In our view, values and principles are the foundation upon which our lives, careers and relationships are built. So, we asked folks we admire to open up to us about the values and principles that matter most to them.

Alex Guminski | NFL and FIBA Agent

Honesty. Without it, there is no personal relationship. There is no potential for a business relationship. There is no chance for growth. Honesty allows people to trust one another. They feel safe being themselves, and speaking their mind. Honesty allows for the open and respectful exchange of ideas, for receiving constructive criticism, for strength/weakness analysis, and ultimately for plan creation. Read more>>

Damon Horton | Father, street chef and fashion designer

Respect. In my opinion as a man, respect is everything. From what you stand for, to the way you treat people, it all stems from respect. I pride myself in being a genuinely good person overall in life and a lot of that stems from respect. Read more>>

Marlon Princeton Townsend | Marlon

Aretha Franklin spelled it out, R.E.S.P.E.C.T…It’s a two-fold principle. The world needs it and the world lacks it. Quantity or quality, either can supersede the other. Many people are great people of influence. The term great is indicative of a large amount of something. The term influence relates to how people are affected and the effects thereof. I’ve heard time and time again that people can, will, and usually remember how they were treated and the emotion(s) associated. Whether it be a quantity of good or bad. Read more>>

Eldonna Fernandez | Founder, Baskets and Beads Kenya

Integrity First, service before self, excellence in all you do are the Air Force Core values that I followed the 23 years in I served in the military. I still live by those core values today. Keeping those as my foundation along with my faith helps keep me on track to do the right thing, even when no one else is looking. Striving for excellence doesn’t always mean it will turn out excellent but keeping the bar high ensures if you shoot for the moon and miss you will at least land among the stars. Also making sure to do an after action review of tasks you accomplish is a foundational principle. Looking at what worked, what didn’t work and what can be improved for next time is another thing I learned in the military. It keeps me focused on constant improvement. Read more>>

Natalia Weekly | Owner & Lead Therapist

Self-Compassion matters the most to me. Self-Compassion reminds me that I am human and was created to make mistakes, grow, fail, and live life with grace and kindness. Self-compassion permits me to live authentically without shame and guilt. We live in a society that sends messages that we always have to be doing and that the things we do must be perfect. It’s not realistic and healthy to live in the space of perfectionism. We tend to lose the beauty of humanity when striving for perfectionism. There was a time in my life that I was my harshest critic. I would shame myself for any mistakes (that were mine or not mine) instead of honoring myself and my own needs. Read more>>

Nadiya Popadyuk | Entrepreneur & Real Estate Professional Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties DRE# 02193969

I believe in personal responsibility for everything that you experience in your life. We are responsible for our actions and their outcomes. If you want to create the life of your dreams, you have to focus and be in charge of every action you are taking. You also have to be passionate about your life and what you are doing. If you can have the passion, it will guide you, it will motivate you, it will help you to overcome the obstacles. Read more>>

Jaimie Coloma | Tattoo Artist, Designer & Owner of elli-o HAWAII

I have to stay true to myself and my art. Admittedly, I have an internal battle everytime I design a new print. Sometimes it can take me months of tweaking before I feel satisfied to move on to production. Designing original prints for the fabric has been fun, but also challenging. They are direct reflections of my artistic taste and abilities. I also repurpose vintage Hawaiian fabrics, allowing them to be loved and appreciated for years longer, as opposed to ending up in a landfill on our islands never to be seen again. Some people might think that’s just something small, but I think every little bit helps. Read more>>

Priyanka Wali | Board-certified physician & Performing Artist

Self-love and self-care are principles that I value the most. Maintaining a healthy dialogue with my Self is a practice that I try to prioritize at all times. People, family, friends, acquaintances, pets, even homes, cities, places- all of these entities will change and come and go in our lives. But as long as you are living in a human body, the one person that will always be there with you is your Own Self! So I think our relationship to our Self is the most important relationship in our current life. You have to live with your self your entire life so you might as well learn to get along! The inner dialogue that we have with our self is the most important conversation we are having internally. Read more>>

Molly Kruse | Singer, Songwriter, Artist, Performer

There are far too many, so I’ll try to keep my list short! Honesty, integrity, keeping one’s word, and having a good, kind, giving heart. I try to embody all of these principles and surround myself with similar people, and each quality has given me much happiness and taken me to places I’d never thought I’d be. 🙂 Read more>>