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.

Johnson Riggs

My older brother claims that I was dropped off on the doorstep by gypsies. If this is true, then my fortune-telling birth parents did themselves and me a great kindness by leaving me with a respectable family. You see, I was born under a cursed star. I had an ill-favored look about me. Perhaps it was the Mark of Cain. Still others called it the Sign of the Beast. And some say the freckles on my back form a constellational map pointing to a solar system that contains an unfathomable and lucrative secret. Read more>>

Chintzy Goth

To this day, my late father remains the biggest influence over my life. He raised me with whimsy, creativity, and a sense of wonder for the world. We spent our evenings in our small town riding our bikes, finding every secret the countryside had to offer. He taught me that kindness goes much farther than malice, and that being patient is the best way to experience life. He took his time with everything he did- he savored his food, he strolled into grocery stores instead of being in a rush; he truly knew that the world has unlimited beauty to offer in the little things. Read more>>

Shannon Nottoli

They showed me what hard work looks like—no shortcuts, no excuses. They didn’t hand me everything, but they gave me just enough grit, hustle, and belief in myself to figure it out. That foundation made me fearless in business. They taught me work ethic by example. My parents used to work multiple jobs—sometimes they would leave before the sun came up and come home long after I was in bed. One day, I remember asking them “Aren’t you tired?” and they smiled and said, “Of course. But we do what we have to do until we get to do what we want to do.” That stuck with me. When I was building my business—working for the wax company during the day, lashes mid day and front desk at night—I sometimes would think back to that moment. That mindset is exactly what got me from a closet-sized room to owning a full salon downtown. Read more>>

Laura Schakosky

I feel like my parents have always been there for me and encouraged me throughout my whole career. I am really lucky in that way. They both gave me a great example of what it takes to be successful. My mom did not have a college degree but became very successful in her career. She worked he way up from a secretary to high-level management at Arthur Andersen. When they let go of mid-management, she decided to work with my stepdad and they built a multimillion-dollar business together selling wholesale diamonds at the World Trade Center. Read more>>

Kim Miller

I’m deeply blessed and honored to be the child of two incredible parents. My mother led our family with unwavering dedication and a remarkable work ethic—commuting two hours each day while still caring for me and my siblings. Even now, in her late 60s, she continues to show up with passion and commitment for her team. Though I lost my father when I was just five, his legacy lives on through the kindness and creativity he expressed as a singer and musician. From both of them, I inherited a deep respect for hard work, the freedom to create, and a heart for serving others with excellence and care. Read more>>

Kashi-Tara

There are so many things my parents did right! Support is the first thing that comes to mind. Their support allowed me to explore my imagination and express myself in unique ways. They broadened my horizons by providing outlets for my emotional expression which helped me process my feelings and experiences in a constructive manner. Their encouragement in the arts lead to me developing skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving and empathy. Their support and encouragement boosted my confidence and my self esteem which in turn reinforced the idea that my talents and my voice was of value. My parents made me feel that I mattered! Read more>>

AINSLEY

100 % belief and support in me from a young age. They saw that my commitment, drive and soul never wavered from being a creative person. They were always there both emotionally and financially with a lot of sacrifice. Always my biggest fans, motivating me to pursue my dreams and what makes me happy. Read more>>

Silvia Vassileva

My parents exposed me to art but never influenced be. They let me pursue my dream and gave me full support although my career choice was not what they were wishing for me. They were wise enough to understand that they can not make me change my mind. Read more>>

Emunah Love

As an intuitive healer, coach, and sacred priestess, I now help others connect to the Divine—to the true source of love within. And while my parents may not have given me the kind of love and support many would expect, they played a powerful and essential role in shaping the woman I’ve become. Read more>>

Lamar Landrum

My mom and my dad showed me what it meant to stay loyal and faithful..They also showed me what it meant to go after what you believe in and don’t never give up..They showed me so much…my dad always told me that I should coach sports that’s why I’m doing it and my mama always told me the next generation need me that’s why I’m mentoring I’m forever thankful.. Read more>>

Zipporah Banyay

First of all, thanks for the question. This is a thought provoking question and I love it!. I was raised by a single mom, I knew my father and had a relationship with him too, but my mother was the supreme example for me. My mother was the epitome of an independent, strong and courageous woman. I watched her single-handedly take us from poverty to upper middle class. She went from working three jobs and being on state assistance just for us three kids to have the necessities of life, to moving into a new income bracket and being one of the First and her family to buy a home and she did it by herself. My mother worked hard in the car factories and worked her way up to management. It took me some years to recognize the impact that would have over my life. Read more>>

Esteban Niño Palacio

They didn’t stop growing just because they had children. Sure, they immigrated to a foreign country from Colombia with three children, I was three years old, and they sacrificed so much–but, it’s what they didn’t sacrifice that truly helped me. Read more>>

Lisa Young

My parents were a terrific influence on me. My dad is a cardiologist, and my mom is a learning disability specialist. Both were in the helping professions and also entrepreneurs. They instilled strong values in me and always encouraged my sister and me to follow our dreams. Read more>>

Simone Brathwaite

My parents trusted me. When my sister and I were younger, they set firm boundaries, but by the time we were adults, they let the reins loose. I didn’t know it then, but my parents not telling me to do this or that required me to figure out what I wanted to do. That trust pushed me to deepen my intuition and discernment, allowing me to take risks and possibly fail without reproach. From leaving a finance job to take an internship during a recession to turning down a marketing role at my dream company, I’ve made many an unconventional career decision. But I never made them fearing my parents’ judgment. Read more>>

