We have had the good fortunate of connecting with Nobel Laureates, titans of industry, rockstars and rising stars across dozens of industries and we have always found their stories about who they were early on to be most fascinating. Below, you’ll find members of the community sharing their responses to this key aspect of their stories.
Anna Paulette
I was told because I came from such a small town.The only potential I really had was to go to college to the next town over and either become a nurse there.And settle down, get married have kids. I never wanted that for myself.And if I expressed that, I would get bullied. Read more>>
Minyar Dhahbi
Before the world told me who I was, I was fire and feeling, restless and rebellious, carrying a heart that felt too much. I was deeply empathetic, moved by the unseen struggles of people, the silences that weighed heavy on streets, homes, and hearts. I questioned everything I was told, everything I was expected to be. Read more>>
Sean Butler
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was just a creative kid who loved connecting with people and making them feel good about themselves. I didn’t always know it would turn into barbering, but I was always drawn to expression — through style, through art, through energy. Read more>>
Joan Baker
In the early years, I was hungry to be seen and heard, both on stage and behind the mic, but no one saw a polished version of me back then. I was overlooked, ignored, and not seen as viable competition. This is how the world viewed me from the start. It began in San Francisco, where I first fell in love with performance. Read more>>
Raed Ahsan
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was simply a curious mind, someone who loved exploring how things worked and why they sometimes broke. I was fascinated by systems, by logic, and by the hidden layers behind technology. I didn’t see titles, expectations, or limits; I saw possibilities. Read more>>
Liv Peltier
My slogan, “Unleash Your Inner Child,” was not designed by accident—it’s truly a reflection of my way of life. Before the world tried to define who I should be as a Black Caribbean woman, I knew I had to write my own story. From a young age, I was determined to make a difference in my community through creativity. Read more>>
Žygimantas ‘D0le’ Sivilevičius
All I’m gonna say is that I’m the same kid I was 10 years ago. Even better. I feel like back in the day I had way more restrictions when it came to how I act or how I should be. Read more>>
Jigisha Darbha
Before I transitioned into the textile and artisan world, I spent my early career as a computational biologist, coding and researching pathogens, before deciding to follow a more creative path. That work certainly taught me discipline, curiosity, and attention to detail, which are qualities I now bring into my studio practice and the way I approach my shop. Read more>>
Tiffany Mendelson
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a kid who has a strong intuition and will that was curious and unfiltered. I didn’t question my gut, I just followed it. Somewhere along the way, I’ve been learning how to return to that version of myself as kids will always be the most creative. Read more>>
Paul Pedulla
I’m sure I was an artist before I even knew it. I remember being in the 8th grade and feeling sad that next year in high school art class would no longer be mandatory. Yet I never considered art as a career, so I went to college and pursued an advertising career. Read more>>
Alfred Price
Tough first question. I’d like to think that I never allowed the world to tell me who I had to be and have always rebelled against the machine while marching to the beat of my own messed-up drum. But we all have to accept our place in the world and become the thing we never wanted to be in our life. Read more>>
Daja Azul
Before I learned how to perform, please, or “be strong,” I was a very soft, observant child. I was always paying attention to energy, to tone, to what wasn’t being said. I felt deeply, cared a lot, and moved slowly. There was a gentleness to me that didn’t always have space to exist in the environments I grew up in. Read more>>
