“Never be afraid to be yourself.”

“Ichose entrepreneurship, really, because of my father. He’s in real estate, and one thing he said and taught me is ‘If you’re going to work, work for yourself. Do your own thing, and make it the best that it can be.’ I’ve always been around business, and I’ve always had a business mind. So, when I switched my major to entrepreneurship, it was just an easy thing.

Another thing my father taught me is to never be afraid to be yourself. And that’s not just from my dad; that’s from my family, in general. No one can understand you like you. It’s your duty and obligation to be real with yourself and stand on your own two feet, no matter what anybody else thinks. Only you know who you are. To not be yourself is basically saying that you’re not confident or not proud of who you are and what you stand for. Him teaching me to always be who I am is basically him saying, ‘Love yourself and treat yourself well.’

I’m blessed to have my father in my life. A lot of people have different circumstances. And sometimes we butt heads, and there are times when my mom and I may not get along. But at the end of the day, they’re both blessings to have in my life. So, I can’t complain.”

– Aaron, senior entrepreneurship major from Chicago, Ill.