Clarissa Hyneman

I attribute my success first and foremost to God. So much of what I’ve built started with prayer, obedience, and being willing to move when I felt God calling me to something, even when I didn’t have everything figured out.

I also attribute it to perseverance. I’ve learned that success isn’t always one big breakthrough. A lot of it is continuing to show up, learning as you go, being willing to pivot, and not allowing setbacks to make you quit.

My family has also been a huge part of my journey. Many of the things I create are inspired by my own children and the experiences we’ve had as a family. They’ve given me a deeper sense of purpose and reminded me that the work I’m doing is bigger than simply creating books or building a business.

Ultimately, I believe my success has come from staying rooted in my faith, being intentional about my purpose, and having the courage to keep going even when I couldn’t see exactly where the journey would lead.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is to do the hard things first.

I’ve carried that advice with me throughout my career. At the beginning of the day, when my energy and focus are at their highest, I try to tackle the things that require the most thought, effort, or attention. Then, as the day goes on and my energy starts to decrease, I’m left with the tasks that are easier to manage.

It sounds simple, but it has helped me tremendously with productivity and feeling less overwhelmed. Whether I’m managing responsibilities in nursing, working on a book, or running my business, I try not to spend my best energy avoiding the thing I know is going to require the most from me.

Do the hard things first. Everything else feels a little easier after that.

I would tell young women entering any of the industries I’m part of to keep pushing through the hard days and remember why you started.

Whether I was working at the bedside caring for eight patients, doing the work I do now coordinating care and advocating for families, or building my journey as an author, I’ve experienced moments when the work felt overwhelming, exhausting, or even thankless. Each role comes with its own challenges, and there are days when you may question whether what you’re doing is really making a difference.

But I’ve learned to pay attention to the small reminders that it is. I believe God has a way of giving us those moments right when we need them. It might be a patient thanking you for the care you provided, a family finally receiving a service you advocated for, or a parent telling you that one of your books helped their child feel seen and understood.

Those moments remind me that impact isn’t always measured by something big or public. Sometimes it’s simply knowing that one person’s life was better because of something you did.

So my advice would be to look for the good moments and hold on to them. Keep showing up, keep learning, and keep doing the work with purpose. The hard days will come, but don’t let a hard day make you forget the impact you’re making.

One of the biggest challenges I see across the different areas I work in is making sure people don’t get lost in systems that weren’t necessarily designed with their individual needs in mind.

In healthcare, there are incredible resources available, but families can still struggle to understand what they qualify for, how to access services, or how to advocate for what they need. As a nurse and in the work I do now, I see how important it is to have someone who can help bridge those gaps.

I see something similar as an author. Children need books where they can see themselves, their families, their differences, and their experiences represented. There is a real opportunity to create stories that don’t just entertain children but also help them feel understood and help other children develop empathy for experiences different from their own.

I think the biggest opportunity in both fields is the same: to listen to people, recognize where the gaps are, and use whatever position or platform you have to help fill them. That’s something I try to carry into every area of my work.

The values that are most important to me, both personally and professionally, are faith, integrity, compassion, purpose, and service.

My faith is at the center of everything I do. It influences how I make decisions, how I treat people, and how I define success. Integrity is equally important to me because I want who I am privately to match who I present myself to be publicly.

Compassion and service are also deeply important. Whether I’m serving families through my professional work, advocating for children, or creating books and resources, I want people to feel seen, valued, and supported. I never want my work to simply be about accomplishing something. I want it to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life.

Finally, I value purpose. I try to be intentional about what I give my time and energy to and ask myself whether what I’m doing aligns with the purpose God has given me.

At the end of the day, I want to live and work in a way that honors God, serves people well, and leaves something meaningful behind.