We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic come from? Is it something we learn from our parents, or are we born with it? Do our friends, work environment or the city we reside in impact it? We asked some of the hardest working folks we know to share where they think they get their work ethic from.
Lisa Haggstrom
My grandparents and parents instilled a strong work ethic. Nothing is free, you have to work for it. Not only did they work full time, but some volunteered their time to help at church or had side jobs when times were tough. All while making sure we had what we needed. As kids we didn’t always understand what we “wanted” wasn’t a priority sometimes.. They taught me to never take what you have for granted. Read more>>
Damaris Colon
It may sound cliche but, “my mom”. Growing up I watched as my mother worked 3 jobs to support the two of us. We would get up in the morning, she would drop me off to school while she worked her 9-5. She would then pick me up from after care, take me home, and leave again to work her night job from 6-10. On the weekends she worked yet another job. Working hard really wasn’t a choice for me, it’s all I know and all I’ve learned. Read more>>
Jennifer Ban
Having a strong passion and being a self motivated person, pretty much led me to having somewhat of a diligent work ethic. I cannot confidently say that I have a good work ethic but I do have love and passion for what I do, and it gives me the motivation to work towards my goals. And from a logistical standpoint, because we are a small business, without work ethic, nothing can be achieved. Read more>>
Rita Joubran
I would say that my work ethic comes from the beautiful examples of a long line of amazingly bad ass women that I have been surrounded with all my life. Starting with my Grandmother, who lived to be 95, I remember her always working in our village in her land (most of which she bought by working hard). She knew her olive trees by name and we would often find her walking the groves talking to them. My mother, who is now 74, wakes up every morning at 4am and is at work by 5am. Read more>>
Jay Runnfeldt
My work ethic started as a young boy growing up on a farm in upstate New York. My father was in the hotel business and managed several of them. His side passion was having the farm. There is work that needs to be done every day on a farm. Once I was old enough to have chores it had to be done. I woke up early before school to feed the cows and then came home after to finish the rest of them. This showed me that working hard had to be done to operate a successful farm early in life. Read more>>
Shaun Jay
When I thought about how I was going to answer this question, I realized that the answer goes pretty deep into my family lineage actually. My family, especially my mother’s side has a long line of entrepreneurs. My great great grandmother immigrated to America from the Ukraine area over 100 years ago and immediately started to work as a seamstress in The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in Manhattan (which ended up burning down in an accidental fire). Read more>>
Raheem Nelson
I get my work ethic from my Mom. She’s such a dedicated Mom, friend and teacher. Her story is something that should be put on film. She’s had to fend for herself from a young age, she lived in London for a few months and owned her own apartment as a teenager. Now, she works in pre-k to instill values in the youth. I’m so proud of my Mom. She instilled in me drive, dedication and creativity. I always look for a way to create, help others and be profitable all at the same time. Read more>>
Billie Hilliard
My work ethic is deeply rooted in two significant influences. Firstly, my family played a crucial role in shaping my approach to work. Growing up in a household filled with educators and professionals, I was consistently taught the value of perseverance and the importance of not easily giving up when faced with challenges. This upbringing instilled in me a strong work ethic that I carry into all aspects of my entrepreneurial journey. Read more>>
Stephen Hemmert
My father mainly, but also my mother! They went through the 1929 Great Depression as young adults! If you didn’t work, you didn’t eat. Plus back then they had less technology and opportunities we have now. So, jobs were a lot more difficult than most jobs now! My dad was always up at 4:00 ready to get to work. Used to say, the early bird catches the worm. Read more>>
Cory Charles
My insane work ethic is like a family heirloom, passed down from and rooted in the inspiring journey of my parents, who hustled their way here from Trinidad shortly before I was. born. Picture this: they juggled multiple jobs and hit the books, all in the pursuit of making it in a new country with unwavering determination. Watching their grit and grind, I absorbed a lesson in hard work that’s stuck with me. It has been the bedrock of my own commitment to hard work. Read more>>
Erick Duenas
My work ethics comes from 2 places: my experience with life, and my mother. Life has shown me that when you want something with all of your heart, it takes a lot of time, work, commitment, disappointments, long nights, and everything else. If it was easy, everyone would do it, but it is certainly not the case. Things that are worth it, are worth your effort and time. I repeat the word time for a couple of reasons; Because everyone gets the same 24 hrs of the day, and because it’s the one thing you cant buy. Read more>>
Tony Hoffer
