USC Parents Reveal How They Make Money and Raise Successful Kids

How do you get over the fear of failure? Do you have any advice for parents who want to raise a successful child? What's your definition of success? >> That's some real money out here. >> What's a piece of advice that you wish you knew when you were your kid's age? >> Find out what it is you like to do. >> Don't give up. >> Slow down. >> Do not take criticism to heart. Self-confidence is critical. USC

is an expensive college to pay for. Would you guys say it was worth it? >> Is it expensive? Yes. Is it a wooden? Um, so today we're here at USC where tuition costs over $100,000 per year. Obviously, if you can afford that, then you would need a lot of financial aid or your parents would need to have a lot of money. That's why we're going to be asking USC parents how they make their money, their advice,

and other questions just like that. This is going to be a really exciting video. So, let's go. Uh, hi. Excuse me, guys. Uh, are you >> That was so awkward. Uh, excuse me, sir. Uh, we're doing a video. Okay. Yeah, no worries. Thank you. At least they were nice about it. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions? Right ahead. >> Oh, perfect. Okay. What's your name, age, and what do you do for a

living? >> My name is Orlando Sepa Woodard. I'm from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I'm originally from Niagara, Louisiana. 53 years old, police officer for the Baton Rouge Police Department. I'm in recruiting and my daughter Jay just graduated today. So, we're here celebrating it. >> And what is your daughter graduating with today? >> She graduating fine arts, dance, all that good stuff. She does it all. So, she did from Kaufman School of Dance. And she did her first

big thing a couple of weeks ago with Ludicrous. So that was her first video shoot, her major thing that I know of and and more to come. >> Wow. Congrats. >> For any parents out there who want their child to become successful or maybe go to USC one day, what advice do you have? >> I'm from a small town called Nagish, Louisiana. So moved to Baton Rouge, had this beautiful young lady. She went to uh and

she transferred to Baton Rouge High, president of her class. So when she first said she wanted to come to USC or school in New York, we living in Baton Rouge. I'm thinking of small. She's thinking big. So the next thing I thought of, don't be a dream killer. Let your kids do what they want to do. Was it hard? No. Was it easy? No. Was it right on time? Right. Cuz we God is good. >> USC

is obviously not cheap. It's one of the most expensive schools out there. Would you say it's worth it? >> Definitely. It's definitely worth it. I mean, if she had to do it over again, if we had to do it over it again, I tell her make that same choice. USC is a I mean, look around. This is a beautiful campus. I smell money out here. So, you're surrounded by it. This is a little motivation for me,

thinking a little bigger and thinking outside the box. >> What's the best thing that you've ever done for your children >> to put them in the best situation possible? Schools, environment. I'm in law enforcement, so fortunately, I can tell them the extra steps of the right and wrongs. Don't do this, don't do that, be careful, be disciplined, those types of things. >> What's your opinion on taking risks when you're young? >> My opinion is go for

it. One of her speakers just said at her graduation, go for it. You're going to hear the answer is no. No motivates me. You know how many times I was told no? I'm very successful right now. Very successful. So, no is not an answer. Go for it. You fall off the horse, get back on it. Fall down eight times, get back up. >> What's your definition of success? >> Measure success against yourself. Don't compete with no

one else. Compete against yourself. When I look in the mirror every day, I give myself a checkup from the neck up. I compete against me. You don't need to compete with no one else. Success is measured within yourself. If I'm standing here today, just because you're doing what you're doing and I'm trying to measure my success against yours, that's not success. success is what I can move the needle a little further. >> What's the best advice

you've ever received? >> Stay out of trouble. That's the best advice because when you stay out of trouble, opportunity will present itself. So, if you stay in trouble, opportunity won't present itself because you don't have that opportunity to go go forward. Cuz if you're in trouble, you'll never see that little light through that tunnel. >> How are you guys going to celebrate tonight, >> man? We're going to celebrate. We have celebrated by giving her hugs and

kisses and more hugs and we're going to go out to eat and just, you know, mellow out. Not going to do nothing major, nothing out of the norm, but just have a good time. enjoy with family. >> What are your guys' names, ages, and what do you guys do for a living? >> Uhi and Nugji. I'm an entrepreneur. I own my own business and my wife is a judge. >> And how old are you guys? >>

I am 58 and my wife is 55. >> You guys look super young for that age. >> How did you guys get into your professions? >> The strongest power we have on earth is humanity. So I thought about how I can support make the world a better place in the area of healthcare. And then I thought about starting my own ambulance business. So that's what I do for a living is I have ambulance business. Doing that

for over 21 years has actually helped me touch lives. >> Growing up, I was always that kid that spoke up for others. I found out earlier on in in high school that that was where my gifting was and with encouragement of family, I decided to enroll in law. So I studied law overseas in Nigeria to the specific. And then my husband and I relocated to the United States in 1999. I began to research on how I

can return to my profession here in the United States and I uh inquired from the California State Bar and it took me a couple tries. I did that while working full-time and raising our kids. I passed the state bar in 2006 with the support of my husband. I started my own law law practice. I practiced until 2023 until I got appointed as an administrative law judge with the state of California. >> Wow. Do you have any

advice for anybody who wants to get into business? If you want to go into business, go into business. Do not hesitate. I believe a lot of reasons why people don't go into business is fear of failing. But if you don't fail, that means you haven't tried. >> How do you get over the fear of failure? >> You just go ahead and try because life in itself has a lot of uh reasons why we need to be

afraid. You have to be able to conquer those fears because if you don't, you will never know whether you could succeed. >> And any advice for anybody taking the bar exam for the first time? >> Where there's a will, there's always a way. You might not make it the first trial, but don't be discouraged. Do it again. Build up on your experience. If you don't give up, you will definitely succeed. I did it. I studied overseas.

