“If you stand for nothing, you fall for everything”

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

Asher Witkin | Singer-Songwriter & Music Educator

For a long time, what I wanted more than anything else was fame. I dreamed of being on talk shows, filling stadium tours with screaming fans, scrolling through hundreds of comments dissecting the lyrics to my songs. It was the single focus of my young life. When I had a show coming up, I was excited, buzzing, safe in the understanding that I was working towards my goal. When I didn’t, I felt adrift, unsettled, lazy. Read more>>

Clarissa Effa | Owner & Pastry Chef

Authenticity! I love to create flavors/themes/designs specifically for my macarons that are not only delicious, but interesting and unique to something you can only find from me! I truly believe that as much as my customers enjoy my product, one of the reasons that keeps them coming back is that they are invested in me and my story as an entrepreneur. Read more>>

Courtney Panton | Musician & General Manager

Consistency matters most to me. It builds reliability and accuracy. Read more>>

Mia Alvarado

I feel strongly about staying true to who you are. It may come off as some sort of cliche to people but I feel a deep value in this saying. The reason behind this is because I struggle with the fear of judgement, just like anyone else would. However, I know that judgement is inevitable no matter who you want to be perceived as, which is why I would rather try my best to be authentic. Read more>>