I don’t think I ever had conversations about work ethic with my parents, but I didn’t really have to. My dad worked night shift for nearly two decades at a factory when we were growing up, but still didn’t miss dinner (even though it was his breakfast) or a game that we played in. My mom worked most of her life while raising us and also gave day care to another girl. My dad went to college in his 40s. My mom was one of 8 kids with parents who owned a small business. All that to say, I saw great examples of work ethic every single day. Read more>>
Antonio & Anjacea Carter
Our salons work ethic has formed based off what the community needed. They needed a salon within the city that specialize in Grooming Loc’d hair. A place where they see others with similar journeys, originality, confidence within self and where to come to gain loc knowledge. Read more>>
Magnus Champlin
I believe that my work ethic evolved from a varied list of people and places over the course of my lifetime. I grew up on a family farm, which we all worked on, and my mother also had her own business. This had me living in a household that never once really heard about issues with managers or bosses. They themselves were their own boss and employee. If things went well or went wrong, it was all something that they had set into motion. Read more>>
Skum Love
my work ethic came from my well to survive literally. I’ve been on my own since I was a teenager and had to work multiple jobs to try to stay off the streets. I ended up there a few times but always got my way off of them. when you’re in survival mode, you work ethic becomes your priority. Read more>>
Stephanie Cheung
From my dad. He worked sweltering hours through the heat and humidity in Asia, in running his construction company. He was often very stressed out, dealing with many moving parts of his business which involved paving streets, building residential homes, and commercial buildings. He would come home late after working outside all day, only to work some more, mostly administrative tasks with big piles of blueprints, permits, and bills. I am working towards finding a more balanced flow between work and personal time eventually, just not quite there yet. Read more>>
Martin Espino
My father was a hard worker and although he never said a word about his ways. Just remembering how he took care of things, learned new things always strived to be better. When he didn’t know something, he went to the library and researched and learned what he had to. I work like him, pretty much non-stop always doing something, always active. Read more>>
Shineth Gonzales
I acquired a strong work ethic from a diverse range of individuals, including my late grandpa, my Ate (aunt), and my mother. Additionally, my professors and husband have also played a significant role in shaping my work ethic. These individuals have consistently demonstrated a deep passion for their work, resulting in remarkable achievements, awards, and recognition. Read more>>
Jake Robbins
Honestly most of my work ethic comes from genetics originally. I come from a long line of very hard working individuals that built everything on their own, with little to no money involved. I had struggled with mental health problems most of my life. Battled addiction after addiction and struggled with maintaining a healthy weight as well from the effects of my depression/anxiety. It wasn’t until I finally quit drinking, I’ve been sober now for coming up on 3 years that I really had it click for me mentally. Read more>>
Kylie Montigney
I honestly got my work ethic from my mom & my sister! They are both hard working people and I was lucky enough to be able to grow up seeing them work hard on different things like running a business & working a job that made me want to purse working hard in different things like running a organization. Read more>>
Manuel Alvarez
I believe my work ethic came from my parents who were born in an other country and thought me the value of hard work and the many opportunity’s that are around us. Read more>>
Paul Sirmon
I think it all started when I got my first job at the age of 14. My dad kind of forced me into, but he helped instill a sense of self-reliance and hard work. If I was going to make it in this world I had to put in the effort and not rely on anyone to just give it to me. Read more>>
John Higby
Early elementary school I became enthralled with cartoons and cartoonists and the idea of creating. a comic strip everyday to be published I think set the mindset of creating something on a very regular basis. I later did high school newspaper where I did just that even though it was not a daily publication. Also thought I might become an animator and knew 32 frames of art per second in a movie was standard. Read more>>
Mike Memphis
I would say my dad Pastor Kenneth Chalmers Sr. All my life I had an example of what hard work and determination looks like. My dad always taught me and my siblings the definition of work. I’ve never seen my dad quit at anything. I’m grateful to have such a positive and inspiring role model in my life. Read more>>
Andrea Santiago
I grew up with my parents working from home. Everyday, I would see them in their room, sharing a desk and a computer, with loads of paperwork piled up around them. They were always exhausted from hours of working for a call center. The countless hours they worked was to ensure that my brother and I could have a good life. Things were tough when the 2008 recession hit. Read more>>
Jamika Jackson
My entrepreneurship came naturally from experiencing my parents work and provide for me as a child growing up. My mom taught me the meaning of first impressions, while my dad taught me self-independence. With them combined, Life came at an easier pace. When it came to working jobs, and/or doing hair; the speed was very diplomatic. Read more>>
