We asked some of the hardest working artists, creatives and entrepreneurs we know to open up to us about where they think they got their work ethic from. Below, you’ll find some of those responses, stories, and advice.
Sammi Cannold
I was a competitive debater in high school and got to travel around the country most weekends to participate in national circuit debate tournaments. The competitive nature of the ‘sport’ meant that you could never be too prepared, you could never do enough research, and you could never practice enough. That relentless pursuit of excellence was unexpectedly amazing training for freelance artist life, wherein you have to be exceptionally disciplined because you often don’t have someone holding you accountable for pushing the various boulders you’re pushing up various hills. It also helped that debate was such an all-consuming activity that I had to lean how to get my school work done in and around it — and I find that, for freelance artists, time management and being able to essentially invent more time where there isn’t any is profoundly important. Read more>>
Jacob Abel
The basis of my work ethic comes from my father. He worked hard through the 2008 recession to support our family by working in the construction industry. Watching him work long days and nights was definitely inspiring to see growing up. It instilled a strong work ethic that I rely upon today. Some of my other inspirations have been public figures like Kobe Bryant, who really push the message of working hard and overcoming adversity. Read more>>
Jennifer Hewitt
Work ethic – definitely get this from my parents. As a young person, we had a farm and I was engulfed in sports (soccer and basketball. Even though we did not live on the farm, I was out at the farm helping my dad bail hay, garden, and drive tractors. Both parents instilled in me that you had to work hard to get what you wanted. Within the business, I try to model accountability, reliability, and communication. I do my best to know ALL members names. Read more>>
Carol Fabricatore
I grew up on a big horse farm on Eastern Long Island in a family of six kids, where we boarded horses and offered riding lessons. Our farm had about 30 horses at any given time, and there was always something to do—chores, feeding, mucking out stalls—and we were constantly busy. Summers were filled with hosting horse shows, and my dad expected us to pitch in, no matter what. Of all my siblings, I was the most passionate about horses. I would spend any free moment riding, caring for them, and participating in horse shows. By the time I was 16, I began teaching riding lessons. Read more>>
Bethany Rosa
My work ethic stems from growing up at a very young age. I moved out at fifteen years old and needed a job to afford necessities such as clothes and food. It was never an option not to have a good work ethic. Then, as I grew older, my goal to succeed in life and make something of myself drove me to work hard in everything I did. Read more>>
Tiara Smith
I would definitely say my work ethic comes from my mother and the way in which I was raised. Growing up I’ve always watched my mom “do the most” as we would call it. I have watched her raise me and my siblings, be the model wife, all while juggling her career and going back to school for not one but two advanced degrees from Cambridge university. She did it with ease and grace, almost as if a cadence. Our house operated like a well-oiled machine, full of love and never short on time and attention. She for sure wore a cape and had an “S” on her chest! Read more>>
Tiara Smith
I would definitely say my work ethic comes from my mother and the way in which I was raised. Growing up I’ve always watched my mom “do the most” as we would call it. I have watched her raise me and my siblings, be the model wife, all while juggling her career and going back to school for not one but two advanced degrees from Cambridge university. She did it with ease and grace, almost as if a cadence. Our house operated like a well-oiled machine, full of love and never short on time and attention. She for sure wore a cape and had an “S” on her chest! Read more>>
Carla Daniela
My work ethics, passion and professionalism come from my family upbringing of strong working values and principles in the workplace, and my passion in fashion and knowledge from graduating in fashion and textile design. Read more>>
Aaron Dukes
My work ethic comes from both of my Parents. My Parents have always been very hardworking and making sure my siblings and I are well taken care of. Raising me to be a responsible, respectful and honest man has helped me bring this into my role as an Employee and now a Full Time Business Owner. Read more>>
Marcus Jansen
That is a Multifacet question, since I believe it comes from a multitude of avenues. First, I think it is somewhat of a survival mechanism, a constant need to search and find that comes with endless curiously and the wiliness to be obsessed with something that one loves or is passionate about to fill that quest. It may also be part of a fight and flight response in which one chooses to fight and live which then translates into work ethic. Either way, it is an essential need to be productive and leave something more permanent. Read more>>
