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.

Laura Simms

I grew up as the child of an artist and attorney. My dad knew at age 12 that he wanted to be a lawyer, so that’s what he did and worked at the same law firm for 50 years. My mom took 7 years to get her undergrad degree in music because she kept changing her major, and pursued a wide range of creative interests during her SAHM years (which definitely counts as work). Read more>>

Sia Clyde

My parents did not do hardly anything right-in fact, they did all the wrong things. My father was an abusive alcoholic who gave me up for adoption to my stepdad without much of a fight and my mother was a mentally ill abuser who regularly hit me, pick my body apart, and tell me the worst possible things at a very young age. They taught me how NOT to be a parent. Growing up, I was not given anything. Everything that I have now, I had to work hard for. My mother and stepdad showed favoritism to my young brother and that inspired me to work even harder-not for their approval, but perhaps to make a name for myself and to become more successful than all of them. Read more>>

Shanyn Boman

One thing my parents did right was make sure that I never limited myself when it came to creativity. My mom made sure that I knew that mixing media could bring extra depth to a piece while my dad was always the first person to congratulate me on my projects. When you’re growing up, school projects are one of the first places to express yourself, but they also assign you a grade. My parents didn’t let the letter grades over shadow the energy that I put into the art. There’s always a place for you and your art in the world. I’m lucky enough to have known that from an early age! Read more>>

Snow Ford

My parents from the beginning. We’re so supportive all the way to where I am now.
I remember making the absolute worst music and my dad being like “This is really good” And it always made me feel good. As my dad was a former musician. Flash forward to now I make music my dad never thought possible. Read more>>

Kathy Copcutt

As I grew up, I watched my mother, a single parent of two, find innovative ways to make a living. She is a true go-getter; it all began with her opening a booth at the local swap meet to sell clothes. Later, she returned to school to earn her diploma as an acupuncturist while also obtaining her real estate license. She always stressed that it’s never too late to change your direction, whether that involves something that isn’t working or allows for personal growth. She encouraged being open to new ideas, stating that if you don’t know something, you should go out and learn it. To this day, she insists, “The only time it’s too late is when you’re dead. Until then, you can achieve anything you want if you set your mind to it.” Read more>>

Shaana Jhangiani

My parents are the number one reason why I have remained in the music industry throughout all of the hardships. It can truthfully be a very heartbreaking and discouraging career path to navigate, jam-packed full of trials and tribulations. But no matter what, my parents have stood by my side. I’m a daughter of Indian immigrants, a community notorious for its strict career hierarchy and expectations to work profitable jobs. My parents obviously wanted that for my older brother and me, having come to this country with barely anything and working their way up to where they are now. Read more>>

Ali Bianco

Originally, my parents were a little bit hesitant about the path I wanted to take in the cannabis industry. They’ve always valued stability and weren’t sure if my career could lead to stability. It took time and plenty of convincing them to prove I could be responsible enough to run my own business. They eventually sat me down and talked with me about this idea of mine. They wanted to reassure me that despite the stigma surrounding the cannabis industry, they had faith in me going into this. One of the most important things my parents taught me growing up was to stay focused on my path. I want to credit that to my success in this industry. I owe everything to my parents for the ability to eventually trust me in doing this. Read more>>

Michella Elad

My parents always emphasized the importance of integrity, excellence, and faith. They taught me to approach every task with dedication and to always strive for excellence, no matter how small the task. They also encouraged me to put faith at the center of their life, finding strength and guidance in their beliefs. Read more>>

Michael Collins

My initial influences and desire to make art occurred in my childhood as I was born into a family of working artists. My father and mother, maternal grandmother,  along with my maternal aunt and uncle were all artists making art full-time. They were tremendously supportive of my interest in art as a child. Also in childhood my memories were highlighted by visits at my father’s studio from Marcel Duchamp, Lee Bontecou and Salvador Dali among many others. As I grew from childhood into teen years and beyond I stretched, sized and primed canvases and had experiences in ceramics assisting them in a studio, which was located in our home. Read more>>

