We asked some very thoughtful members of our community to reflect on what they’ve learned from their heroes.
Kristina Garcia

I am super lucky because I have two heroes. My husband who is my main support system and my number one fan. My other hero is my son, my why, my reason for starting my business and starting me on the journey of motherhood. Read more>>
Hannah Colvis

My hero would 100% be my mom. A single mother of four who would do anything to make sure we were happy and loved. Everything I’ve learned, every emotion and challenge I’ve faced, she’s been right there by my side. Something extremely inspiring about my mom is that she makes sure everyone around her is happy while also taking care of herself, she’s the most positive person I’ve ever met and she’s never let me give up on myself. I don’t think my business could’ve been successful without the support of my mom. Read more>>
Jillian Verdun

My hero is my mom. My mom has been my rock throughout my life. She is the person who has always been in my corner from the beginning. She is the kind of person anyone can benefit from knowing. She is that one person who I can count on to tell me the truth regardless if it is good, bad, or indifferent. She doesn’t tell me what I want to hear but what I need to hear when I am evaluating a situation in my life. I watched her work full time and raise 3 children all while managing to be available when we needed her. She constantly tells me how proud she is of me and what I have accomplished. Read more>>
James Seneca

My hero is one of my mentors Lou Billittier Sr. who showed me the true example of giving back to the community. Mr. Billittier was from my home town of Buffalo NY and he owned a famous restaurant called Chefs and he always gave back to the Buffalo community. He molded me to be the person that I am today! Read more>>
Meredith Jurica

My hero is Sarah Blakely. She started her business out of her apartment, which reminds me of how I started Makeup Junkie Bags out of my home. I often follow her business tips and hope to grow and persevere as she has. Sarah was also one of my Sharks on Shark Tank, so getting to meet her in person really enriched my appreciation for what she has done. Read more>>
Jamise Jamm Anderson

My mother! Unfortunately she passed away a few weeks ago, so she she won’t have an opportunity to see this. She was one of the strongest people I’ve known. She taught me to never give up! She was very proud of my brand and bragged every chance she got. Her influenced has definitely impacted the way I approach business and the way I treat my customers. Read more>>
Sara Brook

My mom and my grandma. They were both very passionate about so many causes, people that were important to them, and they treasured their family above all else. They were strong and determined and they didn’t mind sharing their opinions on anything and everything. Not to mention they loved fiercely, to put it mildly. I was lucky to get to work with my grandma for 15 years before she passed. She worked for “hugs and kisses” in each of my businesses. When she turned 80, I took her on a Tauck Tour of Washington DC, the Amish country and the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was hard to keep up with her, but somehow I managed! Read more>>
Alexa Machado

I’m going to get philosophical here and say my hero isn’t a specific person, but rather a collective of people who’s specific piece of advice or ways of being shifted me in a profound way. I have a ton of people I could mention, but I’ll stick with those from the past two years: Misty – Misty values authenticity and integrity- she’ll tell you that’s what she stands for, and her actions and way of living actually back it up. I admire that she lives what she preaches. I too, like to be authentic and I overshare a lot and whenever I feel like shutting down or like I’m “too much” for doing that, I think of her, and there’s no one else who is a better role model. Read more>>
Lakeicha Laila T” Thomas”

My hero is my mother Patricia Thomas. She is very brave and strong-willed, not to mention very determined. After being diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 2019, she never once complained, kept it moving and did everything necessary to complete her treatment plan. Her faith was strong and her belief in our Lord Savior Jesus Christ helped her fight and defeat the Big “C.” I am so proud of her!! This journey I took with her the past three years taught me how to be selfless than selfish. More than anything, I am so thankful and grateful for God’s mercy and that we are both healthy, alive & HAPPY!!! Read more>>
Francisca Olopade

My mother is my hero. She is the kindest and most giving and generous person I know. Growing up, she was my safe space, she was gentle yet fierce. She knew what she wanted and went for it, she sacrificed a lot in order to provide the best for us. From a young age, she instilled in us the importance of education and that knowledge is power. Her parents weren’t educated but she vowed to break that cycle and excel in life and she did, today she holds a masters degree in chemistry and all 7 of her siblings are also degree holders in their respective fields. Prior to retirement, she worked at ExxonMobil Nigeria in management for years while raising 5 children. She is indeed a role model. Read more>>
Angela Johnson

