Values are what guide you in your life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)

Many of the values that are important to me today were instilled by my parents throughout my childhood. As entrepreneurs, my parents taught me the need for ingenuity and hard work to get a job done. They also taught me the importance of showing gratitude for the things that I have and empathy towards others.

My parents worked hard to succeed as entrepreneurs, my mom as a healthcare consultant and my dad as a farmer. I found that same self-starter spirit at an early age, always seeking ways to get creative and satisfy an unmet need. From selling candy on the playground in elementary school to starting a business in high school unlocking iPhones, my resourcefulness carried into college where I majored in entrepreneurial management. Throughout college, I started several new ventures that leveraged my skills and interests. For example, after learning from a family friend how expensive swimming lessons were at the local golf club, I earned my instructor’s license and taught private lessons at a much more affordable rate.

While I was fortunate to live comfortably from my parents’ hard work, I learned the meaning of gratitude when my childhood home burned down during a thunderstorm in the summer of 2005. Although the house was a complete loss, I only felt gratitude that none of my family members were hurt. Since then, I’ve known that material things are not important to me. The things that are most important to me are intangible, including my family’s health, time with loved ones, and the sense of security that comes with stable income and housing. To this day, I consider myself incredibly privileged to have the things that I do and try to express that gratitude every day.

Growing up, my parents ensured that I understood my privilege by involving me in numerous charitable causes, such as volunteering at local group homes and at food drives. I continue to seek ways to help those going through challenging times, including my work with the Animal Humane Society. Beyond these volunteer efforts, I take great care to incorporate empathy and compassion into my personal life. Someone once told me that “People won’t always remember exactly what you said, but what they will remember is how you made them feel,” and for that reason I try to show kindness and respect to everyone that I meet.

I want to continue championing these values in my career, and earning my MBA from Kellogg will equip me with the tools I need to lead and empower teams with empathy, compassion, and gratitude. As an active leader and team member, I hope to inspire my classmates to bring empathy, gratitude and compassion into their work.