Angelina Pirolo
To put it simply, I’m a busy person. There’s rarely a dull moment for me, and part of that comes from a constant need to be occupied. If I’m idle, then I’m miserable and thinking about all the things I could be doing! The other part is rooted in my Christian beliefs. I think to myself, “Well, because a Creator gave me this life, why should I waste it by being lazy?” Read more>>
Michelle Hibbert
I owe that to my mother. She was a hard-working person in her career in nursing. She would always tell me that I needed to enjoy the work that I do as you would never consider it as work. When you were in that zone you would not have to worry about your work ethic as it was naturally already there. Read more>>
Kutloano Headbush
I believe I got my work ethic from my parents. They are both dreamers, who have always had a clear vision of what they wanted to do. My siblings and I grew up watching them work on their craft, pushing to achieve their goals, developing an appreciation for hard work and dedication. Observing how they navigated challenges shaped my positive attitude; I learned to see obstacles as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks. Read more>>
Ben Oakes
I was fortunate to have two parents who provided me a road map for what a work ethic looks like. I developed a work ethic through necessity. I didn’t have a degree or resume starting out, due to a misspent youth. I knew I had to work harder than the competition to even be in the conversation. Luckily that persistence translated into the beginning stages of success. I started my company, Ben Oakes Creative, from the ground up. I had just moved to Nashville (during covid) with no connections or contacts. Nashville is a very reference based city. I took out a loan and decided I was going to film three commercials for free. I thought if I could showcase my work to the locals, that the references would follow. Read more>>
Jim And Sherri Borton
Sherri and I both get our work ethic from our respective families. From our grandparents and parents specifically. In my case, both sets of grandparents were farmers, grew up in the 20s and 30s during the depression and before tractors were commonplace. Even well into their 80s all of them had their projects to work on at the farm or house and grass rarely grew under their feet. Grandpa Jim literally wore a path in the grass from the house to the shop where he would tinker every day after he retired from farming until his move into assisted living at 93 years old. My parents, while not directly involved in farming (we had a hobby farm for our 4H and FFA projects) as adults carried that work ethic through to my siblings and I as we went about our lives, especially when we had our livestock projects to take care of. Read more>>
David Rangel
Work ethic is something that comes from within. It can come from family, life experience, necessity, passion, or even the drive for something different. For me, I learned about work ethic from my dad. As an entrepreneur, my dad started his own business when he was 30 years old. He was fed up with his employer and sought something different. Little did I know that I would follow in his footsteps years later. Read more>>
Edmundo Lobo Kuri
I am blessed. I come from a family of El Salvadorian immigrants and in my parents, I have had a beautiful example of what it means to face adversity. My father is one of the most disciplined people I could even imagine. From escaping a country going through a civil war with a pregnant wife and very little English, to earning his education, owning his own company, raising two children, and finally gaining his retirement. And I would be remiss to not mention my mother. Alongside my father, she kept the team alive with her bubbly and persistent personality. Read more>>
Elaina Yvonne
My work ethic comes from the examples I grew up with. I come from a bloodline with several business owners including my late grandfather, and a few of my uncles and aunts. Both of my parents are hard workers, my dad worked 3 jobs when I was a kid just so that he and my mom could build the lifestyle they have now. My mother was an educator, and retired after 26 years in the school system. While my dad was at work, me and my brother were with my mom at night classes so that she could further her education and achieve her goals. Once my mom finished classes, my dad went back to school to be a school administrator. Read more>>
Bridget & Andrew (reichhart) Laing
