What principles do you live by?

We asked the community to tell us about the values and principles that guide their lives and businesses.

Independence matters most to me. I used to think it was important, but now I think it’s everything, to me. I don’t want to have a boss. I don’t want to do things by committee. I only want to make what I am interested in making, and I want to make it my way. Read more>>

Xiaoxue Meng | Motion Designer&Storyboard Artist

The principle that resonates with me most is the value of taking risks. It’s been the driving force behind my academic and professional journey. Initially, I pursued a chemistry major at a liberal arts college but soon realized my true passion lay in the arts. Taking a leap of faith, I transferred to the School of Visual Arts in New York. Read more>>

Alex Weisman | Director of Photography

It’s tough to narrow it down to just one. The values that are most important to me today—personally and professionally–are the ones I mostly absorbed growing up. My dad was a third- generation business owner and my mother always  worked full-time—they instilled the importance and joy of working hard. Read more>>

Daeil Kim Melanie Sudyn | Xylograph Films: Film Production Company

At Xylograph Films, we have several core values, each of which plays a role in shaping who we are and guides our actions. One of our fundamental principles is leadership. Leadership goes beyond authority; it’s about inspiring and empowering others to reach their full potential. Read more>>

Jon Campbell Rose | Filmmaker

This fluctuates, but one thing I seem to stubbornly stick by is my sense of identity and “self”. How very modern, I know – but it seems to me the only thing you can really own. I’ve always been pretty rebellious and extremely suspicious of rules; supplicating myself to something that’s arbitrary always felt like a waste of a life.  Read more>>

Kamila Zmrzla | Artist

What matters to me the most is authenticity. Of course one cannot always be authentic when running a small business but for me, it must play a big part in the process. If I cannot attach emotionally to what I’m doing then the outcome will be habitual. Read more>>

Rochelle Voyles | Visual Artist

Definitely authenticity and honesty. It’s two principles, but I think they go hand in hand. When I was a kid, I remember my dad telling me the worst thing someone could do was to steal the truth from you. That idea always stuck with me, and I think it’s better to be real with others than to try to sugar coat things; people can sense inauthenticity a mile away. Read more>>

Ana Rokafella Garcia | B girl, Choreographer, Professor, Artist

Authenticity is a priority for me as I create dance pieces or draft up workshop experiences. I am from the Bronx and most people still believe we are operating with a lawless mentality. Contrary to what many believe, here are so many people from the Bronx who work hard and bring about good vibes in this borough. Read more>>

G Rockwell | Musician – Banjo player, Guitarist & Mandolinist

The preservation and development of my art will always be the top priority for me no matter what. I always think about things in relation to the growth up my artistry and individual sound as a musician. I think there’s something many artists lose when being business oriented that takes away from quality of the product. Read more>>

Yi-Hsuan (Ant) Ma | Visual artist and educator

The main value matters to me, is to care about real people and share story that conecct to community and reflect what people struggle/ or truly feelings. I worked as a freelancer set designer in New York City, often for indie films and off Boardway where there are fewer support resources. Read more>>