Those of us who were lucky to have someone see something in us long before we saw it in ourselves know how impactful it can be. We are thrilled to highlight some of those stories and honor some of the OG heroes.

Solomon Lawrence

My 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Brown. She has impacted my life in ways she can’t imagine and I often think of her online this journey of entrepreneurship and fashion. One morning as I entered our elementary school campus, I noticed my 1st grade classed lined outside of the door beyond the bell while all the other classes went to their classrooms. Read More>>

Elisheva Pierce

A random man in Little Five Points, located in East Atlanta, looked at my face and said, ‘You’re supposed to be an artist! But you’re scared. Read More>>

Christine Ross

When I was in my early 20s, I got fired from my first job as a hairstylist in Mentor, Ohio — and at the time, I felt lost. Shortly after, I started working for Estée Lauder at Dillard’s, and that’s where I met Cathy White, executive at Estée Lauder. Read More>>

Ignacio Suárez

My family. I grew up as a very introverted and insecure kid. I doubted myself constantly and went through long stretches of time where I didn’t believe in my skills or what I was capable of doing with them. But my family always saw something bigger in me, even when I couldn’t. They believed in my potential before I could recognize it. Read More>>

Brittany Mcvicker

I would say my mom saw me clearly before I ever saw myself. She passed away when I was young, but I always felt like she just got me. Like even before I had any idea who I was or what I’d grow up to be, she kind of already knew. I think that’s something only a mom can do. Read More>>

Allen Carter

My parents, specifically my mother, saw my love and talent for art when I was six years old. At that age, I wanted to be a bus driver, simply because I loved riding the city bus. That was until my mother suggested that I be an artist. Read More>>

Olha Kotsiubailo

It was the Lord. He saw my heart, my gifts, my weaknesses, and my path long before I ever took my first step. When I doubted myself, when I didn’t understand who I was, God already held the full picture of my life. His love wasn’t based on my achievements, my status, or how put-together I looked. Read More>>

Nima Javaherian

My wife. Before I met her, I was a cog in the machine. I started to think about starting my own firm soon after we got married. When I was weighing this decision, she believed in me without hesitation. She knew I had the experience and the vision to build something powerful, even when I was second-guessing whether it was the right time. Read More>>

Honglin(Adam) Zhu

I think that person would definitely be my graduate professor, Johnny E. Jensen, ASC. He’s a DP with an incredible amount of experience and insight — he’s already in his seventies. Pretty much everything I learned in school came from him. Beyond the technical knowledge, he also gave me a lot of encouragement and support. Honestly, I’m not a very confident person. Read More>>