Laura Martinez

I would say independence, having that freedom to pretty much be who you want to be and go where you want to go. Both of my parents are immigrants, so they didn't have the luxury to finish school because they had to survive and provide for their own families. They were always in my ear about it, telling me that I have to go to school and become someone in life, because whoever you become is how they're gonna treat you. That's something that has always been engraved in my head from a very, very young age. Not going to school was not an option for me, and that shaped the other virtues and values that I have today.

What I would share is don't give up. There's gonna be a lot of moments where you'll be the youngest one in the room, which has always been my case. You tend to have that imposter syndrome, and you're kind of like, am I meant to be here? Am I good enough to be here? Just always be mindful of the fact that wherever you are in life presently is where you're meant to be. That's your forever path or your temporary path, but you're always gonna learn something from it, be it good or bad. Always be open to the possibilities, because the possibilities are endless, for sure.

I would say one of the biggest values is just staying true to who you are. I know there's quite a few people that do that fake it till you make it mindset, but I kind of disagree with that because there's only so much of that that you can do. I would say just try your best. I know working a 9-to-5 isn't everyone's ideal way of working, but what I would say is just, while you're in it, enjoy the journey of putting your head down and just working and doing your best, and putting your best foot forward. And if you're ever in a position where you've made a mistake, which, my gosh, I've made so many, don't beat yourself up for it. That's something that I'm also still working on because I tend to be a little bit of a perfectionist.