Hershey Gargash, children’s author
Best advice my mother gave me: Growing up, she often reminded me that protecting my peace of mind was important. At the time, I didn’t fully understand what she meant, but as I grew older, I began to appreciate her wisdom. The world will always be noisy and uncertain, but your mind can remain calm if you learn not to hold onto every worry or moment of anger. Let difficult moments pass like clouds drifting across the sky.
Advice for my children: The first piece is simple: be kind, always. Kindness is never wasted. Another important lesson is to remember that everything changes. Both joy and hardship are temporary. When life feels beautiful, be grateful. When life feels difficult, be patient. Finally, try to leave the world a little better than you found it. Care for the earth, care for animals and care for people. A meaningful life is not measured by what you take, but by what you give back.
Maryanne Haggas, founder of Mother Tongue
Best advice my mother gave me: My mum always said that family is the most important thing, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t also be ambitious. She showed me that you can care deeply for the people around you while still building something of your own.
Advice for my children: Find something you love doing and work hard at it. But also remember that the real joy in life is the people you share it with.
Ruth Bradley, founder and managing director of Ruth Bradley Consulting
Best advice my mother gave me: More so than any one piece of advice, what my mum instilled in me, from a very young age, was an insatiable appetite for adventure. She drummed it into us. As kids we had a pretty radical childhood looking back now, growing up on the border with North Wales and running wild and free like ragamuffins. In the holidays we’d leave at the crack of dawn with a packet of digestives and not return until after dark, making dens in the woods, eating wild hazelnuts till we popped and tormenting the local farmers. Bedtime? No clue what that was. We would sleep in the stables, jumping every time we heard a rat. Or by the open fire using the dog as a pillow.
Advice for my children: As an adult, I’m no different to the above. Our kids have that exact same sense of adventure. But more so than this we have taught them to be brave and to be curious. Not to shy away from speaking up against oppression and fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves, and to continuously question everything.
Sonia Sultan, luxury travel expert and founder of Nivara Concierge
Best advice my mother gave me: My mother has always been my guiding light when it comes to compassion. Having owned her own orphanage for years she ensured that we grew up helping her out there. One day she told me that when she’s gone, she wants her children and grandchildren to take over and make sure that any child who passes through those doors has someone rooting for them. And she always reminds me that, “Your character is remembered long after you leave the room.”
Advice for my children: “Travelling is the best education.” I often emphasise that the world is a ‘living classroom’ and by experiencing different cultures, people and places firsthand you will break down narrow, preconceived notions and learn to love humanity as a whole – something the world needs more than ever right now. In the words of Mark Twain, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.”
Soraya Jouzy, founder of Pearl Tree luxury and beauty distribution
Best advice my mother gave me: Be confident, own it and embrace who you are. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else.
Advice for my child: For baby Marco, I hope that he will be born to embrace curiosity, as I think that is really important. To always ask the why and have that critical thinking mindset. That’s what I would like to pass on to him, as it’s something that maybe university can’t really teach. I really can’t wait to see how his character unfolds.
Jen Stelco, mural artist
Best advice my mother gave me: My mum is endlessly creative, as a child she taught me to knit, paint, make jewellery, scrapbook, sew, quilt, stain glass, you name it. She definitely instilled a love for creating in me, and the best advice she ever gave me was to celebrate mistakes as creative opportunities. Most of my creative revaluations have happened by accident!
Advice for my children: It’s to find a thing that you do for pleasure and make time for it. It can’t be something with an end goal, or something you need to learn and improve or compete with, just something that you do for sheer joy.
Salam Daqqaq, chef and founder of Bait Maryam
Best advice my mother gave me: My mother always reminded me that the kitchen is not a place for shortcuts. She would say that when you cook, you are taking responsibility for someone’s comfort and happiness, even if it’s just for one meal. I grew up watching her cook slowly, tasting as she went, trusting her hands and her memory. She taught me that food should be honest, and that the most important ingredient is the care you put into it.
Advice for my children: I would tell them to always stay close to who they are and where they come from. The world will ask you to move fast, to change, to adapt, but your roots are what give you strength. Whether they cook or choose another path entirely, I hope they remember that kindness, generosity and sharing with others will always matter more than success. At the end of the day, what people remember is how you made them feel.
