We asked some of the most generous entrepreneurs, artists and creatives we know to talk to us about where they think their generosity comes from.
Vasti Varela
Generosity: It is a characteristic I believe is given by God, but also a reflection of His Love and generosity toward us. Anyone who really knows me and my heart, knows that generosity is my foundation for success. Growing up, I witness the ” giving” nature of my parents and their willingness to go above and beyond to help others. Many time they were a shining light of hope for people in dim situations. Read more>>
Tracey Porter
I believe that as humans we were put on this earth to care and love for one another. Read more>>
Jameka Washington
Growing up I had 3 younger sisters. I was the only child for almost 3 years and when my first sister was born I did struggle with sharing and what not as any other little child does when they have to share their environment with another child. However as I acquired my other two siblings I shared a lot of responsibility for looking out for each of them which gave me a sense of of wanting to do whatever I could to help another person. Read more>>
Sharon Varner
My generosity comes from understanding that a little bit of kindness goes a long way. As a single mom, I had support from friends in times that I was in need. There were times that I went without, and times I made choices on how to make the most out of what little I had. Read more>>
Jasmine McKinney
I believe that my generosity comes from love. I truly love and appreciate everyone and everything. I want to help others, which may be in the form of a gift, advice, time, a listening ear, encouragement, etc. I’ve always had a passion for helping others as a child and as I grew so did my passion. I am very blessed, and I have more than enough to give. Read more>>
Denice Smith
I believe my generosity is innate. It comes from a deeper place. And it’s something that is already in me. It’s an action that must be carried out. However we sometimes struggle when God moves on our heart to give. Not just monetary, but giving of our time, our talents and our knowledge. To be a help to others is sometimes a struggle because we have to make sacrifices that we may not be comfortable with. Read more>>
Genevieve Chi
I think growing up less fortunate than those around me, helped me develop a strong sense of empathy and compassion. Especially when I can relate to someone going through hardships or adversities. I love to make a positive impact on another person facing difficulties. And sometimes its not even someone who is financially burdened. Read more>>
Yeonha Park
I’ve always been impatient and sensitive. I couldn’t sleep on the day I made a small mistake, and I was always anxious because I was afraid that people would think I was dumb. When I was doing my first paid intern job, I made a mistake at my workspace. I was really embarrassed, but my manager generously forgave and understood my mistake. She even said that being an intern involves making mistakes and learning from them. Read more>>
Khadijah Forman
I credit that quality with watching how my mom and older sisters interacted with me and the world. My mother was the type of person to give you the last of what she had, provided my sisters and I were already taken care of, and I get it. My sisters have spoiled me throughout my entire life and for that I’ve been blessed. Read more>>
Jenidy Johnson
As a child, I felt my family was always very generous. They were natural at over giving, and kind to everyone. If you didn’t have dinner, you were invited over. There were always thoughtful sentimental gifts for holidays and cards in the mail. Even if we weren’t the most fortunate, we were always kind. We learned to always write thank you notes and try to reciprocate the kindness you received. Read more>>
Shadiya Bolling
Generosity ; the quality of being kind and generous. When I was younger I learned I loved being generous to people, during lunch in middle school , my parents made me lunch and some students couldn’t afford it, I’d provide my free lunch voucher to them. I never felt attached to material objects, which allows me to give freely and expect nothing in return. If you ask some people they would say that’s the quickest way to get taken advantage of. Read more>>
Antonia & Nate Campanella & Cotterman
Our generosity comes from how well we have been treated and supported through our career and life personally and professionally. We have been surrounded by people, in and out of our families,generous with their time, knowledge, homes and more. People generous to us and our children even our dog! Going out of their ways to show up, pitch in, and lift us up. Read more>>
Ray Love Jr
I think my generosity mainly comes from my up bringing. I was blessed & fortunate enough to be raised by both of my parents while growing up. I can recall many times when they both displayed acts of kindness and generosity towards others. Not only did I witness it, they always tried to instill the importance of being kind to others. Read more>>
Dominik Cartrel
At a young age my mom instilled in me and my siblings to give when someone else was in need. If we had the means to help anyone, help them. Read more>>
Sophia Hall
Being generous is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and others around you. It makes me happy to help others, it improves my relationship with God by helping others. Exhibiting generosity doesn’t cost you a lot but can profoundly impact another person. I get this trait from my dad. He is the most giving person I have ever met. That man will give you his last dollar. Read more>>
Bryanna Mendez
I am a woman of God and that is the first thing I am before I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, and especially, a REALTOR. That being said, I give 10% of everything I make to my local church, Southwest Church, where I am apart of the worship team. My generosity definitely comes from my church background; just being in such a wonderful environment surrounded by like-minded individuals make me want to be a better human. Read more>>
David Reeves
My generosity comes from, well… me. If there’s anything I can say about my childhood, it’s the fact that I was raised to show everyone respect and with that and being a decent human I learned that money, things, etc. don’t make you who you are and they’re never there all the time or when you actually need them and you can’t take any of it with you. Read more>>
Lauri V. Private Events + Wedding Planner
