I took a gamble of another kind and started my own brick-and-mortar business, a gourmet cupcake shop. It was, by far, the hardest work I have ever done in my life.

While the profits didn’t roll in as I had envisioned, and I eventually had to close the business, I am proud to say that at least I was able to employ nine people during a time when jobs were hard to come by—and I landed Nordstrom as a client!

The greatest reward from this entrepreneurial venture, however, has yet to see its payday: the work ethic that I modeled for my daughters. They saw, firsthand, how hard their mother toiled to bring her dream to life, and I can only hope that my tenacity had a lasting impression on them.

In case they missed that lesson, we continue to talk about life goals and how important it is to work hard, even when you feel beaten down. I have taught them that the quickest way to success is to go to college, study madly, get a job, develop their talents and believe that they are capable of achieving anything they put their minds—and a little elbow grease—to.