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.

Mél Dos Santos

Finding my purpose didn’t come easily, especially growing up in an environment where art wasn’t seen as a real career path. At 16, while my friends were planning careers in medicine, law, and science, I felt lost. One day, sitting on the kitchen stairs watching my mom cook, I shared my worries. She told me something that’s stayed with me ever since: “Imagine yourself in 10 years. Do you want to wake up dreading another day, or excited to start?” In that moment, I knew photography was my path—it was the one thing that made me feel genuinely excited. Read more>>

Scott Prisco

One of the most impactful things my parents did was to instill in me, from an early age, the importance of believing in myself and pursuing what I want in life. They taught me that it’s okay to dream and that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to—as long as I’m willing to put in the work. I think many parents, often without realizing it, limit their children by encouraging them to be ‘realistic’ and to follow a stable, safe path. I feel this approach can constrain what people are capable of achieving. Growing up, my parents created a safe space for dreaming and made me believe that I could accomplish things others might consider unattainable or against the odds. These teachings have shaped a mindset in me that focuses not on if I will succeed, but when. This outlook has helped me persevere through difficult times and keep fighting for my goals in life. Read more>>

Yue Li

The most impactful thing my parents did for me was instill an optimistic heart and a positive mindset. They taught me to see the bright side in every situation, which has shaped the way I approach life and art. Even though it was challenging for me to be hard of hearing, they encouraged and trained me to speak, empowering me to express myself and connect with others. Their support and belief in my abilities helped me embrace resilience and find strength in my voice, shaping who I am as both an artist and a person. Read more>>

Stephanie Bonev

My parents’ journey and the values they instilled in me have profoundly shaped my life and career. Their story begins with immense bravery and determination: moving to Canada from Eastern Europe without knowing a word of English or having any support. They faced the daunting challenge of starting a new life in a foreign country, yet their resilience, consistency, and entrepreneurial spirit laid the foundation for the life I have today. Growing up as an only child, my parents were not just my biggest supporters—they were my best friends. Their unwavering love and encouragement were constants in my life. From an early age, they taught me that my dreams were worth chasing and that I should never compromise my happiness for the expectations or opinions of others. This belief in me gave me the confidence to navigate life with courage and stay true to myself. Read more>>

Amber Johnson

My parents paved the way for entrepreneurship by setting multiple examples of running successful businesses and not deferring their dreams. There is no better business school than having parents who involve you in the daily ins and out of their establishment. Hearing those conversations about the good and the bad things that happened, assisting in the inventory portion, waking up to them counting money at the dining room table, going with them to the bank to make deposits and obtaining lines of credit, coming up with marketing strategies and learning how to manage the staff was something that I could have never received in any business school. My mother owned a real estate company and together her and my dad owned a liquor store. Read more>>

Cassie Feldman

Reflecting on the question: “What did your parents do right?” immediately brings to mind a deeply formative moment that shaped not only my personal development but also the essence of my career as a clinical psychologist. From a young age, my parents (my father, an Intensive Care Unit Physician and my mother, a Clinical Psychologist) modeled a unique combination of intellectual pursuit and emotional depth, which has guided my professional work and informed my personal philosophy of how I conduct myself personally. Read more>>

Melissa Millour

My mother and father moved from Puerto Rico to Saint Petersburg, Florida, after having my oldest brother. They arrived with nothing but two giant duffle bags and my oldest brother, who was just one year old at the time. Within months, they secured jobs, a car, and an apartment. Eventually, they bought a house, and soon after, my other brother and I were born. Shortly after I was born, they learned that I was hard of hearing and would need to wear hearing aids for the rest of my life. What I always appreciated is that they never treated me differently than my brothers. They were strict about teaching manners but supported us in our athletics, academics, and passions. Their marriage continues to show me what hard work, love, perseverance, and faith can cultivate. Read more>>

Momo Li

When I was in elementary school, my father gifted me my first camera. It was a pivotal moment, as it introduced me to the world of capturing images and expressing myself through photography. My mother also played a key role in nurturing my artistic side. She once saw my drawings on scrap paper and, calling me a genius, decided to enroll me in six years of art classes. This foundation in art has greatly influenced my creative approach as a photographer. Additionally, I began learning drums in middle school, and this passion has remained strong despite academic pressures over the years. These early experiences shaped my creative journey, instilling in me a love for the arts and the resilience to keep pursuing what I love. Read more>>

Margeve Horgan

My parents taught me the power of pursuing a career that reflects who you are and what you deeply care about. Growing up, I watched them approach their work not as a job, but as an extension of their passions. They showed me that a career can be so much more than a way to earn a living—it can be a way to make a meaningful impact. My mother built a nonprofit from the ground up. I saw her transform an idea into a respected organization with the focus being to create a more compassionate world for animals. As I have ventured into my own artistic career, my mother has been my biggest supporter. She understands what it takes to start your own passion project and see it through. I rely on her sage advice very often. Read more>>

Ngodoo Golden

My parents have always given me the space to explore what I’m interested in. When I was young, I asked questions about literally everything. First, it was intangible things like my culture and family. Then, it was more tangible things. For example, I experimented with piano lessons (I can still play a song or two!), drums, and the clarinet. I got to high school and realized I didn’t like band that much and was drawn to basketball and hair. In college, it was psychology. I went on to earn my master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and practiced as a counselor for two years post grad. When I decided to shift again, into esthetics, my parents supported me every step of the way. Read more>>

Luna Windust

I was very lucky as a child in that my parents did an incredible job at fostering my creativity both as an artist and a performer. My father, as a hobbyist musician, comic creator, and driveway tinker, and my mother, as a screenwriter, drama teacher, and extraordinary collage artist (although she would never publicly admit to it), both in their own ways created environments where creative play and imagination were accessible. Although the back-and-forth between their respective homes for joint custody was in many ways chaotic and unstable, it also led to an incredible variety of activities that would not have been possible for me only living in one home. At my Dad’s there were painting supplies, all manner of musical instruments, recording equipment, and a sewing machine. Frequenting the high school drama department my mom ran, I had access to costumes, hot glue guns, scraps of this and that and hours and hours of time to spend creating all sorts of little sculptures and doodads. Read more>>

Lan Cao

My parents migrated from Vietnam to the U.S during the Vietnam war. My dad was a navy captain and was able to bring my Mom and my oldest sister over to the states with barely anything. They were then placed in a concentration camp and then
Sponsored by a family in Amarillo, Texas and that is where I was born. My dad worked at a meat packing factory as his first job, from there he saved money and moved us to Houston, Texas when I was 8 years old. He somehow bought a business and ran it for almost 30 years and is now retired and living very well. He worked everyday from 8am to 10pm. I look back at my parents bravery for leaving the home they knew to come to a place they did not know or even speak the language. My whole career I have worked very hard and have moved up in positions. Hard work truly Pays off and I saw this first hand with my dad. Read more>>

Caroline Marie

Growing up, my parents always encouraged me to think for myself. “Never follow the herd; it tends to rush to the cliff,” my mom would say. Once you choose the artist’s path, it’s crucial to find your own voice and your true self—the unique gift you bring to the world. That’s the only way to succeed; no one else can be you. The entertainment world is full of things that “shine bright but aren’t always gold,” as we say in Brazil. To navigate it, you need a strong, independent sense of self and the ability to discern what truly matters. Read more>>