I've actually been running my service for 3 months. Website came later after I established my client base after being encouraged to set up a store front by them.
To me success is running a very profitable and sustainable business. I run my gig in a very customer-centric manner where I put an extra effort in customer retention.
So yeah, successful in my perspective is a high level of lucrativeness + high customer retention
However, we are all entitled to our own opinions of what successful is :)
Your meathead customers might not be able to tell the difference between the crap you produce and quality academic writing, but others definitely can.
Not all of my customers are off BB.com. I've already began projects on a few customers I've gotten through here this past week. Additionally I've began building my international student clients locally. Either way they are all getting good marks :). So that says something.
And I clearly put a different effort in my papers versus a forum. Reason being papers pay, forum posts don't. :)