We have had the good fortunate of connecting with Nobel Laureates, titans of industry, rockstars and rising stars across dozens of industries and we have always found their stories about who they were early on to be most fascinating. Below, you’ll find members of the community sharing their responses to this key aspect of their stories.
Rebekah Ondejko
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a misfit — the kid with bold hair, loud music, and a style that didn’t fit the mold. I never wanted to blend in, and I never felt like the traditional idea of ‘professional’ or ‘successful’ matched who I was. That’s what drew me to hair: it’s self-expression, it’s rebellion, it’s freedom. Read more >>>
Parth Shaha
I graduated in 2008 from Loyola Chicago, where I studied molecular biology and minored in biochemistry. At that time, I was very confused about who I was and what the world was telling me I should be. I was good at the sciences, but it wasn’t truly my passion. Read more >>>
Yachto Yatted
Before the world tried to tell me who I had to be, I was just a kid with big dreams, moving to my own rhythm. I used to dance nonstop; I picked it up from movies like ‘You Got Served’, ‘Stomp the Yard’, all of the ‘Step Up’ Franchise, then YouTube, learning the wave, pop-and-lock, and footwork. Read more >>>
Melissa Lilly
I think the better question might be who am I after the world told me who I had to be. I used to work in the corporate world for over 30 years. I worked for people who paid me money to do a job that they didn’t wanna do but wanted me to do it like I owned the business. Read more >>>
Natalia Barlow
The child of a mother who loved my ideas. My mom saw me as a force and did her part to ensure I had whatever I needed to continue pressing forward. Somewhere along the way, I began to dilute who I was for the sake of being taken seriously. In-turn, I neglected aspects of myself that made me, me. Read more >>>