I would say that both of us were fortunate to take part in activities and have opportunities early in life that made us develop a strong work ethic. We learned from family, sports, academics, and life in general about what working hard felt like, more intrinsically than anything else. When you know what you can do, or at least believe in your own potential, you’re not happy with yourself if you know you had more to give. Once you start a pattern of high work ethic, anything else just feels bad. You taste success in whatever field, and know that to keep achieving, you’ve got to put it all out there…not just occasionally, but all day every day. We learned early on that everyone naturally has different talents, strengths, weaknesses, academic opportunities, financial situations….some things are out of your control as you’re growing up….but work ethic? That’s up to you no matter who you are or where you come from. Read more>>
Fatima Alikhan
My work ethic is deeply rooted in the values instilled in me by my parents, who made the courageous decision to immigrate to the United States. They sacrificed their comfort, leaving behind familiar surroundings and embarking on a challenging journey to create a better life for our family. Their determination and resilience in the face of adversity have profoundly influenced my perspective on hard work and commitment. Witnessing their struggles and triumphs has taught me the importance of perseverance and the rewards that come from dedication. Read more>>
Kayla Ross
My work ethic comes from a long line of hardworking men and women. Looking back at my family’s lineage, I see farmers who toiled the land—these people are the true salt of the earth, literally giving everything they have for their families’ survival. I am proud to come from a family of Kansas farmers. Additionally, a more direct source of my drive comes from both my mother and father, who, with the skills they learned, became small business owners themselves to support our family. I couldn’t be more thankful for the work ethic I inherited because, without it, my business wouldn’t be what it is today. Read more>>
Tim Durkovic
From a young age, I always wanted to be a concert pianist. I started taking piano lessons at the age of 5 and threw myself into it. Having this creative outlet taught me SO much about discipline. I was one of those kids that didn’t have to be told to practice. I DID go through a stage at one point, where my mom would put a timer on the piano, but that didn’t last long. Deep down, I knew that I had to do it. Then, when my mom died when I was 14, it became the outlet for me to also deal with my grief. I eventually went on to study at the Juilliard School in NY and USC and got undergraduate and graduate degrees in piano performance, competed internationally, and taught at the college and university level of 20 years. Read more>>
Julianne Mundale
My parents. Growing up, I never really understood what my parents sacrificed for me and my 2 brothers. Our parents were not wealthy. We lived in a modest house, always had used cars, no garage. My parents were always there to bring us to school and activities of our interests. They always supported us and nurtured our interests. My father would work a 50+ hour work week as Chief engineer, come home, mow the lawn, fix things around the house, pick us up from activities or come watch us in our activities. He would get up on weekends to help us every weekend with our weekend paper routes loading papers into the back of the truck and set them on the corners so we didn’t have to carry too many at a time. Read more>>
Elainna Browner
I get my work ethic from the trauma of having losses in my life. All my life I never wanted to be a product or statistic of my environment. I work hard everyday to survive and live a comfortable life. Read more>>
Liv Hanna
I got my work ethic from my parents 100%. Both of my parents work incredibly hard to support and provide for me and I admire their commitment and dedication to their jobs. I will always look up to them and the work ethic they demonstrate each day. Read more>>
Skyler Prieto
I owe my strong work ethic to my mother. As a single parent raising three children on her own, she never wavered, never hesitated, and always took on every challenge without a second thought. Watching her juggle responsibilities and face hardships head-on shaped the values I hold today. From a young age, I learned the importance of perseverance, resilience, and hard work because she exemplified it every day. Read more>>
Alison Bunce
I genuinely love what I do. I’ve loved baking since I had an Easy Bake Oven as a child. Being a baker and entrepreneur has opened my world up to so many new experiences. I’m enjoying the journey. On the flip side, working full time in tech keeps me feeling inspired. I get to design experiences that don’t yet exist for hundreds of millions of people across the world. I find contrast of my jobs exciting. Both challenge me in different ways. Read more>>
Nicole Saleh
My work ethic comes from the strong belief that you have to take pride in your work. If you are going to do something, then it must be done right. I watched my parents work very hard all of my life and that value was passed down to me. They taught us that you get what you give in life. Read more>>
Pat Redding Scanlon
My work ethic is my learning mindset guiding me to reinvent myself as an artist, to experiment with emerging media, to get better at the artmaking processes and to find ways to use/not waste materials. I love to lose myself in the flow of making. Read more>>
