So many of us parent the way our parents did – because it’s the only example we’ve had a chance to see up close. We think one of the ways to remedy this is to create a space where people can share stories of the things they feel their parents did right, so we can all learn from those examples.

Crystal Geffrard

One of the thing that my parents did right was teach me that I can do anything that I put my mind to. This always stuck with me because whenever I felt stuck academically or within my career, I would pause, take a moment, and figure out what I’m doing wrong and what can I do better. Once my mind is refocused and set on success, there is nothing that I can’t do. My parents teaching me this allowed for me to realize the only barrier in my journey is me. Read more>>

Alex Inez

They had me! hahaha! No, just kidding. My parents set a great example for me as hard workers. They have both shown me what dedication can do in your life. My mom is a very intelligent woman who has a built a comfortable life for herself. She taught me to always have a plan, to treat people right and to work hard! She’s always thinking in my best interest and giving me love and support and from her I learned to be a great friend. Read more>>

Stephany Gonzalez

When my mother and I came from the Dominican Republic, she had $100 in her pocket and nowhere to go. Yet, she defied every odd. Trauma was interwoven into my family history and it’s what would later inspire me to become a Psychotherapist. I saw my mom work tirelessly to give me and my siblings a life of freedom. I was raised by a woman that was resilient, with incredible work ethic and a fighting spirit. She always believed in me and encouraged me to pursue anything that gave me a sense of fulfillment and that would help others. Read more>>

Olivia Steadman- Oladipo

My parents raised a contender. To be an entrepreneur, you have to compete to succeed— even when the person you’re competing against is who you see in the mirror. I am the daughter of two immigrants who left their homes to create one for me in this country. My parents urged excellence in academia, presence, the company I kept, and independence. They raised me to defy the odds and not only survive, but thrive. These values help me navigate along this journey every day. Read more>>

Paulo Shishido

Two things definitely stand out from both my mom and dad. First, my mom. She is the most selfless person I know. She won’t eat so that you can. I always tell her (in Spanish)- Ma, como tu vas ayudar a la otra persona si tu no te ayudas a ti misma. (Ma, you need to help yourself first, otherwise how else can you help others). Being selfless isn’t a bad thing, but it’s always looking out for others that’s the point. Read more>>

Tori Williams

My parents taught me two things that has impacted my life and career. 1. Work ethic. Work hard for whatever you want. Nothing will ever be handed to you. If you want something make a plan and go get it. While I was in high school my dad worked two jobs and never ever complained about it. He worked for the things he wanted and needed. As well as the things I wanted. Read more>>

Doreatha Walker

My parents really instilled in me a work ethic that is unreal. They taught me to finish what I start, regardless of how difficult the task may be. They also showed me what hard work entails and that has made me the person I am today. They always said life is not easy, but it is worth it. I believe that and strive for greatness at Mocha’s Dream Closet each and everyday. We believe that each one teaches one and each one teaches one. You can not make it in entrepreneurship without grit. That’s why we inspire, motivate and equip our employees to win, daily. Read more>>

Beatrice Funke Ogunmola

They raised me! Yes, my parents raised me well. They raised me to be strong, bold, confident, focused, dedicated to task, among several other values. My dad, of blessed memory, never entertained laziness and procrastination. He was a hard worker himself. Same with my mom. You can’t be uncommitted to task with my parents. Read more>>

LaCriscia Fowlkes

What did my parents do right? Wow! They did so many things right, and some things as an adult, I know they did the best they knew how to. I am number 4 out of 5 children. Number 5 is my twin, who is 13 minutes younger than me, collectively we are “the babies.” I think what they did right includes respecting God, caring for my elders, knowing when to be silent and when to speak, and ultimately love is the greatest gifts. That’s a lot! Read more>>

Dr. Trenese McNealy

Growing up, my parents always instilled the core values of respect, honesty, kindness, hard work, confidence, thankfulness, and knowledge within me and my three siblings. When it came to respect, we were taught to always respect our elders by saying, “Yes, sir or No, mam”, and by following the rules that our elders had in place. Thus, to this day, I have taught my own children to be respectful not only to their elders, but anyone in general. I tell them to say good morning/good afternoon or speak when they walk into a room. Respect goes a long way. If you want to get respect, you must show respect. Read more>>

