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.
Essenssya
My family, my Mexican roots keep me grounded and humble. Being Latina is a blessing for myself and whoever comes around , I admire our hospitality and generous character, it has opened many doors for me and remained them open.
I grew up with my grandparents and they taught me to remain loving and caring despite the challenges of life, knowing that what goes around comes back around.
“A generous heart speaks for itself and gets louder through time” Read more>>
Jeremiah Bledsoe
At a young age, I was taught what it means to be a servant leader. Servant leaders always find ways to help others and serve the community. I come from the space that I always have something to give. You can always provide service to support others who are less fortunate or in need of help. One of my favorite quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is, “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve…You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” I credit my success to serving others. My loving community has made a difference in my life. Read more>>
SandrabE. Jackson
My generosity is two-fold. 1. Being born from generous parents is the basis of my unconditional no-strings-attached gift. The Bible instructs us to do so. Secondly, due to my suffering after marriage, I experienced a life that I never knew existed, which taught me to be a hand up to those in need. Read more>>
Gbabii George
Starting in the industry with my daughters Zida and Loni I didn’t have many people to give me information needed to help them become more successful, I had to literately grow and learn on social media as a mom and manager along. Read more>>
Patricia Lawrence
Generosity is a gift that I feel I was born with. Who you are personally shows up in who you are professionally also. From the earliest moments of my life, I recognized that generosity was a gift ingrained in my very nature. Growing up, my parents and family instilled the values of kindness and giving back, emphasizing the profound impact generosity could have on both individuals and communities. Read more>>
Leah Seeling
My background is in social work. Prior to working in the social media industry I worked as a family and children social worker. I encountered so many caregivers who truly loved their children but lacked core memories with them. When I became a mother it crushed me deeply knowing that local families lacked fun, especially outdoor activities. Read more>>
Alex Reynolds
I think it’s very important to be generous as a response to the people who have poured into me. I had several people take the time to help me get started in business things in my early twenties, and I think it’s important to take the time to be generous to others as a response to what’s been given to me. Specifically, I think of a family who taught me how to work through business finance things and bookkeeping. I could never repay what they did for me, but I can pass it along and be generous to others. Read more>>
Jeremiah Bledsoe
At a young age, I was taught what it means to be a servant leader. Servant leaders always find ways to help others and serve the community. I come from the space that I always have something to give. You can always provide service to support others who are less fortunate or in need of help. One of my favorite quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is, “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve…You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” I credit my success to serving others. My loving community has made a difference in my life. Read more>>
Kelsi Creek
For me generosity comes from empathy and the mindset of abundance. There are times in which I am really in touch with these parts and times in which I revert back to a scarcity mindset but overall I try to remember the times in which I needed a little extra help or push to move towards the next step in my journey. Read more>>
Rosonja Seay
My grandparents were very generous. They always blessed their house guest with canned vegetables and fruit. My mom continued the legacy of giving. She is always ready to lean a helping hand to friends and family. Read more>>
Frankie Barrios
My generosity comes from my experiences and my intuition. Having received kindness from people that I know and even strangers to also having received the opposite experience from people, has taught me how to treat others. Generosity can come in many forms. From a listening ear to a helping hand. I try to go to by the motto “treat others the way we want them to treat us,” when it is appropriate. Read more>>
Chris Naranjo
My generosity comes from my childhood and growing up with my mom and also at a separate my grandparents. Being raised as a Christian I was taught that is better to give than to receive so this helped me learn at that sharing is very important and being generous cuz there’s a lot of people that have less than you may have and to put yourself in another person’s shoes and see through their perspective. Since I was young even as a little kid I learned that people aren’t as fortunate so I was aware of financial circumstances. Even today I am a very sharing person with people I come across. Read more>>
Amber Van Denzen
I was a Girl Scout in Florida for over 8 years as a Girl and teaching hoe to give back to our communtiy, take action against issues and be part of a solution eere ingrained in me young. Today, I volunteer with Girl Scouts In a variety of ways, and also give back to our local rescue animals through donation of our Mobile treadmill service and Peanut Butter donations for mental stimulation through our Peanut Butter and Joyrides campaign annually. Read more>>
