"I find inspiration in a variety of people and things. I would have to say that the person who has most greatly inspired me has been my grandmother. She always had a smile on her face no matter how hard she worked and she loved everyone. She was well respected and always gave more than she received. I try to live like she did, as much as I can."

"My previous manager was a huge inspiration to me. Her passion for this industry was motivating and put the fire in me to climb the ladder in my marketing career."

"My inspiration comes from my grandmother. She has spent every day of her life working hard, and I have never once heard her complain about being tired and overworked. She taught me the value of a good reputation, and I still seek out her opinion when I need inspiration."

"Many industry leaders inspire me, but I would have to say that my greatest inspiration comes from my mother who always taught me to stay focused and goal oriented, no matter the obstacles that come my way. This way of thinking has greatly attributed to my success."

"I am inspired by the workers on the assembly line. Many of them have hectic lives, mouths to feed, and less than impressive education. They overcome their hardships and come to work every day to make life better for themselves and their children."

"While it may sound cliche, my father is inspiring to me. He moved here in his 30s with two kids, a wife, no English, and no transferable education. He worked as a pizza delivery driver to make ends meet while going to school to learn to code. We may have moved a lot when I was little, but it was because he was always trying to find the next better school for us. I learned my work ethic from him and that I'm never too old to learn something new and push out of my comfort zone."

"My friend, Austin inspires me. He started a business at age 14, mowing lawns, and built it from there. This friend of mine took a risk by not going to college, and we all thought he was nuts, but now he has an incredibly successful business with 3 locations, a brand-new home, and an incredibly happy family life with two cute kids. He saw what he wanted from a young age, made a plan to make it happen, and has executed it so well, without sacrificing his happiness or pursuit of family. I think that's inspiring."

"My oldest son inspires me and has been probably my greatest teacher in life. Firstborns are apt to do that for any parent, but my son has autism, so he has taught me an entirely different way to look at life, understand it, and approach it creatively. I am very fortunate that he is relatively typical and can communicate with us, is mostly mainstreamed, and the like, but he is different. It helps me think differently about how to connect with our world, how to see things uniquely, and how everyone's perspective is valid. His passion for life, his creative brain, and his eternally happy spirit inspire me. He teaches me so much every single day, and I try to infuse my classroom with the lessons he gives me, too."

"I work in a volunteer capacity with a family owned business that was founded to give adults with special needs a community and a place to work. What they are doing for the special needs community is so inspiring to me. I have always been taught to give back and "be the change," and they're walking the walk. It inspires me to make sure I make an impact on this world and give back whenever and however possible."