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. 

Liv Cawley

My parents have been my #1 supporters since the start of my musical career. When your kid tells you they want to move to Nashville and write songs…most parents would be pretty skeptical. However, mine were so excited and supportive of my journey. Every song I’ve released, every show I’ve performed, my parents have been right there shouting my name from the rooftops. Read More>>

Gaby Primo

What my parents did right was really just raise me inside entrepreneurship. Both my parents are business owners, and so are my grandparents on my mom’s side, so it’s always been around me. And since i was a kid, they made sure I was involved in it, not just watching. Read More>>

Karla Pámanes

I was born in northern Mexico, the creative black sheep in a family of engineers. My parents were both educators, but they also worked multiple jobs while running a chocolate business out of our garage to put three kids through college abroad. Looking back, I think the biggest thing they did right was showing us what hard work and resilience actually looked like… Read More>>

john winters

One thing my parents did really well was giving me a lot of freedom to figure out who I was while still making it clear that hard work and accountability mattered. They weren’t the type to hover over everything or try to force me into a very specific path, and I think that independence shaped a huge part of who I became creatively and professionally. Read More>>

ALEX LUNARDON

My father taught me the true meaning of sacrifice and risk. Over the years, I’ve both given and received valuable advice, but none has impacted me more than his example. At 42 years old, he left everything behind in Argentina and moved his entire family to a new country in search of a better future for his children. Read More>>

Danielle Dreis

My parents did many things right that have had a lasting impact on my life and career. They encouraged me to stay curious and always keep learning rather than focusing only on achievements or perfection. They taught me the value of hard work, responsibility, and treating others with respect by modeling those behaviors themselves. Read More>>

Danielle-Nicole Angel

My parents have supported my artistic journey from childhood. I was able to attend lessons at a private dance studio, I was able to be involved with community theatre and in highschool they supported my dreams of being by helping me secure a creative internship. To date they are my biggest supporters! Read More>>

Shanbri’ Cade

My parents modeled drive, dedication, tenacity, and our Christian values. My mother built a career in public health, obtained a dual Masters, served in the church, and as a caregiver to both her children and our great grandmother. In addition to everything outside of the household, she was creative inside of our household. Read More>>

Emmy Jeffries

I owe everything I am to my parents; my mom taught me how to persevere and my father taught me the value of working hard and the kindness it takes to never know a stranger. My father’s influence on my life was short lived, but his friendly, loving, open personality is why I’m passionate about people and how they’re treated. Read More>>

La’Tonya Rease Miles

As a first-generation college student, I did not have a lot of guidance about how to navigate college. But my single mom was and is my biggest cheerleader, always hyping me up and reminding me that I can ‘figure it out.’ As a result, I often had low fear and I continue to be a risk taker. Read More>>

Tainui Wihongi

Q: What did your parents do right? A: As I have become an adult I have reflected on how I was parented. I have struggled with mortality and the way my parents fall short, sure. However, I am eternally grateful for all that they have done right which is the resounding echo I remember. My upbringing was blessed and abundant in opportunity and communal support. Read More>>

Nia Brown

My parents taught me at an early age—both intentionally and unintentionally—that there’s nothing I can’t do. I’ll never forget the words of my father when he was helping me with a really hard math problem during grade school. He’s an engineer by trade, so naturally math is one of his superpowers. Read More>>

Antoinette Naddour

My parents gave me something far more valuable than opportunity, they gave me perspective. They came to the United States without the advantages that many take for granted, but with a deep belief in the dignity of work and the responsibility to build something better for the next generation. They taught me early on that all honest work is honorable. Read More>>

Sitarah Kassam

One of the most life altering lessons my dad always told me was “do what you love and it will never feel like work”. I️ went straight from college into the Corporate World and though I️ enjoyed the work, I️ was content and not actually happy. Read More>>

Brianna Richer

My parents are both extremely playful people. They taught me a lot about the importance of humour and lightness in life, especially when it gets hard. My dad’s favourite tagline is ‘we must enjoy the journey’, which may sound cliché, but when it’s expressed by your parent who you know has traversed so much, you hear the wisdom in it. Read More>>

Jose Ramirez

I’m writing this while sitting beside my mom in a hospital room. Looking back, my parents didn’t always know how to express themselves when it came to life. But one thing they understood better than anything was how to care and provide. And in my eyes, that’s the most a parent can do right. They’re both Mexican immigrants, each with their own story. Read More>>