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.

Corinne Aparis

I grew up with stories from my parents about them leaving a beautiful yet tough life in the Philippines in pursuit of a better future – not only for them, but their own families, and the family they created together. Growing up, I witnessed my parents centering family and community. They were constantly supporting others, from helping relatives back in the Philippines through some of their toughest transitions, to them helping our neighbors find jobs and housing. It wasn’t called “giving back,” it was just how they interacted with others and how they lived life. Read more>>

Karen Gargiso

My parents didn’t always talk about money openly, but they led by example in terms of financial discipline and perseverance. One thing they did right was teaching me the value of hard work and integrity, no matter the circumstances. Growing up in an immigrant household, they faced financial struggles and challenges, but they never let that define their worth. Despite those challenges, they always found a way to live abundantly—whether through acts of generosity, creativity, or resourcefulness. They were resourceful and always found a way to support our family’s needs while still pursuing their dreams. Read more>>

Leigh Zamora

My parents always told me growing up, “If you want to make something happen in your life Leigh, YOU need to make it happen!” I love that they instilled this in me from an early age, Coming from a place of, “You need to make it happen” is so empowering and exciting! My entire life has been filled with taking action on my ideas, travelling to new places, saying yes to opportunities! EgoTroll Be Gone: Actions of Accountability is a result of this exact mindset! Read more>>

Annamarie Green

My parents are very traditional in many ways – they believe in hard work and taking care of the family. They work conventional jobs and enjoy the consistency and familiarity of their jobs which makes it funny that I am a challenger of old systems and could come from that dynamic. However, my parents are the exact reason I have the confidence and determination to shake up the world and make it a better place. Growing up I had(have) a medical disability and learning disability and my parents particularly my mother fought very hard for me so I could have access to the resources and support that I needed to be successful. In addition to fighting for me she also taught me how to fight for myself. I wasn’t a very aggressive or outspoken child – I wanted to always be kind, especially because I knew what it felt like to have a hard time. However, my mom taught me how to balance being kind and empathetic towards others and also making sure your voice is heard in a room full of noise. Growing up they constantly told me that I might have to work harder than others to get to where I wanted to go because of my disability and fiercely cheered me on along the way. Read more>>

Jeff Thorslund

My parent’s got me started with music at a young age, maybe ten years old, taking piano lessons. However, I never got very good at reading music and would play by ear, sometimes adding in a few creative extra notes, much to my music teacher’s dismay! My dad played acoustic guitar around the house, and sometimes played with a band singing and playing bass. When I was little I thought I would eventually join the band as the keyboard player, but soon I started picking up the bass that was around the house and learning simple rock songs, like Green Day or Nirvana. This led me to asking my dad to teach me guitar. He showed me five or six of the “cowboy” chords, which I practiced diligently for several weeks. I then wanted my first electric, which my parents said they would help me afford by paying for half. We went to the local music store in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada where I got my first Godin electric and a small amp.  Read more>>

Kevin Obrecht

From an early age my parents pushed me to excel in school and develop hobbies outside of the classroom. Through this I became very proficient at math and developed an eye for creativity and design, which I did through the Lego that covered half of our basement. After discovering woodworking in high school, my parents allowed me to create a small workshop in a corner of our basement to take what I was learning in school and perfect it at home. After getting a computer engineering degree and realizing woodworking was my true passion and what I wanted to pursue in life, they fully supported my decision and suggested I move my workshop from the basement to the garage to have more space. It was in this garage where I would start Obrecht Woodworking. Read more>>

Tim Salau

One of the greatest gifts my parents gave me was resilience. In 1999, when we emigrated from Nigeria to the U.S., they had no money, no jobs, and no certainty about what the future held. But what they did have was an unwavering belief that, through hard work and perseverance, they could create a better life for my sibling and me. Growing up in Southwest Alief, Texas—known for its challenges with gang violence and economic hardship—my parents shielded us from fear and doubt, teaching us to adapt, thrive, and never lose hope, no matter the odds. My father worked tirelessly, sometimes taking on multiple jobs to provide for our family, while my mother kept our household running smoothly with equal dedication. They showed me the power of sacrifice and the importance of family, values that still guide me today in my career and life. One story that stands out is watching my parents during the 2008 recession. While many around us crumbled under the pressure, my parents never wavered. Their adaptability and resilience were unshakable, and they taught me that these qualities are essential not just for survival but for thriving in uncertainty. Read more>>

Jordan Miller

I would consider my Dad as one of my role models and life mentors. He built his successful dentistry practice from the ground up and has shared with me the important learnings along his entrepreneurial process that have inspired me to start my own business. One thing I really appreciated about being raised by him is his willingness to let me take risks and make my own decisions and mistakes. Even beginning in middle school, I was always pursuing little business ideas, from selling lemonade, to making bracelets and designing shirts and selling them to raise money for causes I was passionate about. He was always there to support my ideas and let me see them through on my own, start to finish. I think having that kind of support and belief in my skills and vision gave me the confidence to do what I do now. Read more>>

Maddy Schmidt

My parents had normal jobs but creative hobbies, so our home was a sanctuary of art, music and comedy. I grew up in a very musical household, and as soon as my parents realized I could sing, I was headlining nursing homes all over central New Jersey. In fact, I was so burnt out in my first few years of performing, that I retired at the age of 6. I experimented with other hobbies, and either sucked, got bored, or both. I quit ice skating when they started making us go backwards. I quit karate after getting my yellow belt (by which I mean, I peed my pants in front of the whole class). The last straw, for me and for my parents, was soccer, where instead of having anything to do with the ball, I sat in the goal making little fairy wands out of blades of grass. It was then that my parents decided I needed to do the school musical. Read more>>