Solimar Williams
My grandma. Since I was little she kept me super busy and doing a bunch of after school activities. This has helped me so much in my adult life to have a good work ethic. Read more>>
Ramon Ramirez
I am fortunate to have a long linage of hard-working people. My immediate family and my ancestors have had a strong work ethic for over a millennia. To be painter, you need a strong work ethic or else nothing gets done. It’s in my blood. My parents are some of the hardest working people I know. My sisters, it’s hard for me to even get a phone call with them. Yeah, I have no choice, my work ethic was passed on to me. Read more>>
Raquel Gast
I definitely grew up with a “no bullshit” father who also happens to be a literal genius! He messes around with math equations all day and literally works for fun in a big factory using algorithms and lasers to make tools as well as his own personal art. He always taught me that if you don’t have something then go get it, because no one (including him) is going to just hand it to me. If you want nice things, get to work. Read more>>
Sofie Engström von Alten
As an illustrator and tattoo artist, my work ethic is deeply rooted in a combination of passion for my craft, a commitment to delivering high-quality work, and a sense of responsibility towards my clients. My passion and enthusiasm for drawing serves as the primary driving force in my life. Since I was a kid I was always drawing and eating cookies, and not much has changed. Read more>>
Ryan Scribner
I believe my work ethic is deeply rooted in the values instilled in me by my parents. They were not only dedicated professionals in their respective fields but also committed to raising our family, which showed me the importance of hard work and perseverance from a young age. Additionally, my involvement in sports during my younger years played a significant role. Read more>>
Myles Jenkins
I believe my work ethic came from being a product of my environment! What I mean by that is I was born in Lowell Massachusetts and I ended up living in Worcester Massachusetts. Great Brook valley projects where my mother raised 5 of us in a low income poverty household. I felt I always had to work my way to survive and to really make it out I had to set my expectations high where expectations was surviving. When I created jeanious I realized that all my hard work, blood, sweat and tears was driving from my motivation to inspire people. Read more>>
Qadree Holmes
My work ethic is definitely driven by the memories of my hardworking grandparents. They did all the things without a lot and still found the time to let us know we were loved. Their fighting spirit continues to drive me today. Read more>>
Khara Croswaite Brindle
In becoming a Financial Therapist, I had to do my own work around money, which also shed a ton of light on my work ethic, self-worth, and former workaholism. I identify as a serial entrepreneur and love creating things. My worth ethic comes from both my parents, who go all-in regarding anything they do, including this stage of life of retirement and being present grandparents to their grandchildren. When exploring money scripts, I saw an intersection between entrepreneurship, workaholism, and the modeling of both my parents in childhood that was significant to my healing journey with money. Now I help other therapists do this powerful work themselves! Read more>>
Georgina Avilez
Very simple – My work ethic is a direct reflection of Aurora and George Avilez – My parents. Since I was a little girl, a strong work ethic has always been ingrained in both my sister and I. Creative projects, sports, school clubs, volunteering, public service, event planning and my imagination occupied my time. There is a part of me that always wished my parents nurtured my creative side exploring additional layers of my love for art. It’s their work ethic and attitude of making things happen have contributed to my success. Read more>>
Shaelyn Dalziel
It’s hard to exactly pin point where my work ethic comes from, but I’d like to say it came from a lot of trial and error. Everyone has a work ethic that personally works for them and I remember trying new routines, methods, and schedules to see which worked best for me. Oftentimes. Read more>>
Kristie Nguyen
I would say my parents influenced me with their work ethics. Having immigrated to the US in the late 70s, my parents works very hard to ensure that their children didn’t have to work. They only asked that we study hard so that our future would be bright. If one parent was working the other was sleeping and they’d take turns with one parent always home with the kids. Read more>>
Siefyan Wali
I get my work ethics from watching other creators whether it’s TikTok, YouTube or music artist, because at the end of the day, everyone is an artist. My passion for fashion and music is what keeps me going and I have goals I want to reach in 2024. Read more>>
Dominic Goodie
I would say that my work ethic comes from a desire to be better. I have a lot of ambition and I grew up working hard at almost everything I did. Going into the military pushed that hard working mentally even more. To me it’s my job to put myself in better positions to achieve my dreams, not wait on other to help me. Read more>>
Susan Campanaro
I received my work ethic from my father, Richard Campanaro. My dad was one of the hardest working people I have ever known. No matter what job he was accomplishing, it has done with professionalism and gratitude. Even when he was sick with Cancer and had 7 months to live he was wanting to look for a job. he always stayed busy and found the most out of everyday of his life. Read more>>
