If you're like me, you may have wondered how much luck comes into play with business. Does it come down to your skills and your connections, or is there actually an element of luck that impacts your success?

Pro golfer Gary Player once said, "The harder I practice, the luckier I get."

I believe that luck is a combination of hard work and good timing. But I wanted to see what other entrepreneurs had to say on the subject, so I asked around.

Here's what I found.

A Stroke of Luck

Entrepreneur Craig Wolfe of CelebriDucks has been a witness to a real stroke of luck (and it's happened more than once.) One day he woke up to find that his celebrity rubber ducks had been featured on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno -- and he'd actually ordered them from a catalog during the show. Then, luck struck again when his product was featured in Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 Gifts list.

Because his unique product caught the eye of a major voice within the media, his company hit a proverbial pot of gold.

Lucky Shoes

Matthew Egan of Image Freedom has a pair of Chuck Taylor All Stars that are his go-to source of good luck. 'I don't recall exactly why but I started calling them my lucky shoes,' he said. 'I would wear them to meetings, I would wear them when I wanted to close, and for the most part, they worked. Were they lucky because they acted as a personal pep talk that helped me get my head in the game before a meeting? Who can say?'

While we can't pin down the source his good fortune, Egan continues to depend on his faithful sneakers as a talisman -- as do many entrepreneurs with their own good luck charms.

Perseverance

Some entrepreneurs believe that luck comes from hard work and hanging in there when the going gets tough. Will von Bernuth from Block Island Organics recalled a time when he and his team were disheartened by the exhausting process of trying to find an eCommerce cart developer for their website. After rounds and rounds of research, an advisor sent a them a lucky break and connected them with a developer who was a perfect fit for their budget and needs.

Entrepreneurs know this concept well: Keep going when all you want to do is give up. Perseverance, in many cases, might be just the thing you need to lead you to your lucky break.

It's in the Numbers

According to numerologist Andrea Mai, luck is in the numbers. One way she helps business owners by analyzing their address numbers. 'I've seen how just doing something as simple as placing a number near property number signage can seem to have a sudden effect. I had one client report that after doing what I advised, she received a check she was having a hard time collecting on. Another client was having difficulty getting interest about renting out their property, and soon after placing the number, they were getting inquires.'

Luck can come in many forms; there are entire businesses that are built around the concept of lucky numbers.

Taking Risks

For other business owners, luck comes from putting yourself out there and working hard to forge new connections. Laura Vogt of Lucid8 says you can only find luck by putting yourself in the way of good fortune. That might mean meeting the right business partner at the right time, actively searching for new opportunities, and taking risks that can pay off in the long-run.

Much like perseverance, taking risks means being proactive about encountering luck and sticking to it until you get that good fortune you're hoping for.

The Verdict: Luck is What You Make it

Whether it's a pair of shoes or just pure dedication, the opinion on the relationship between luck and business seems to be a mixed bag.

There's one common thought that runs through all of these responses, however. Lucky breaks are those moments you can look back on as the beginning of success. No matter how they happen, they're the beginning of something good.

Do you believe luck plays a role in growing a successful business?