My hero is my FABRIC business partner, Sherri Barry. Sherri is a fashion design entrepreneur. She started her career at Brown Shoe Company, where she quickly moved up the ranks to become Vice President of Operations, opening over 300 retail locations across the country. Sherri left the corporate world in pursuit of becoming an entrepreneur. She then earned a Master of Business Administration from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. Shortly after getting her Masters Degree, Sherri started an apparel company. Read more>>
Maria Ferrer Riggert

Hands down, my professional hero is my business partner, Nicole Brunz Hunt. For 17 years, Nicole and I have worked side by side, and I continue to learn things from and with her. When it comes to our business, we bring different strengths to the table. Her intuitive strengths in the area of business projections and financial stability are immense. During the beginning of our careers as peer Stylists working in a local Atlanta salon, she taught me how to pull my individual sales reports from the salon’s software. During our breaks, we’d sit together in our cars while she coached me on how to track and project my service and retail revenue better than any team leader who led my biannual reviews. Read more>>
Ashlee Harris

I have a few heroes in my life and extensively look up to many people around me, but I would say the hero that has helped me the most during this creative journey would be my best friend, Ashley. Like many of my close friends, she has continued to support me throughout this journey, and she truly has the biggest heart of anyone I know. She is someone who has significantly impacted my life for the better. We met when we were 15, so we’ve watched each other mature into who we are today. Watching her grow and succeed has given me the strength to keep pushing forward. Read more>>
Ricky Dedmon

I’d have to say My Hero is my father. Growing up he was a giant in my eyes. My earliest dreams in life were being like him. Having a family, being strong, fearless, charming, God fearing, athletic, creative. I always felt like my father had it all. He was actually the person that gave me my first drawing lesson. From that 1 lesson so much was inspired in me. I fell in love with art and have him to thank for it. One of the major lessons I learned from my father was to be brave always keep going. He never had any quit in him. I watched him with different jobs he worked or projects around the house and one thing I noticed through thick and thin he gave his all and held his head. Read more>>
Jackie Brewer

At the risk of being too broad, I have to say women are my heroes. So many of them. My sister, my mom, my mother in law, my sisters in law. My friends. I was told once by a dear friend not to be jealous of other women. It has stuck with me. We are lucky to know each other. We should implement the women around us, their ideas and behaviors when they speak to our heart. We should cheer all women on and stop judging them. We should want success for them in all their endeavors. I am so blessed by the women in my life. My sister Maegan is my partner in real estate, my strength and my sanity. My mom is my example. My sister in law Carly shares my style vibes and comforts my soul. Read more>>
Korky Kathman

My hero has always been my father. He was truly a renaissance man. He, like many of the parents of my generation, was a product of the Great Depression. He worked his way through college, but that life was interrupted by World War II, when he was drafted in 1941. He had been studying to be a journalist, but now served in communications and electronics, stationed in the Philippines. He would later be captured and spent 3.5 years a s prisoner of war, surviving the infamous Bataan Death March. He survived on a diet of rice and green soup, sleeping on a bedbug and lice-infested bed and conquered multiple bouts of dysentery and a ruptured appendix. Read more>>
Dr. Barbara D. Culp

My greatest (s)heroes are the women who rose above humble beginnings to accomplish their dreams in spite of tremendous odds. Their faith, hard work, perseverance, and God’s favor allowed their dreams to explode into something much more impactful than they could have ever imagined. Women such as Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), took the lessons from learning to read and write to being the first Black woman to publish a Poetry of Poetry. Gwendolyn Brooks (1917- 2000), was a poet teacher, and author who was the first Black woman to Pulitzer Prize. Read more>>
Shannon Jackson

I have several heroes in life who have created the person I am today. The most important one is my husband, Bobby Jackson. He has played a crucial role in what I do now by motivating me and seeing potential in me, that I didn’t see. He continues to support me and be the best teammate in life and work. Without him, I defiantly wouldn’t be where I am today. My kids, Kayla, Marianne, and Bobby are also inspiring to me. I’m not the best. I haven’t been in a while, but they continue to show me how not to give up. There’s my mentor in life, Dr. Chef Victor Matthews. He’s a crazy person, but he stepped up his game when he took a risk with me. Read more>>