truly be measured by yourself.

A little anecdote.

I had just booked the national tour of a Broadway show and I was ecstatic. Upon hearing the news, one of my friends congratulated me by saying "you finally made it!" I knew this friend meant well. To them, I had finally succeeded. They defined success, for me, as booking a gig with national name recognition. And it was a huge success, but I also felt like that comment discounted every other major success I’d had, that led up to that point. By the time of my big booking, I had been living in New York City for almost a decade. I had danced with several notable companies, booked my first musical (at a Tony award winning regional theater), booked an international tour, and a ton of other amazing gigs in between. I was living my dream. I was already successful.

This friend meant no harm, it was just that their definition of success was not my own. Their measurements were of a different system.

I have every intention of launching a successful business, as defined by society (and a positive bank account). I also know there’s a lot outside of my control (hello, 2020). Regardless of what happens with Petal + Ash, I feel so successful to have proven to myself that I’m capable of entrepreneurship.

How ever you define success, make sure it is your own definition. It makes the success so much sweeter!