Kam Capers

My parents did an amazing job raising my sister and I. They taught so many lessons and gave so much insight on life and always told my sister and I that we can do anything we wanted as long as worked for it and believed that we could do it. Along the way of them raising us I learned from each one of them and still apply them to everything I do to this day. First we’ll start with mom. She always would tell me to do my best everyday and keep going no matter the circumstances. She always made sure I was focused and confident in anything I did. One lesson I learned from her is “Don’t be nobodies fool but your own!”. Read more>>

Kendall Hughes

I always like to describe my parents as kids in love that never grew up. They got married at 19 and 21 years old, I don’t think they’ve aged a day since. My parents have been the best example of unconditional love I have ever experienced. They have sacrificed so much financially, physically and emotionally for my siblings and I to have the best life and opportunities possible. My mom would drive us 45 minutes to the closest private school possible every morning at 6am. My dad would come the second I called if I forgot something at home or if I was having a bad day. Read more>>

Emma Pelfrey

I was blessed with the most supportive and hard working parents around. Every positive quality I have is because of them. From a very young age I saw the true meaning of hard work, and why we choose to work hard. My mother inspires me greatly with her ability to pivot successfully. Growing up she was an elementary school teacher eventually moving up to being the principal at my school. She decided the school system was no longer benefiting her, so she started her own business. The business she started was so outside of her normal every day life, and it confused our family why she would want to go into woodworking. Read more>>

Eleanor Blair

During WWII, Mom (along with many young women at the time) wrote letters of support to soldiers serving abroad. My parents corresponded during the war, sharing their mutual love of drawing. I still have a few of those sketches, which they made and sent to one another. They met in person after the war, were married in 1946, and I was born a year later. Dad encouraged my mother’s interest in art, and bought her a set of oil painting supplies while she was pregnant with me. Dad stretched large canvases for my mother, and she created a series of ‘over the couch’ paintings (landscapes copied from calendar photos) to give to her family. Read more>>

Patrick Kappel

I grew up in a small town in the Midwest, dirt roads, just a few stoplights. I opened my first “business” when I was 7 years old – collecting cans in the neighborhood with my sisters and selling them at the recycling plant. I opened my second business in the 5th grade when I started a paper route and became solely responsible for the delivery of the product, the collection of customer payments, and the acquisition of new clients. Paper routes teach a young person a lot about running a business. Read more>>

Keonche Hines

I grew up in a single parent home, my mom was and is still the hardest working woman I have ever seen in my life. My mom always taught us that money don’t grow on trees and always value a dollar. Spend wisely and carefully. My mom is also the smartest person I’ve ever met & and when she got in a better position in life she made sure her kids was in an even better position. She always have new ideas and I would say I have my mother’s brains because I also always come up with new ideas as well. My mother have a billion dollar mindset. So I want to thank her for everything she have done and is still doing till this day. Thank you mom! Read more>>

Jordan Abad

My parents did a great job with not letting me quit on anything. Even when I would get frustrated, because they knew it was only going to bring me closer to my goals. As a child, I played a lot of soccer and wanted to be a professional. Naturally they supported me and would take me to all my games, practices and even soccer camps. One year, they sent me to an Olympic Development Program (ODP) soccer camp. During the camp, I was one of the smallest and youngest players. I remember feeling a bit intimidated training with all the older kids, Read more>>

Chris “Bear” McCullough

My parents instilled core values that I use everyday. I work hard for the things I have achieved. I believe in that principle. I put my family before my work. Memories are something children need their family to be a part of. Give back to those in need. Take the time to help someone, you will find the giving much more rewarding than the taking. Read more>>

Neha Bhatia

My parents are immigrants from India and worked really hard to give me the life I have today. In the Indian culture, the priority is often given to the male to get an education and have a career. Sadly, women, are not as encouraged. My parents believed in the exact opposite. Since I was a little girl my mom emphasized the importance of having a career. She encouraged me to get a college education and to pursue a career that makes me happy financially and emotionally. She directed me to be fearless and to go after what I wanted. My dad was a hard working engineer for Boeing. Read more>>

