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.

Layla Rosandich

My dad is a big reason as to why I am trying to make a career for myself through Drum & Bass. He absolutely loves it and has been playing it since before I was born. It is a great way for us to connect and spend time together and I know it makes him super proud. He fully supports me and is always talking good about me to random people, he loves to go around the crowd at my shows and tell people that his daughter is on stage. There are often times where people will come up to me saying “Hey I met your dad! He told me all about you!”. The driving factor behind this project is definitely him. As much as I love the music personally, what I love more is being able to experience it with him. We have played/gone to many shows together and have been able to meet some of our idols. Read more>>

Dallas Segno

My parents gave me a lot of money. I was really sick for about a decade and they gave me about $2k/m for about that long. I didn’t like taking their money, and I found out it was more common than I thought, but it really helped me out. But who knows, maybe I’d have gotten better sooner had I not taken their money. Read more>>

Devon Carter, Phd

My parents gave everything they had to raise me and I am forever grateful for them. Their effort is something I noticed early growing up and is what has propelled me to succeed. I try to embody their drive to be the best parents they can be. I want to make them proud of me because I know they put everything they had into being great parents. Read more>>

Carmen Sanchez

One of the most significant influences in my life and career has been my mother, a very special woman who raised three daughters, including me, the middle child. She was a single mother for a long time, and her teachings had a profound impact on me, particularly in my adult years. During my teenage years, I struggled with typical prejudices and didn’t fully appreciate her. However, as I grew older and faced many transitions, I began to see the positive influence she had on my life and career, shaping my vision as a woman, mother, and professional. Read more>>

Val Dixon

In retrospect, I appreciate every effort applied on my behalf from my parents. For the first six years of my life I grew up in a two-parent home with my siblings. Everything changed and my parents divorced. My mom came out the closet and expressed her love for women onward until this day. This was drastically different from what I was used to, and obviously something I never experienced before. I quickly adapted to the new environment, but as a child I hated my situation. Now as an adult, I love everything about my childhood because it prepared me for who I am today. Read more>>

Isabella Gonzalez

I could talk about my parents story forever, it is such an honor to be a living testimony of the magic that is blind love. My parent’s did everything in their power to remind me that I was put on this earth to love others, to inspire them, and to use my testimony to improve the lives of other human beings. They never let their disabilities get in the way of pouring all their love onto me and others, that love will live within me for the rest of my life. My father has had 3 open heart surgeries, was in a coma for 11 days, has had a kidney and pancreatic transplant, has a prosthetic leg, and has endured endless pain and suffering. I do not remember a single moment in my life where he used any of these things as an excuse, he has always given me the whole world and has loved me with everything he has. For the first 6 years of my life, I remember my mom suffering immense pain from chemotherapy and radiation treatments, not once did she ever complain about the circumstances she was in, instead she continued to pour love onto our family up until she took her final breaths on earth. Love heals, it might not take away from the pain and grief but it gives us something to hold onto… something to give our life a bit more meaning. Read more>>

Vanessa Thorpe

What did my parents do right and how has that impacted my life and career? Wow! What’s funny about this question is that the older I get, the more I find out how “right” they were about everything. How it led me to this moment right here? Don’t tell them that. They’re already hard enough to deal with, lol. My parents always said, “Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up.” I never really knew what that meant until I was out of the house. That was definitely a wake-up call. I lived in a home where there were rules. Honestly, there were rules for everything and at the time, it was, “Why do I have to do this? Why do I have to do that? My friends do whatever they want.” Now, let’s be clear, I never said those words out loud because that would be the quickest way to get my butt beat. There wasn’t any questioning. If my parents said to do something, you did it. You didn’t give them lip, even if it was under your breath. Read more>>

Raina Gandhi

What my parents did right was create a strong foundation that balanced both my Indian cultural heritage and the opportunities America had to offer such that we had the best of both worlds. As immigrants in the late 1960s, they had to navigate challenges that many first-generation families face, and they were determined to provide me and my sisters with a stable, nurturing environment. More specifically, one thing they did right was emphasize the importance of education. They recognized early on that education was the key to unlocking opportunities in this country, and espoused that my education was one thing no one could ever take away from me. They worked hard, initially in jobs that didn’t align with their skills or experience, but they always made sure my sisters and I had the resources and support to succeed in school. Despite their own limited English skills and thick accents, they prioritized school by moving to a town with some of the best public schools in our state, instilling in me a strong work ethic and drive to succeed.  Read more>>

Sherry Smalls

My parents provided me with a foundation of love, faith, understanding what it means to be present, and the value of a strong work ethic (among many other things). My mom was a nurse and my dad was a custodian for a local county high school. My moms career choice absolutely encouraged my interest in healthcare and human services. From personal stories of family members to her telling us about the hospitals, schools, and clinics she worked in I learned how inequitable quality healthcare and supportive services were for people of color and wanted to be an agent for change. These stories have always been such a major part of my “why”. I remember my mom coming home and sharing little antidotes about her day you could see the love, joy and passion she got from being of service to others. Read more>>

Akinol A Pedro

My parents are immigrants so I’m a first-generation American. What I love about my parents is that they were hustlers. My dad drove a taxi, but at the same time, he had other crazy avenues to try and earn money. I made a song called “Taxi Driver” off my first album that goes in-depth about what my dad was like growing up. In their strange yet insightful ways, they both instilled that hustler spirit in me. I always knew I had that spirit, but it wasn’t until I got to Los Angeles That it came out on full display. I’ve witnessed some eye-opening things, and I thank my parents for providing that mentality. Read more>>

