Parents teach us many things including how to be a parent. We can learn from their mistakes, sure, but we can also learn a lot from the things they got right. We asked successful entrepreneurs and creatives to open up to us about their parents and what they felt their parents got right.

Truce Nguyen

When I think about what my parents did right, particularly my mother, it’s impossible not to be filled with gratitude and awe. My parents came to America from Vietnam after the war with nothing but determination and hope. Their journey and my mother’s story, in particular, is one of resilience and ambition that shaped the core of who I am today. In Vietnam, my mother was a teacher—a respected and fulfilling role. But when she arrived in America, she had to start at the bottom. With no English skills and no safety net, she first became a babysitter. From there, she worked as a seamstress, then moved on to a nail salon while attending night school to earn her license. This relentless pursuit of a better life for her family culminated in her opening her own nail salon in Old City, Philadelphia, when I was just seven years old. Old City wasn’t just any neighborhood—it was prestigious, a testament to her hard work and determination. Watching her go from poverty to becoming a successful business owner left an indelible mark on me. Read more>>

Chris Pessy

As the man of the house at age 2 my mother instilled a foundation of work ethic, compassion for others and always give from a place of love with zero expectations. Be the light you wish to see in the world and embrace chaos and adversity with the same open mindedness when spreading joy and happiness. Read more>>

Nicole Varricchio-Molinelli

My Mother is my Inspiration has she taught me, when life gets tough, you get tougher! She was a single mom who hustled to make it all happen. Working 2&3 jobs, buying a home, putting my sister & I through Catholic School, and all things in between. She showed us that hard work even though tough times pays off, & there was nothing we weren’t capable of achieving. Moms words…there will always be people with more & there will always be people with less……we need to be happy with what we have. Words I live by! Read more>>

Madison Lindsey

My parents are truly my heroes and I know that sounds cliche. But, my parents are very different than most. My entire life my parents have always taught me the hard stuff. Most parents try to make their kids believe that they live in this fairytale world where everything is perfect. As the kids get older, they quickly learn the hard lessons of life which often causes them to struggle. My parents taught me at an early age that life is full of adversity and you always have two options- you can dwell on the problem and continue to struggle or you can put your ‘big girl’ pants on & face the adversity head on. My parents taught me that no matter how hard life gets, I am strong and can handle anything. They always made me believe I was capable of anything. They made me believe I was stronger than I am, smarter than I am, prettier than I am, etc. That has made me who I am. It has impacted my career because I am okay with failure. Read more>>

Hanna x Madge

Growing up in our house, Saturday mornings were made for family breakfast and watching music videos. What we ate was arbitrary—it could be waffles or scrambled eggs or plain old cereal. But sitting down after the meal while one of our parents cleaned up the kitchen and the other helped us search for music videos was almost always a given. Our childhood was full of music despite neither one of our parents knowing how to play an instrument or sing. Even before we could play instruments ourselves, we were parading around the house clanging utensils on pots and pans or pretending our tennis rackets were guitars. We couldn’t wait for a car ride somewhere—anywhere—because it meant listening to music. Between Hilary Duff, Vanessa Carlton, Taylor Swift and our parents’ selection of 70s R&B and 90s alternative, we were fed a balanced diet of genres. As we grew up, both our parents encouraged us to lean into our creative passions, fostering an environment where we could learn instruments, get involved with our local theater groups, and take time to dream of a future where pursuing a creative career could become a reality. Read more>>

 

 

Alyssa Jordon

My parents have been my biggest supporters with every goal in life! Growing up I spent a majority of my time in my Momma’s beauty shop, I would find any reason to stay there and help or just chat! We also lived next door so it was easy to visit. Chances are if you called you would have heard baby Aly’s voice on the other end saying “Majic touch, how can I help you?” Little did I know, this whole time I watched her work I was falling in love with the way my momma serviced her clients. I learned how to be patient and listen when others shared about their day, I watched her grieve clients as they passed and celebrated others as they began their lives. She taught me compassion and dedication, something that has helped me in all aspects of my life. I mostly learned how to appreciate providing services for people and building meaningful relationships. My Daddioo on the other hand is and always will be my #1 fan. From any sport to any passion that I loved, he has always been right by my side cheering me on. He taught me that if I set my mind to something I can and will achieve it! My dad is the first one I call (if not mom) with my problems because if he can’t solve it, then he knows who could. Overall I think my parents did a lot right when raising me. I am so grateful to have them by my side through this journey. Read more>>