Tamara Thomas

My parents have always empowered me to be an independent women. From a young age, they taught me to be self-sufficient by teaching me how to save money, plan for the future, and always be able to rely on myself. As an adult, I can appreciate all they did to help make me the woman I am today. As a teen, I was always wondering why I was the only one of my friends who had to give up sports in exchange for a job. In all honesty, I was jealous of my friends who had everything handed to them. Looking back now, I recognize that my parents set me up for a stable, independent, adult life. At age 15, I started working at a pizza restaurant and learned how to balance my bank account, how to pay for my own car, gas, insurance, as well as save and pay for college. Read more>>

Carolina Ferreiro

My parents, Rosa and Carlos Ferreiro, made the difficult decision to leave Cuba and escape communism in search of a better life for our family. They gave up everything so that we could have a good future. My father embodies entrepreneurial spirit. He earned degrees in chemistry and biochemistry in Cuba, was a professor at the University of Cuba for 18 years, and he authored several technical books. After emigrating to the U.S., he continued working for several medical laboratories and later became a successful entrepreneur. He founded Pharma Natural, Inc. in 2002. Read more>>

Daniel Luna

Growing up I had a single mom and living in an urban city in Los Angeles California and I had many opportunities to get involved with the wrong people and wrong activities but my mom worked hard to keep me on the right path. She made sure I was in church and made the right friends, and always pursued my dreams. The biggest thing my mom did for me that has allowed me to believe in myself today and take chances in the business world is; she always said I could do it, she never shot down my ideas and whatever I said I wanted to be she said I could do it. Read more>>

¡¡Curb Alert!!!

I had always been in music in middle school (Tuba!), and I had hinted that I wanted a guitar. The biggest surprise was when they picked one up from a garage sale because guitar was such a rebel instrument (ha). They paid for lessons, which is super important the first year (so hard), and it kept me going. My mom also has a Christian background that I carry forward. There is so much misinterpreted scripture now, and so many in the church use the Bible to support things that really aren’t in the Bible, and completely overlook the two main rules that the message of Jesus is clear on: Love God, and Love each other. Read more>>

Marian-MiaoYin Sing

Some of my earliest memories are of my parents encouraging me to be creative and artistic in every way! I was always involved with performance arts in some way. Singing, dancing, playing musical instruments, writing, composing music, and art of all kinds. Basically, everything you can do that needs a backup plan? I did it! I started in a traveling theater group from age 3, where singing, dancing, and acting in front of groups of people was made to be a normal part of my childhood. My father was involved in public television my entire young life as well, so being on sets was just life. Read more>>

Rath Sy

1978 my parents was in the killing fields in a camp with Khmer Rouge. 1980 my parents decided to take a limp of faith and ran towards the American military for help. From that decision my family was able migrate to San Diego Ca. They alway showed me to never give up. Nothing is given to you. Hard work will always make big differences for you. They never told me we was poor or broke. Looking back on my child hood we didn’t have much. 9 people in a small 2 bedroom apartment. When I was a kid me and 3 of my siblings sleeping in the living floor. Read more>>

Daniel Fiorda

My father gives me the opportunity to educate myself in an alternative way. rather than simply send me to high school when I was 14 years old, he gives me the option to join painting and drawing classes with a private teacher and also encouraged me to enter the music school. for three consecutive years, that was my education, but at the same time, my father asked me to help him in his welding shop in Buenos Aires, all the knowledge to work with power tools and the art of welding I translated later in my early projects as a sculptor. Read more>>

Alexi Contrata

My parents have had such a profound impact on my life in such a positive way. They taught me nothing in life comes easy when nothing is handed to you. They taught me that putting in hard work and effort into something doesn’t always equate to success or the outcome you expected, but learning from your failures and how to overcome those failures is key. Patience and learning experiences will allow you to come out stronger in the end. Read more>>

 

Teia Jones

I am forever grateful to my parents. They were intentional in their parenting and committed to teaching my siblings and I critical life skills. My parents taught us to love people and respect others. They showed us how to do things for others, often sacrificially. Read more>>