Ayesha Youngblood

When reflecting on what my mother has done and how it has impacted my work as a therapist, I often think about the values she instilled in me. Growing up, my mother always made it clear that life was about taking responsibility, not just for your actions, but for your goals and your future. My mother was a young single parent who worked many jobs to ensure that my siblings and I were taken care of. She instilled in me the importance of hard work, teaching me that I could take care of myself and create a future vastly different from her own. I watched her work long hours, pushing herself to learn and do more. Even without a college education, she was able to work her way up in her career. This taught me that success wouldn’t always come easily or immediately, but that it was something I could achieve through persistence and hard work. Read more>>

Ruth Nguyen

My mom and dad always gave me space to “color outside the lines”. Whether that was homeschooling me and debating Aristotle with me at the dinner table, or getting me voice lessons when nobody else in our family sang, or supporting all the wild projects I dove headfirst into over the years. I tend to be a bit uptight and cautious by nature, but I can’t count the number of times I brought them a crazy idea and they said, “You have nothing to lose—go for it and see if it works.”. Read more>>

Sne Dladla

Coming from KZN, you’d expect me to be nowhere near the arts. The traditional sentiment is that, the arts is simply for fun. It could never be a career. Majority of black parents, especially in a Zulu household, believe in the same thing. I am one of the very few who were fortunate enough to be raised in a different direction. What my parents always instilled in us was a very simple lesson, If you have a plan and you can show them the plan, we have their full support. Read more>>

Rashad Stribling

The biggest thing my Parents did right in my life. Especially my mother, was instill a belief in Jesus Christ and a work ethic like no other. Embracing who I am as a black man in this society. Leading with Love and knowing that I can accomplish literally anything I want to do in life. My journey started, in South Central Los Angeles in the West Adams district. My mother was a single mom and I am the oldest of 4. Dealing with the highs and Lows as an adolescent in South Los Angeles. My mother gave us choices and education was the top choice. But she also encouraged us, and told us to always dream and dream big. And that’s where my creative artistic mindset started to develop, and that’s why I do what I do now!  Read more>>

Lori Phun

I was very fortunate that my parents gave me the freedom to try everything as a child. I was the kid with a packed routine and schedule from a young age—the one who did basketball, volleyball, badminton, competitive swimming, piano lessons, gymnastics, acting, and painting. Having the chance to explore so many different activities helped me discover my strengths and weaknesses. Over time, as all the things I used to do narrowed down to one, it became clear to me that the thing I stuck with was the thing I truly loved—music and acting. Read more>>

Sharifa Ahrendsen

What I know my parents did right is be their authentic self. Both of my parents were radical in this, considering the context. Leaving a small island and everyone they know to go to a new country and pursue the unknown. This impacted my life and career In the way of confidence, an irreplaceable human characteristic. My career has flourished in fertile soils of lifelong possibility. Risks look more like untapped markets and unknowns breed inevitable growth. We had a very active life in my childhood, so much so people asked if I was a military brat. To that I always answer no, my parents are just Jamaican geniuses. To succeed as a Jamaican is to try your best, to move when you need to move, to make something so nice from next to nothing, to continue your education, to face betrayal and starting over. With confidence anything is possible and I am living the life I was meant to live.  Read more>>

Tyrell Rolle

Here’s a polished version of your “My parents made sure to invest in my future by sending me to places like New York, San Francisco, and other cities to further my performing arts education. Even though money was sometimes an issue, they never let that stop them from fulfilling their commitment to my success. Their dedication and sacrifices have played a huge role in shaping the opportunities I’ve had.” Read more>>

Jaquelyn Puma

The most impactful thing my parents did was trusting and nurturing my artistic potential from a young age. When my teachers recognized my abilities and encouraged them to put me in specialized art programs, my parents fully supported that vision. Instead of viewing it as a fleeting interest, they saw it as something worth fostering, and they made sure I had the resources and opportunities to explore it deeply. Read more>>

Davon Johnson

My parents instilled in me the foundational values that have shaped my life and career: humility, resilience, and the importance of hard work. They taught me that kindness and generosity aren’t just values to aspire to—they’re tools that create lasting relationships and open doors in ways talent alone never could. Growing up, I witnessed them give their time and energy to others, treating everyone with respect, and never letting success—or the lack of it—diminish the humanity in any interaction. One memory that stands out is watching my parents stay “in the trenches,” side by side with their team, whether it was in our family business or during community events. They showed me that being a leader doesn’t mean distancing yourself; it’s often quite the opposite. Even if you’re in charge, rolling up your sleeves and being hands-on when things get hectic or when your team needs you speaks volumes. This lesson has guided me through countless high-pressure moments, whether it’s staying late to finish a set design or troubleshooting last-minute issues with talent at an event. Read more>>

Meghan Fisse

When I was in high school, I always knew that I wanted to be a makeup artist. My plan was to skip college and go straight to makeup school. However, my parents suggested a business degree and a little more maturity would give my career a strong foundation. During my last smelter at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with the help of my parents, we found a highly regarded school for makeup artists. Voodoo Makeup located in the French Quarter was the place for me! My dad would wake up early on Saturday mornings to bring me down there and pick me up. I had mostly online classes with assignments due that same evening, with my dad bringing and picking me up gave me time in the car to do any studying. With the support and help with my parents, I was able to become a licensed makeup artist a month before graduating with my bachelor’s degree in business management. Read more>>

Christina Sandoval

I grew up with a mother who was an amazing role model. She was very young yet independent and always a go-getter! We had highs and lows but she always made things happen for us. This made me feel like I could be just as independent and self-sufficient as my mom when I grew up. When I was a teenager I remember my father telling me I could be anything and do anything I wanted in life. He said you’ll be thirty years old someday. You might as well get there with a degree or two. He really wanted me to understand that investing in my education was valuable and once I had my degree no one could take it away from me. Read more>>