I was raised in a household where giving and generosity were staples. My father, for example, is the President of a Holistic Health nonprofit in Dallas, that exists solely to end homelessness and help the homeless reclaim their lives through community outreach endeavors and training initiatives. Read more>>
Justin Love
My Dad honestly. All throughout my childhood my dad was the perfect example of someone who was always giving and not asking or expecting anything in return. I remember one time during Christmas, we heard a family didn’t have much to get gifts or anything for their kids and so my Dad went shopping, we bought tons of toys and clothes and stuffed them in a black trash bag and then to top it all off, we drove to their house and left the bag of toys with a note that said merry Christmas and Jesus loves you. Read more>>
Charlotte Maya
Gratitude. When I start with a mindset of gratitude, this feeds a sense of abundance, and generosity is the natural outcome. I have also been the beneficiary of incredible generosity. When my husband Sam died by suicide in 2007, I was overwhelmed by the number of people who offered help to my sons and me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Read more>>
Stasha Harris
Growing up as one of five kids in poverty, my mom taught me to share, even if it meant dividing one candy among all of us. Witnessing my mom’s selfless giving despite limited resources has been the source of my generosity. Read more>>
Julia Cass
I remember my self always, since the start of being a henna artist, caring about making others leave happy and satisfied. My main purpose has been this and not becoming famous, increase my clientele or anything else that has to do with the business – finance part. I think this is the key. Of course we cannot satisfy everyone but if we care, is enough. Read more>>
Nikyla Maria
My generous nature comes from a deep knowing that we are all one. After overcoming severe childhood trauma, domestic violence, and cancer my capacity to hold pain was enormous and with that came an enormous capacity to hold love. Read more>>
Sarah Segal
Helping others was instilled in my beliefs throughout my childhood. My mom was a Girl Scout and my sister and I followed in the same path of serving to others. We were always interested & involved in community service programs wherever we lived. In college, I was the Chairperson of community service for my sorority. Read more>>
Gregory F. Farah
I’ve been very fortunate to come from a culturally and economically diverse background. One side of my family is Palestinian coming from meager financial means. Where as the other side of my family, deriving mostly from Anglo-Saxon, Irish, English Scottish ancestry healing from the Midwest mostly Chicago area, had money and influence. Read more>>
Joel and Amber Palmer
“We love because he first loved us” has been the Bible verse that drives us behind much of our generosity. All that we have, we’ve been given by God, and our goal then is to share that with others. When we first got into photography, we didn’t have a lot of clients, so we’d give away free sessions to build our portfolio and get more practice at taking pictures and working with clients. Read more>>
Haleh Shoa
From my parents. They’re both so generous with their knowledge, their time and their love. Not just for their children, but also for the extended family and friends. I feel whole when I practice generosity as it’s one of my core values. It’s the reason I started my business… so that I can help families tell their stories through their memories. Read more>>
Alicia Janay
My generosity stems from being a God-fearing individual. I find joy in giving, recognizing that joy is not bestowed by the world and cannot be taken away by it. Being generous brings me happiness and fulfillment. Making others smile is a goal of mine! Read more>>
Kelly Harper
My generosity comes from my faith that Lord always provides. I recently saw a post that went something like this…I want to be wildly successful, so I can be a blessing to others. Honestly, it immediately made me squirm and I really had to reflect on why I was put off by the sediment, being a blessing is a good thing right? So why did it make me uncomfortable? Read more>>
Raihyah
My generosity is deeply rooted in the values instilled by my incredible mother. Growing up, she exemplified kindness, empathy, and a genuine spirit of giving. Her selflessness left an indelible mark on me and shaped the way I approach not only my personal life but also my career in acting. Read more>>
Dyan McNeely
My generosity comes from my grandmother Sally (Kazuko). She was a very traditional Japanese woman who instilled many values in me such as being humble, being generous, family-oriented, and always going out of your way to help others in need. Read more>>
Chris Young
As a kid we never had a lot , but we always found a way to help other and do charity work That instilled in me at a young age that as Dr. MLK said “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” . I feel that as a society we should strive to be help to others. Read more>>
Oddette Staple-Brown
My inclination towards generosity is firmly integrated both in my cultural background and upbringing. My upbringing reflects an interdependent culture, where individuals perceive themselves as interconnected and prioritize the well-being of everyone and not just self. Read more>>
Brittney Traudt
I feel like, in a way, I was born with it. Of course my parents and family always taught me to be nice to others, to help whenever and however I can, and encouraged me to follow my dreams. I always felt a connection to those who were experiencing homelessness. Read more>>
Brian Paupaw
It came from the way I was raised. My sisters and I were taught to never judge people, share and be nice. Also I think it comes from growing up poor knowing the feeling if not having help or support, so this inspires me to want to be nice and help others. Read more>>
Derrick White
An Alaskan Malamute is a large breed of dog for hauling – like an Alaskan sled dog. They are strong, big, and playful dogs similar to Siberian Huskies. As an art professor I basically try to teach two skills – appreciation and perseverance. As an artist, I spend time making paintings and objects. Sometimes it goes well and sometimes it does not. Read more>>
Jasmine Jeffrey
Generosity for me comes from the feeling I get being someone’s blessing. It’s a rewarding feel I can’t describe. There were times in my past where either someone was a blessing to me or I wish there were. I also believe in karma, which can be either good or bad. I love it here on the good side. I like to accrue what’s call karmic credit. Read more>>
