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.

Hoon Kang

One moment that really shaped how I see the world was my journey from feeling like an outsider to finding my place through cooking. Before culinary school, I spent my high school and college years in the U.S. struggling with language barriers and cultural differences. I often felt disconnected, as if I didn’t fully belong anywhere. That changed when I enrolled in culinary school. Read More>>

Starrie Sky

Truthfully, I have always been a writer and an artist. I started writing stories and plays as soon as I learned how to read and write. I remember writing my first story in Kindergarten about a flower. which was a rose, named Tulip. And Tulip never fit in with any of the other roses. Read More>>

Molly McNamee

I work in a very superficial industry. Health and fitness are often treated as tools for shrinking your body or chasing a certain look. But before all of that – before I ever cared about “toned arms” or the number on the scale – I just loved to move. Read More>>

Bryan Almeida

Well, here’s the funny part—the world was never quiet about who it thought I was supposed to be. I was supposed to be a statistic. Supposed to be behind bars or six feet under before I ever had the chance to figure life out. Society didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet for kids like me. Read More>>

Leslie Augustine

I am not the type of person who allows others to dictate who I am or who I need to be. I’m stubborn now just as I was as a child. I do credit my mother for supporting me and allowing my creativity to flow. She might not always understand where I’m coming from, but she’s always been there to support me. Read More>>