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.
Sebastián Chicchón
My parents and grandparents taught me the value of work. They never had to say much, I just grew up watching their dedication, their patience, and the persistence they took in doing things well. That’s how I learned that hard work, when done with care, always leads somewhere meaningful. Read more>>
Camille Velasquez
My family, more specifically my parents and grandparents. My grandparents on both sides of my family immigrated from their home countries, Cuba and Ecuador. Doing something like this is not easy, and they had to pick up a lot of jobs just to raise my parents and provide a good life for them. Read more>>
Brianne Schoener
When we walk through this world as professionals, we are carrying this umbrella of knowledge and characteristics the moment we started this work force. In this umbrella, you have everything that influenced you to be the best you that you can be. Read more>>
Jodi Keogh
This is such a fun question for me. I’ve always had a strong work ethic, but the person who truly shaped how I view purposeful work was Kari Watson — a lifelong entrepreneur and nonprofit leader here in Flagstaff. At around 28, I was burnt out from selling beer. Read more>>
Pamela James Coleman
my father Alfred W James Sr. was the one who taught me the most about work, work ethic and the value of a job. as long as i can remember, my father worked two jobs, during the day he was a full-time construction worker. in the afternoons he was a custodian. Read more>>
Raisa Zhovklaya
Without question, my parents. Growing up in a large family with eight siblings, I watched my parents work incredibly hard—often juggling two jobs each—just to make sure we were taken care of. They balanced long hours with raising a big family and still somehow found time to help others. Their dedication, selflessness, and relentless work ethic shaped how I view success and responsibility. Read more>>
Bianca Alexis
For a long time, I only trusted myself. Then in my thirties, I started looking for guidance and expected that listening to others would lead me somewhere new. It didn’t. I realized that while advice can help, no one knows my instincts better than I do. I’ve learned that pushing against the grain is uncomfortable but necessary if you believe in what you’re doing. Read more>>
Lina Outler
The people who taught me the most about work is my family. My parents were my introduction on what it meant to be self sufficient. I admire them from starting from the bottom and giving it their all to make it to a place that was better then they started. Read more>>
Guillermo Bale
I’ve been lucky to have some incredible supervisors early in my career, especially during my years in advertising agencies. Working with senior strategists and creatives who handled major global brands taught me discipline, precision, and how to think strategically under pressure. But just as much, I’d say I’ve been self-taught. Read more>>
April Patterson
My dad, without question. He was an entrepreneur who developed multiple businesses over the years, and from a young age, I watched him work hard and lead by example. Some of my earliest memories are of our whole family out in the yard mulching together, setting tobacco, or feeding bottle calves on the farm. Read more>>
Zachary Walker
That’s an incredibly insightful question, and the answer, for me, lies not in a classroom or a corporate setting, but in a kitchen: specifically, Charlie Trotter’s restaurant. Read more>>
