Society has its myths about where we learn – internships, books, school, etc. However, in our conversations with some of the most interesting and trailblazing entrepreneurs and creatives we noticed the biggest lessons they learned about work often came from unexpected sources. We’ve shared some of those responses below.
TyKaia Riley
My mom instilled a strong work ethic in me. I had to finish my homework before doing anything else, and if it looked too sloppy, she would make me redo it on a separate sheet of paper! I hated it then, but now I appreciate that she wanted me to put my best foot forward at all times. I’ve carried that with me. Read more>>
Jessica Bremner
For me, this isn’t a single-person answer — it’s layered. I feel like every stage of my life has taught me something different about work, and all of those pieces have shaped the way I show up today. My upbringing gave me a certain level of grit, perseverance, stubbornness, and independence — qualities that have served me incredibly well as an entrepreneur. Read more>>
Jennifer Smith
The people who taught me the most about work were my parents. Growing up on a farm in Iowa, everyone had a role to play – my mom and dad depended on all six of us kids to care for the pigs, do field work, and take care of the garden. Read more>>
Samantha Simone
This one is easy – my grandfather. My grandfather was a professional musician, teacher, and loving father and husband. As soon as I discovered the arts were my path in life too, my grandfather became my north star in guiding my decisions. Read more>>
Mena Bo
My grandmother. She taught me most of the creative skills I use today and was always reading to me, sharing amazing stories from history. She was a very educated woman with a deep passion for her family. We were always either knitting, cooking, reading, or taking a stroll through a historic building. Read more>>
Jim Berkenstadt
My dad instilled in me a strong work ethic from an early age. At 8, when I asked him to buy me a Beatles album., he suggested that I get a paper route to earn the money. Once I did that and bought the album, it felt very special. I continued at the job and saved my money for other albums and comics. Read more>>
Daniel Hochman
I would say Jonathan Shedler has been the biggest influence and mentor in my professional life. I went into Psychiatry residency with a very basic idea and experience of how to do therapy. He consistently pushed my understandings of human nature, our inner workings, and how to translate into improvement for a patient using words. Read more>>
