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

Clarissa Carlucci

I was raised in an Italian household and entrepreneurial environment – both of my parents (and heroes) admirably ran their own businesses in both the real estate and travel industries. From a very young age, they encouraged me to forge my own path in life and work hard. They also taught me that family, health and happiness always comes first. Read more>>

 Jamel Mosely

I most often tell people that my heroes are within my family, with special emphasis on my mother. My greatest privilege growing up was being able to see my uncles, aunts, cousins, and father as entrepreneurs. My relatives owned barbershops, contracting agencies, music studios, autobody shops, and even an arcade. Witnessing the success of these businesses along with my mother’s work ethic equipped me with all of the example, confidence, and audacity I’d need to start my journey towards running my own businesses. Read more>>

Ray Berman-Schneider

Writing has always been an integral part of my life. It’s allowed me to process life-changing events, express myself artistically, and share my appreciation for the people closest to me. When I think back to a moment that transformed my outlook on writing I remember the 2018 California Association of English Teachers convention. A few of my high school friends and I were nominated to attend as guest poets. I spent every free moment I had leading up to the conference memorizing a piece written specifically for the theme “Literacy and Justice for All.” I stood and presented a poem fueled by dissent, frustration, and a little hope in front of over three hundred teachers and one man, my father. Read more>>

Monica Abrego

My hero is my dad. He came to the US at the age of 18, got his GED, started working for someone, then became a business owner and his own boss. He is living the American dream. I remember him working all the time and to this day still works 6 days a week. He is a natural born hustler and has always provided for his family. The one thing he always told me growing up is “You will understand once you have kids”. That always plays in my head when making a decision in life. We want to provide a better life and need to be role models for not only our kids but our youth. Read more>>

Avery Techeira

My Mom is my hero. She is the one who inspired me to make candles. She taught me how to make candles, she has helped me come up with ideas, candle names, and just has helped me strategize my business. I am so thankful for her because NineThirteen Candle Co. would not be where it’s at today without her. Read more>>

Pranav Mehta

My Biggest Hero was my Grandfather. He was indeed a remarkable person who left a lasting impact on my life. He consistently displayed qualities that I admired and tried to emulate. One of the most valuable lessons I learned from him was the power of choice. Read more>>

Crystal Hoang

My husband Duy and I really started from very little. I was worried about starting a career I knew little about and with little money. We pulled together what we had to pay for my schooling. Our son was 1 yr at the time and my husband had all his faith in me. He had been working at a bank since I was pregnant. He taught me a lot about finances. I admired his ability to always learn and grow in his career. After I was working in the industry for about 3 or 4 years I decided to branch out on my own. My husband encouraging and believing in me every step of the way. Read more>>

Lewis Jones

This is a question I think about often and have explored in my work, the idea of heroes or having a hero. Personally I am a sponge for media and engaging storytelling so I could probably list a hero per discipline! In movies the director Tarsem (The Cell, The Fall) has been a beacon of creativity to me, in animation I like to single out Rebecca Sugar (creator of Steven Universe), in music I always return to Maxwell! All of these artists have completely different takes, methods and obviously work in different disciplines but the thing that ties them together for me is emersive storytelling and strong feelings/emotions. Read more>>

Andrew Kim

My hero is my father, Justin. He is actually the reason why I pursued wedding photography in general and was the person who taught me everything that I know about photography today. I’ve learned so many different soft skills while working with him that he’s been a great influence on my own business. His patience has been extremely helpful for our relationship as he’s taught me how to be patient myself, which in an industry like weddings is an incredible boon. I’m extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to learn the industry under him, especially since I’ve had to adapt to such a fast-paced social environment as an awkward and introverted young adult. Read more>>

Adrienne Prather

My mother was my hero. She taught me the importance of keeping God first in everything that I do. I learned about having faith no matter what situation comes my way through this incredible soul. My mother was a true fighter who fought to the very end. I was able to witness her faith first-hand during her sickness. No matter what heartbreak that she faced, she would smile and always have something positive to say. This is the reason why I smile and try to find the positive in the most negative of situations. It was through her, that I learn to keep loving people even if they are unable to reciprocate it. Read more>>

Vishnu Vinod Pillai

My hero is the Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. Coming from a completely different background, Mr. Kashyap broke into the Hindi film industry by volunteering to work for free. This gave him leverage where people started to recommend him, and soon he was getting credit and money for his work as a writer on many TV shows. His first two movies were not released until years later due to budgetary and legal issues, and the first film to release bombed at the box-office. In later years these movies have been termed as classics, but at the time he was going through a lot of mental stress. What got him through was his policy to keep doing the work. Critical acclaim had always been showered upon his movies, but it was commercial success that eluded him. Around 2009 this changed, and today he is lauded as one of the greatest. Read more>>

Leliyah Dew

My hero would be my grandmother. She has been my foundation and motivation for everything I accomplish and strive to do in life. I’ve looked up to her since I was younger, and seeing how she would be a staple in the community really caused me to follow in her footsteps. She would not only take care of me but would also carry out jobs such as being a baker, seamstress, gardener, interior/ exterior designer, and most importantly–a mother. In my eyes, my grandmother is a superhero and a woman of many wonders, and this is why she is so influential and iconic to me. As I’ve grown up, her endeavors and various titles have caused me to embark on my journey as a businesswoman. Read more>>