Krishna Chapatwala
Growing up, I watched my parents work hard and often. Each morning, my father would leave early for work, coming home late, knowing that each day was was helping secure his family’s future. My mother balanced work and the household always finding ways to save, cut corners, and make every penny count. There were times when they passed on vacations or new clothes so they could put more into savings or set aside money for her education. They weren’t just planning for the present; they were thinking ahead. Each decision—whether it was skipping the latest gadget or cooking meals at home—was part of a bigger goal. Watching them build towards that future made me realize how far hard work, persistence, and careful planning could go. Read more>>
Kayla Wagner
My work ethic stems from my family. As the saying goes, people from the Midwest are known for their strong work ethic and their willingness to put themselves out there and connect with new people. Although I’ve lived in the Southwest for almost my entire life, I feel those values are deeply ingrained in me. Since I was 15 and started my first job as a lifeguard, I’ve balanced work and school, maintaining that discipline until I graduated from college. After graduating, it felt like I traded school for board service, as I’ve been involved with various boards over the last 10 years—ranging from young professional boards to national boards and even a nonprofit board where I raised money in honor of my grandma, who had LLS. Read more>>
Jeremy Suppes
My work ethic really started in junior high school. I was in the drumline and we had a drum instructor that came out of the professional drum corp circuit. He would always tell us, early is on time, on time is late and late you’re in deep shit. That made a huge impact on a teenage me. I’ve carried that into every job and project I have had. Shortly after high school I began to work in tattoo studios and that also played a role in my work ethic. Being on time, being prepared and being flexible about art were valuable lessons I learned right away. Read more>>
Bryan Gasaway
I get my work ethic from a combination of determination and personal motivation. I constantly push myself to be better by surrounding myself with other entrepreneurs and highly successful individuals — many of whom have achieved even greater success than I have. Read more>>
Giovanni & Amanda Ramirez
We come from a proud Latin household where hard work and dedication were not just values, but a way of life. Our parents and grandparents worked tirelessly their entire lives to provide for our families, often juggling multiple jobs to ensure we had opportunities they didn’t. Growing up, we saw firsthand the importance of perseverance, commitment, and doing things the right way, even when it wasn’t easy. These lessons have stayed with us, shaping our work ethic and drive to always give our best effort in everything we do. Read more>>
Kayos
I would have to say I probably got my work ethic for my parents both of them were creative, success driven, hard workers in life and they both met challenges head on. Read more>>
Aaron Deyarmon
My parents. My Dad was steel worker and a coach and my Mom was a teacher so me and my brothers didn’t have much wiggle room, ha ha!. My Mom and Dad kept us busy mostly with sports and chores around the house. My dad coached three sports, we participated in all of them and we were expected to give everything we had to give. It was awesome in a lot of ways. I can still remember how exciting it was just getting ready for little league baseball games, my dad arms would be covered in goose bumps and every kid in the huddle was in the palm of his hand. It was intense and a lot of fun. Read more>>
Teresa Crowder
My work ethic comes from absolutely loving what I do. It comes from knowing that, even if what I happen to produce on any given day isn’t what I want it to be, I learn something every time I get into the studio. I have stacks and stacks of work that is just mine, that nobody else will ever see. But, in each of those discards, I can still remember what I was aiming for — and one of these days, something about an old piece will come back around, I’ll use it again, and it will pay off. But the key is to be really disciplined about finding the time, no matter what else is going on, to get in the studio and open up to what might be percolating. And then let it happen. Read more>>
Gage Aurora
I got my work ethic from my parents, who instilled in me the belief that nothing in life comes easy. They always emphasized the importance of hard work and perseverance. Growing up, I watched them dedicate themselves to their jobs and tackle challenges head-on. They taught me that success is a result of consistent effort and determination. This mindset not only drives me to pursue my goals with diligence but also helps me appreciate the value of every achievement. Their example has been a constant reminder that hard work lays the foundation for a fulfilling life. Read more>>