Dan Hilbert
I think it comes from my belief that what you give is what you receive in turn. The conviction that I have for this principle is strong. And I don’t prescribe to the notion that its simply an exchange or emotional barter. It’s an aspiration to give more than you receive. Read more>>
(Anita) He Han
Anita He Han is the creative force behind innovative and meticulously crafted interior designs. As an accomplished interior designer specializing in both commercial and residential spaces, Anita brings a unique blend of artistic vision and practical expertise to every project. Renowned for their dedication and hard work in collaborating with clients, Anita ensures that each design not only meets but exceeds expectations. Read more>>
Joy Nemerson
In the tapestry of my childhood, my sister, Elana, and I each wove our distinct threads. She, with the delicate and intricate patterns of resilience, and I, with the language of empathy, spoke fluently in the dialect of Elana. From the moment she graced this world, her path was marked by a unique journey, defined by athetoid cerebral palsy. Read more>>
Ellie Descoteaux
My generosity comes from my app bring them by my mother and father, who were taught to give to others and help others as needed such as I donate several times in the year to the VA what is a soap and I also give out free bars of soap to the needy in our community. Read more>>
HEATHER LOWE
Generosity stems partly from the realization that happiness cannot be taken for granted especially when we find ourselves up against a painful experience, whether it be emotional or physical. If we ride it out and survive, we end up with an enormous amount of gratitude and a willingness to share what days we have left on this planet. I went through the grief of losing both my partner and mother in the same year. Read more>>
Mackenzie Adkins
My generosity is due to the most High God. He blesses me day in and day out with these gifts. I have the gift of life, of joy, family, love, and everyday things that go unnoticed. I think about this, and then I think about the stuff like my extras, my beautiful family, my music, my car and other things like my friendships and my lows that get me super amped for the highs! I’m blessed beyond measure and singing is my pleasure. Read more>>
Kina Sadler
I believe my generosity came from growing up around caring and giving people in my family and friend group. I have always seen my parents help out people whenever they could or lend a helping hand. They’ve always been the ones to share their excess or invite the handy man to stay for dinner after the job was completed. I have a great group of friends that share those type of qualities and that is probably why I was drawn to them as people. Read more>>
KC Mathis
My generosity genuinely comes from God who gave me a grandmother that never had much, but always had a heart willing to share. Her motto to all in the community was “if I eat, you are going to eat, if I have somewhere to lay my head so will you.” She lived by that, using her small country home as a safe haven for those going through hard times. Anytime people were homeless they would come by to get her advice, or a hot meal, she was there. She didn’t care what color you were, what your sexual preference was, she just loved you just because. Read more>>
Ann-Suhet Kamffer
Most definitely from my grandmother. In South Africa, Afrikaans people refer to their grandmother as “Ouma”. Now, Ouma Anna was the most caring and generous person in my life. And I don’t believe how she showed me to care – for everything and everyone – all at the same time, will ever be vested in anyone else that may cross my path. To this day, I believe that a lot of how I interact and care for people, stems from Ouma Anna that always showed me, that the good you do, will never go to waste. I miss you, Ouma Anna. And I always will. Read more>>
Queen Gill
My heart. I used to get a lot of No’s which made me have to learn and do things myself. I’m great full for that because it helped me one learn so many things now that when I see people who are struggling like I was I’m quick to say yes and help because I know the feeling of not having anyone. So I wanted to be that change and help people like me . My pain became my passion, my passion to help others. Read more>>
Janessa Morgan
My generosity came from me giving others essentially what I didn’t have. I grew up with a lot of struggles and most of it was mentally before of what I went through as a child. I won’t go into too many details but I like to give because that’s who I am. I am a single mother with two children, one of who is in London studying abroad. I am just someone who gives and gives and gives. Read more>>
Berkley Cameron
I have always been very passionate about volunteering and giving back but I really started getting more involved when I was dealing with anxiety and depression. Volunteering and giving back really helped me to not focus on my problems and sadness. When you volunteer and give back you see that so many people have it a lot worse than you do and by helping them it makes you feel so good. I have gotten so much more from giving than receiving and it has really changed my life for the better. Read more>>
Cazzy Zahursky
Generosity is a quality that ranks high on my list of ideal qualities. I immediately notice generosity in others and I strive to practice it in my own life. I think my desire to be generous stems from several factors, but one in particular immediately comes to mind. My experience of living in Bangkok, Thailand during my formative years while my anthropologist father was on assignment to do fieldwork there. Read more>>