Ravin Goyal

Growing up, my parents unknowingly instilled in me values that have profoundly shaped my life and career. Some of the earliest lessons were the simplest—keeping my surroundings clean, maintaining a balance between study and leisure, and making my own decisions, no matter how small. At the time, I may have followed these practices out of obligation or even reluctance, but over the years, they became second nature. Today, I realize how these habits have influenced my discipline, independence, and ability to voice my opinions with confidence. Read more>>

Jelena Ostrovska

I started my first business at 18 and still in high school, thanks to my parents who introduced me to network marketing. And even though I’m no longer active in that industry, the world of network marketing was a springboard into entrepreneurship for me. In the first year, I had no success (zero sales, had no idea what I was even doing) but my parents encouraged me to figure out how to build that business instead of going to college. Read more>>

Vashonda Sherra

My parents Anthony Quin Sr & MzV Pannell are the best parents in the world. They are my first encounters with love, first role models, and first examples of Black Excellence. My father instilled routine, discipline, & a strong work ethic all while being a very caring, patient, and tender loving; spending quality time with my siblings & I. My mother poured a lot of love into us, the arts, positive affirmations, and taught us to stand up for what was right and to be a leader and not a follower. Through her love of music I was introduced to Earth Wind & Fire, Elton John, Whitney Houston, Toto, MJ, The Winans, Patti LaBelle, Barbara Streisand, & many many more. Moreover, laying the foundation to my eclectic musicality, setting me up to do what I love to do for a living everyday. My parents told me that I could do all things and I believed them. Read more>>

Jennifer Cervelli

My parents both have supported my ambitions of being an artist since I was a child. They encouraged me by signing me up for extra art classes outside of my daily school classes, as well as paying for my travels as an exchange student to Australia for an environmental program called JEM (Joint Environmental Mission) where I spent 3 weeks in Melbourne staying with a host family. This was a life changing trip for me, and sustainability has been a core value of mine since seeing the beauty on the other side of the world. My parents both supported and visited me many times while away at college at the Savannah College of Art & Design where I studied Metals & Jewelry. My dad would drive his Harley down 12 hours to visit me for the weekend whenever I was feeling homesick. Read more>>

Tabor Little

For the majority of my life I was raised by my mom. My mom played every role there was and always showed up for me. She is an incredibly independent woman and I would not be the person I am today if it were not for her. She taught me resilience and that if I wanted something I had to do just do it. At an early age I was very self sufficient, Once I knew how to use the home phone I was setting up my own play dates, and as soon as I turned 16 I was grocery shopping and cooking for myself. I grew up fearless, truly, and that is because of her. Read more>>

Molly Lucas

My mom has a saying she’s used my whole life: “I promise to never break your spirit, but I must bend your will.” And, boy, did she have her work cut out for her.

I was a headstrong kid—the kind who refused to sit in the stroller because I wanted to walk, who insisted on doing everything myself. They don’t call them the “terrible twos” for no reason. I might’ve looked sweet with my blonde pigtails and hazel eyes, but I was a firecracker. Read more>>

Virgilia Barrera

My parents were both at service of people, my mom was generous, kind and protective.
My father was a nature lover and hard worker, he loved learning, he taught himself how to read, never went to school because he lost his parents at a young age, he took farming as an artistic expression and when he worked for someone he did what he was asked to do and a little extra. From them I learned to be generous with my time and presence, love sharing food that I or my family prepares, I’m truly care for the wellbeing of others as much as my own. And as my dad did, I do that little unexpected extra that leaves people feeling so grateful. Read more>>

Shelley Caldwell

My parents were present, understanding, and lived the example that happiness doesn’t come from money; it comes from love, a connection with nature, and living in alignment with who you truly are. They were farmers who worked long, hard hours to provide what we needed; they were also resourceful, encouraging, and fun-loving. Read more>>

Cierra Bentley

I feel that my parents did right by (1) instilling me with love, (2) always encouraging me to stand in my truth, and (3) teaching me the importance of education. My mother and father taught me to not make my environment an excuse to not excel especially being a product of an underserved, Black & Brown community. Their resilience and support is one of the main reasons why I am where I am today. Read more>>