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.

Sherrod Scott

Well I would say the most important thing my parents showed me was how to have Faith in God. Even tho both of my parents really didn’t have both of there parents coming up they managed to raise 4 amazing kids. My Mom lost her Mom at age 13 and had to become an adult at that age to raise her younger siblings. My Dad had his Mom but his father was absent. Through all the tough times my parents remained together for 50 years before my Dad Passed in 2018. I have never seen a more Faithful wife and a woman of God but my Mom has shown me that in her 75 years on this earth. I know her prayers for my life carried me and has protected me over the years I would say I was lost and bond. Read more>>

Carson Breen

My parents have been the most supportive, loving, and influential people in my life for as long as I can remember. One of the most impactful decisions they made was choosing to homeschool my brother and me from kindergarten all the way through high school. They always offered us the option to switch to public school, but I truly thrived in the flexibility and self-directed learning that homeschooling allowed. It gave me the chance to explore challenges in a unique way and helped foster a deep sense of independence and discipline. Read more>>

Michael Rosinsky

This is an easy question to answer. Growing up I had the father that every boy would die for. His hobby was fixing cars…and when I say fixing cars, I mean taking wrecked or totaled cars and repairing them to sell. The garage at home consisted of welding tanks, paint sprayers, air compressors, and literally half cars. My Dad could repair anything with cars, and this would lead to everyone wanting to learn exactly how to do this. Everyone except me… Read more>>

William Castro

My parents did the best they could with what they had, and that is something I’ll always admire. Education was their top priority. They worked hard to make sure my sister and I attended the best schools, and that foundation has shaped so much of who I am today. Read more>>

Dilafruz Sodikova

One of the most impactful things my parents did right was never putting limits on what I could dream of or achieve — even when the world around us quietly suggested otherwise. Growing up in Uzbekistan, where traditional expectations often guide women’s roles, my parents taught me something different. They gave me books before toys. They encouraged questions more than quiet obedience. And most importantly, they raised me to believe that being a girl was not a limitation — it was a strength. Read more>>

Jenlynn

I was born and raised in Northern California. Childhood weekends were long car rides up to the redwoods or over to the coast. The song that runs through me is the scent of ancient trees, and damp earth, the soft give and firm hold of the forest floor underfoot, the burnt sienna bark of the sequoias, and their crown of jadeite green, the touch of grey mist, and the crash of cold waves against rocky shores, the cry of the seagull and the snap of a bonfire. Two of the greatest gifts my parents gave me were those car rides with nothing to do but daydream and an early love of nature. Read more>>

Eric Baumgartner

I tell this story often because people always ask me how I ended up becoming an acupuncturist and practicing Chinese medicine. I’m a white guy who grew up living a pretty normal life, so people are often curious how I found my way into this path. Read more>>

Alexis T. Jones, M.A., CCC-SLP

My sisters and I threw 70th birthday celebrations for my parents last year. At each celebration there were stories and reflections shared of my parents, some of which occurred long before we were born. And to hear the stories that their childhood friends, siblings, college friends, colleagues, sorority sisters, and frat brothers had to say about them had me thinking, “Man, my parents are pretty awesome people!” Although they both come from humble beginnings, they’ve modeled and stressed the importance of sacrifice, perseverance, and humility throughout their journey. Living off of my mother’s schoolteacher salary while my father finished medical school was one of many sacrifices they made for our family early on in their marriage. Read more>>

Sampurna Chatterjee

My parents have profoundly influenced my life trajectory, blending direct guidance with subtle, observational learning, mostly in the areas of health, educational and financial independence, character building, philanthropy, and spirituality. Read more>>

Jackie Gusic

As a parent I have contemplated this question a lot because I hope to do just as good for my kids as my parents did for me. I think it all comes down to how they never made me feel like I couldn’t do something. No matter what I said I wanted to do they were right there supporting me – including making posters for my run to be student government president in high school and leading to a lifetime of public service in local government. But it goes beyond just not saying “no”. It was more that doubt was never expressed in my ability to do something. Read more>>

Chelsea Vacca

One of the best things my parents did was expose us to the world through travel from a young age. They believed in the value of seeing new places, experiencing different cultures, and stepping outside our comfort zones. Whether it was a road trip across the country or a flight overseas, those experiences shaped my perspective in a big way. Read more>>

Sarah Shuman

This is such a lovely question! My parents came from very different backgrounds which largely influenced the way I was raised. Dad is a white man from the suburbs of SoCal while my mom is an immigrant from rural Ethiopia. Although they have various opposing perspectives they’ve always shared two important values: generosity and openness. As a kid, I grew up in a “come as you are” household. Friends could freely grab a snack from the fridge, sing & dance through the hallway, be as silly and expressive as they’d like knowing they’d never be judged. To this day, people often gush to me about how my parents are so welcoming. Read more>>

Carly Cuthrell

From a very young age, I showed a strong interest in creativity and building things. I was a very hyperactive kid, but when I was doing art, it grounded me. My parents saw that and chose to nurture it. Throughout every phase, whether it was drawing, Legos, cooking, or making art out of dirt and sticks, they were always cheering me on. They never treated any creative interest as a passing phase. They saw it as a core part of who I am. One of their favorite stories to tell is how, at nine years old, they found me on our old family desktop, teaching myself how to knit by watching YouTube videos.  Read more>>

Rachel Lundberg

I grew up in a loving home in the small town of Palisade, Colorado. We had a bit of land and a hobby farm with a garden, chickens, rabbits, a goat, and even a horse for a little while. It was a simple, grounded way to grow up, and I’m really grateful for it. Read more>>

Anvisha Vora

I grew up watching my parents build something from nothing. No shortcuts, no handouts—just quiet persistence and a belief that if you kept showing up, something good would eventually take root. They built a life, a foundation, and somehow, through all the chaos, they made it feel like they were giving me everything. Read more>>