Lilly Ireland

My mum is an artist (painter) and she taught me how important art and creativity is. She always encouraged me to sing and to take lessons and helped me have confidence in my voice. My dad taught me that you can achieve anything in this world if you put your mind to it and do the work needed to acheive it. Read more>>

Apeksha Lal

My parents were always supportive of my creative endeavors as a child. Whenever I created something, they’d show it off to everyone. Even if I thought I had created the most mediocre work of art, they would treat every single of my drawings and paintings like they would a painting at the Louvre. They got them framed, sent pictures of them to all of our family and inquired about my process and intent with every piece. The walls in my parent’s home in India are an archive of my creative journey, a living and breathing gallery full of the things I’ve created over the years – from pencil drawings I created as a child, to the realistic landscapes I created as I was developing technical skills in high school, to the much more sophisticated paintings I create now. Read more>>

Connie Smith

What my parents did right—and how growing up in foster care shaped my life’s purpose

In a world where it’s easy to point out everything our parents did wrong, I’ve come to appreciate the things they did right—even if those lessons came wrapped in hardship.

I grew up in foster care, eventually settling into my second home after my biological mother, who struggled with mental illness, couldn’t care for me. While my upbringing was far from traditional, it gave me something more valuable than money, status, or even stability: it gave me purpose. Read more>>

Charlotte O’Donnell

I was raised in a very loving and supportive household, where I always felt safe and free to express myself; weather that be acting goofy and silly, proclaiming that I was becoming a vegetarian at the age of 7, or expressing all the things that came along with being an energetically sensitive child. I always felt heard and supported! Read more>>

Trevon Bryant

One of the most important things my parents did was teach me that reinvention is strength, not failure. My mom showed me what quiet resilience looks like – always showing up, even when no one’s watching. My dad challenged me to think bigger and trust my instincts. Read more>>

Gretchen

My parents have done so much for me and my 3 siblings. My mother was a letter carrier. Her days were long, and she’d deliver mail in all kinds of weather. We lived in a Chicago suburb where winters and summers can be extremely brutal. My father had 2 jobs, working 6 days a week including a night shift on Saturdays. Although they sacrificed a lot of their time to work, they still found time to make happy memories for us. We went on family road trips, frequented the local parks & beaches, saw extended family often, and supported all of each others’ school activities. My parents showed us the importance of work-life balance. Read more>>

Cheyenne Kopelson

I grew up in a home where my parents taught me I could do anything-anything at all. My mother is an eternal optimist who, while I was growing up, worked as a substitute teacher and had a natural gift for math. My father was a true jack-of-all-trades, the kind of person who could fix just about anything with a roll of duct tape, and he worked as a homebound teacher for the Alpine School District in Utah. Read more>>

Alexis Toatley

My parents shaped me by example—through work ethic, presence, and belief. My mother was the embodiment of discipline. She never missed a day of work, even when she was juggling two jobs. I’d watch her pack her lunch and lay out her work clothes every night before a 4 a.m. shift. That level of preparation stuck with me. One of my chores as a kid was ironing her uniforms, a small act that helped lighten her load—but it also showed me what consistency looked like. Read more>>

Ashley Harper Smith

My parents always made “work” seem like a lot of fun, so I never dreaded the prospect of it. Both my mother and father are creative people in every sense of the word. My mother went to school for fashion design; she has incredible taste and style.; and she has a knack for making any space feel sacred. My mom encouraged me to choose to wear whatever I was drawn to from a very young age, and that always felt very freeing. Her magnetism is infectious; she is endlessly optimistic; and she exudes kindness and light. All of which had a major influence on my way of being and how I move through this life. My father had an outlandish sense of humor, fearless approach to taking creative risks and he was a true visionary. Read more>>

Jaziyyah Higgins

One thing my parents, and my village as a whole, did right was give me space. Space to explore, space to express, space to evolve. I was never pushed in one direction or another. Instead, they watched, listened, and encouraged me no matter which way I decided to walk and what interest I came upon. That kind of freedom is rare for a child to experience which stunts the growth of so many of them. So many kids have to wait until they are in college or even full-blown adults to begin the process of understanding what they love and why. The freedom I experienced shaped everything about how I move through the world as a writer, performer, and creative professional. Read more>>

Neith Ra

My path to conscious living and holistic wellness began with my mother — literally. Eleven years before I was born, my mom made a radical choice to walk away from the standard Southern food she was raised on. That decision changed everything. She chose to reclaim her health, break generational patterns, and step into her calling as a Nutritionist, Herbalist, and Home Economist. Read more>>

Nathaniel Bolarinwa

My parents will always pay attention to their kids trying to figure our what is best for us from our very younger age. My parents layed me on this Artistic path since I was 6 years old. They will continuously get me crayons and any artist kit that was needed for me then. They will never stop me from marking the house wall. This has really shaped my artistic journey.  Read more>>

Michelle Deuink

Honestly, I owe so much of who I am and what I’ve built in Olive Street Collective to my parents. They both had such a huge impact on me, and the way they raised me shaped how I approach life and business. My dad owned his own business since he was around my age, so I grew up seeing what it actually looked like to run something on your own. He showed me by living it that if you want something to work you have to make it happen yourself. No one’s going to come along and build it for you. He took me with him to job sites when I was super little, and growing up I would ride around with him checking on work progress, meeting his employees, and listening to him take work calls in the car. Read more>>