Our community is comprised of entrepreneurs and artists and creatives – folks who have chosen incredibly difficult professional paths that often don’t offer any safety nets or guarantees.  Nonetheless, we regularly hear that being a parent is a far greater challenge and so we asked some of these folks to open up to us about the things they’ve done as parents that they feel will have a meaningful and positive impact on their child.

Elizabeth Galloway & Krissie Simek | Co-Owners of White Lace Events & Design

We are in a business where love, creativity, passion and open communication are key pillars. Elements we focus on daily. We didn’t arrive here by accident- we are wedding planners and event designers because it is truly who we are. It is more than a career for us, it’s in our makeup. These components support who we are as individuals in our business yes, but truly in our lifestyle and have proven to be ways in which we raise our sweet and wonderful children. Read more>>

Christel Tran | Lifestyle Photographer

My 3 children are my biggest inspirations, especially when it comes to photography. They teach me to always stop and smell the roses. The most important thing I have done as a parent is to make sure my kids know how much they are loved. Read more>>

Kim Belverud | Family Lifestyle & Landscape Photographer

I think the most important thing I’ve done as a parent is teach my children about perseverance and gratitude by modeling it for them. We are faced with so many different obstacles in life and at times, it’s easy to feel deflated and want to give up. I’ve felt like this with my business, but when I focus on my goals and remind myself the reasons for pursuing it, I continue to persevere beyond the hurdles. I try not to hide my vulnerabilities to my children, so they directly hear and see what perseverance looks like for me. Read more>>

Jo Atwood | Tattoo Artist

As a parent who is in a somewhat unconventional line of work (tattooing), it has always been important to me to model to my son (15) that a career in the arts *is* possible if the drive, ability, and persistence is there. I’ve wanted to be a professional artist my whole life, and though I could have pursued other careers if I had wanted, being an artist is the thing that brought me the most joy and achieving that dream meant real success to me. Read more>>

Jessica Cerna | Color Specialist

As a mother of 3 ( ages 4,2 & a newborn) the most important thing I’ve done so far is getting their undivided attention & truly listening to them. I feel a deeper connection with them when I do. My older two kids are at an age where I’m starting to have full conversations with them. I notice a difference when I’m trying to multitask and talk to them versus stopping everything and listening to what they have to say. Plus it prevents them from overly repeating themselves, which they also like tend to do at these ages. Read more>>

Yalda Yusufi-Atta | Graphic Designer

If I had to sum it up in one concept, I would say the most important thing we’ve done as parents is provide plenty of exposure to all of her senses with a focus on cognitive development. She’s been exposed to sounds, sights, smells, tastes, places, people, and textures. This has helped her be more calm, independent, comfortable and curious. In terms of tastes, all of her solid food has been made from fresh ingredients at home. We prepare her fresh food every day and freeze the excess so it’s always ready and we know exactly what’s in it. Read more>>

Jen Jones | Health Coach, Author, Speaker

As a mom of four kids, I believe the one thing that has kept our family grounded yet enabled us to soar is establishing a set of core values that steers our life. I believe that I we have less control than we think but more influence than we can imagine. And that influence has the potential to revolutionize the world we live in. This is key to discovering the building blocks of your tribe and loving them well. It holds the power to transform the home we live in. This influence has the ability to set and empower the trajectory of our children’s lives for the better. Read more>>

Charles Ingham | Conceptual photographer

I hope that one of the most important skills that I encouraged in my son was to look at things (any thing), to ask questions (of me or the person that he was observing engaged in some activity), and thus see what was going on in his world. I’m sure that, as I am a visual artist, it’s no coincidence that I should try to foster such a skill in my child. And now, at 34, Lewis is a filmmaker and producer: His job is to show us new things and to remind us of things that we have forgotten. I remember us being at San Diego’s Santa Fe Terminal one day, just nosing around, when we came across an Amtrak engineer standing by his locomotive. Read more>>

Stephan Groce | Brandtreprenuer, Entreprenuer, Education Advocate & Public Figure

I’m a parent, husband, politician, and entrepreneur all wrapped up in one. For me the most important thing I’ve done to impact my children is to include them into everything I do. As a Father, I often ask for their input into the day’s agenda, meals, discipline, and decisions that I may be faced with. I feel that they have a unique perspective that only kids can have relative to adult decisions. In my husband role I believe that showing respect and my interaction with my wife, their mother, sets the example of how they should treat their significant other and just as importantly how they should want to be treated. Read more>>

Kat C. | Artist

I believe the most important thing I have done as a parent is spend quality time with my son. Each morning we begin our day with smiles and positive affirmations; followed by a meal together. I grew up in a busy home but my parents always kept a rule to sit down and have dinner together with my siblings and I every night. I am very grateful for those moments as I have had some of the best chats at that dinner table. That is something I would like to carry on with my own family. Being able to spend time connecting with my son and husband will always be my main focus. Read more>>