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.
Kobiya Ferguson
The people who taught me the most about work are my mom and my grandma. Just watching them both, I learned that working to provide and taking pride in your efforts means so much. My mom is known to be a workaholic—it’s like she had 10 kids but only one! Read more>>
Jennifer Jackson
My family. I come from a middle-class family where they value the phrase, ‘work hard and play harder’. Growing up, we’ve always had nice things, taken nice vacations, and known the value of hard work. Those values were instilled in me, especially during my teenage years. At one point, I worked two jobs while I was in high school! Read more>>
Priscilla Williams
This is such a great question because I’ve always envied people who can pinpoint exactly who shaped their career or mentored them. My journey has been much different. There isn’t one person who necessarily taught me how to sew, design, or make patterns. I’ve always been the type to figure things out on my own. Read more>>
Anna Choi
Two people instantly come to mind: my mom and my husband, Ben. I didn’t fully grasp the extent of my mom’s hard work until I became a mother myself. Read more>>
Elizabeth Granger
My dad has been one of my greatest examples of what it means to work hard with humility. He approaches every task—no matter how big or small—with quiet diligence and rarely, if ever, complains. What I admire most is his ability to work with excellence while also knowing when to set work aside and be fully present with his family. Read more>>
Mia Kapree
Honestly, my partner Sim has taught me more about work than anyone else. He’s a business owner, and watching how he operates has been eye-opening. He showed me that there’s no such thing as magic you make the magic happen yourself. It’s about vision, consistency, and putting in the work every single day, even when no one’s watching Read more>>
Megan Myrie
I’d say my uncle, solely because he too is an entrepreneur and he does a great job at balancing his personal and professional lives. Becoming an entrepreneur myself has allowed to really appreciate all he does. Read more>>
Claire Li
The internet has taught me the most about work. Over the past decade, it has been my greatest resource for learning, whether it was teaching myself how to film food videos years ago or later researching recipes and business strategies to build my own food brand. Online tutorials and shared experiences allowed me to avoid many mistakes and to adapt solutions to my own challenges. Read more>>
Rachel Russell
Everyone in my family has always been extremely hard working. I have had amazing examples of creating your own path through showing up and giving 100%. My first Esthetics mentor, Gabriela Voiculescu, also taught me a lot about work ethic and integrity in our field. Observing how she focused on relationship building has proven to be the most rewarding way to practice. Read more>>
Katelyn Youngblood
My dad has been the one who has taught me most about work. Since I was a child, he worked day & night to provide for our family. He taught us to always work hard for what we want in life. Read more>>
Damiya Montgomery
My mother taught me everything about work. She used to always say “Whatever you do, do it like you are working for the LORD.” When I embraced that concept, everything began to fall into place. Read more>>
Zechiah Weekley
Growing up my parents were my biggest influences when it came to work and work ethic. They instilled in me from day one to not be satisfied with doing just enough but to strive to go over and beyond expectations. Read more>>
Lanota Fludd
While I have learned many things from family and friends I learned the most about work through one of my earlier mentors N. Gregg. I encountered her during college and was able to be mentored by her for several years in the onset of my professional career. Read more>>
Q
Taking the time to do the work honestly. When you get into tattooing you realize fast it’s going to be a lot of practice with a steep learning curve. Read more>>
Tiffany Burgess
My mother. She is the oldest of 13 children and a retired English teacher. Her work ethic and faith are unmatched. Read more>>
Christina Wilson
One of the people who’s taught me the most about the work is Allen Payne. I had the opportunity to be on tour with him, and watching him in action completely shifted the way I view leadership as an artist. As a lead, Allen didn’t just show up and do his part—he took care of the cast. Read more>>
Kory Isaac
The person who told me most about work is my father , John Isaac. He has always given me the drive and work ethic to look up to. Just a hard working man to be honest. Read more>>
