We asked some very thoughtful members of our community to reflect on what they’ve learned from their heroes.
Lauren Ball
When I originally started my business, I was only doing it part-time. I wasn’t confident then and I was unsure if running a business full time on my own would even be feasible. I was following a local artist at the time on Instagram by the name of Alex Gowan. I adored her art and was impressed by her drive and talent. Alex is the reason I fibally decided to become a full-time entrepreneur amd quit my “regular” job. I remember a post she made about her artistic journey and the decision to sell her art full-time. It inspired me and I thought, “you know what, why not?”. If Alex, can do it, so can I!” Read more>>
Tj Park
My heroes are the mentors I’ve had in school and at work. As an Asian man moving from South Korea to America in my late 20s, I faced a steep learning curve—adapting to a new culture, learning to communicate confidently in English, and proving myself in a professional setting. During those challenging times, there was always a professor or a manager who recognized my strengths and supported me, often more than I believed in myself. They taught me that success isn’t just about creating great work; it’s about collaboration and helping others grow. In this industry, teamwork is everything, and being able to identify and nurture someone else’s talent is just as important as honing your own. Their ability to lead with both skill and care deeply influenced me, and now I strive to embody those qualities in how I work with others. Read more>>
Pat Gonzalez
My hero would be my mother. My mother has always had a “can do” attitude and NEVER accepted the word “no” for an answer. She overcame many challenges when she first came to this country but I can honestly say she never gave up on anything she set her mind to. She instilled in me the importance of education and she made sure we received the best education within her means. She has greatly influenced me in all my life journeys because I have a strong belief I can achieve anything I set my mind to. My mother was an amazing problem solver and she passed along that skill on to me which I have passed down to my two daughters. Every time I would see my mother get knocked down by a new life challenge, I would observe her attitude while the wheels were turning in her brain and she would come up with a library of solutions to get ahead. For a woman with only a third grade education, she was very intelligent and a quick thinker. The one thing that sticks in my head is how she cared for my father when he fell ill due to kidney disease and leukemia. What my mother thought would be a short term situation ended up being a 16 year battle to keep my father as healthy as she could to help extend his life. Not once did she ever consider giving up on him, even during the most strenuous of times. Because of the values, tenacity and perseverance I consistently I observed from her, I put up the biggest fight of my life to keep her alive when she suffered a massive stroke. I know I could never give up on her or anything that life throws at me because she taught me giving up is a never an option. Read more>>