I graduated in 1995. So that was a long time. And I took Dubai in 2006 and was able to pass it. Raising kids, working full-time. You guys are the power couple of 2026. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. >> For all the parents out there who want to raise a successful child, what advice do you guys have? >> Know very well that there's no amount of money spent towards your own child. Don't look at the

money part of it. Often times we parents have a tendency of saying, "Oh, we can't afford it." Have you tried? Why don't you just try? If you can't afford it because you don't have money stashed away in the bank, you could borrow. There's no other place to do things and do it right other than this part of the world. So, I encourage every parents to at least help make your children make the world a better place.

And education is the first place to start. >> With God on your side, everything is possible. Like my husband said, in this part of the world, there are many resources to achieving a college education. Go out, seek out assistance. Like I said, where there's a will, there's a way. How did you guys help your child find her passion? >> We say if you find this interesting, this is how far you can go. Whereby you don't find

it interesting, maybe we can look other ways where we can find something that interests you. Maybe that can help you. You will love what you do and then it will help you integrate yourself into the system and work hard and, you know, make a career out of it. So, we laid a couple options at the table and then they pick the ones that they think that uh suits them and then we'll support them. Obviously USC is

an expensive college to pay for. Would you guys say it was worth it? >> I believe it's worth it. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it rewarding? Absolutely. >> You become who you surround yourself with. Your academic background matters a lot to who you become in life. >> This is your guys's daughter. >> Yes. >> Do you guys mind if if she comes in the video and says something? Okay. Hi. What's the best thing that they've done

for you? >> My identity. Like who I was, what I believe in, all of that goodness. also giving me the space to be curious, to ask questions, and then telling me how it is. >> It seems like your parents are like very supportive. What advice would you give to somebody out there who might have unsupportive parents? >> Community isn't only tied to blood. Find your community. It could be in the form of other extended family members.

It could be friends, um, mentors. Never be afraid to expand your network. Put yourself out there. Put your best foot forward. Introduce yourself. Let people know what your intentions are in interacting with them and I'm sure slowly but surely that community will come. >> What's your name, age, and what do you do for a living? >> Age? Mark Manina. I'm uh 69 and I'm a film composer. I write the score to movies that you've all seen,

I think. Hope maybe. >> What kind of movies? >> Action. A lot of animated movies. I just finished Moana. That's coming out in July. >> Wow. How did you get into that line of work? >> I started working with um Han Zimmer when I was younger and uh he and I had a studio together for a while. Then I sort of branched out. I did a movie called Speed about a bus that was uh had a

bomb in it and it was Sandra Bulock's first movie and that movie kind of launched my career. I'd also done worked on The Lion King. I did a produced the songs for that line and then I did Twister and Training Day and a lot of Disney stuff Tarzan and as I said Moana and so do you have any advice for anybody who wants to get into that field of work? >> You got to really study a

lot of different styles of music but mainly it's just to stay with it not give up. Keep going after whatever you really think you were going to do. So, I didn't really know if I was going to be doing this, but I knew I was going to be doing music for a living no matter what. So, >> and now you have a YouTube channel, right? >> I do. I do have a YouTube channel and it's really

fun. I talk about all sorts of things. All the different people I've worked with and the different movies I'm working on and behind the scenes and all sorts of stuff. >> And what is your daughter graduating with today? >> She's getting her master's degree in psychology. >> Obviously, USC is very expensive. Do you think that it was worth it? >> N chicken fee. No. Uh, of course. Of course. Yeah. It's a great school. I have a

lot of great friends that work in the music department. We'll see how it pays off. Right, Molly? >> What's the best piece of advice that you've ever received? >> The main thing is that to not take criticism to heart. Take criticism, learn from it, but don't let it hurt you. Don't let it change your direction of your where you're going. I was told by so many people that I would never make a living in the music

business, and I've won three Grammys. You know, don't listen to what people say. >> Do you have any advice for parents who want to raise a successful child? >> You have to support what your child is interested in rather than push them into something that they're not interested in. I think that's very important. >> For any parents out there who have a kid who's maybe doing something that maybe they don't approve of all the way and

it's not something that they would want their kids to do. What advice do you have for them? >> You know, I wasn't really wild about Molly getting into the music business to be honest with you cuz uh it's a pretty brutal business. I think you just have to let your kids do what they'd like to do as long as it's not illegal and it's going to get them in trouble, you know. Um let them do what

they want to do and support them in that. >> What's something that you wish you knew when you were your daughter's age? >> It it takes a really long time to find your way for some people. Some people make their way very early, successful, very young, and other people it takes a long time. For me, it took quite a while. I was in my 30s when I did the Lion King. So, um, it took a while.

So, you just have to be patient. By the way, as you guys are seeing, most of these rich parents are in business. So, if you want to start your own business, check out the link in the description below. We put links to tons of resources that can help you out. Free courses on how to build a cash flowing business, discounts on software and services. We're super passionate about helping business owners, and hopefully some of you will

take the plunge after watching this to start your own business. Again, those resources are going to be linked down below. And I encourage you to take advantage of them because they are all completely free. Oh, and another thing, probably 99% of these rich people have a high yield savings account. So, I'll put a link down below to our favorite. And now, let's get back into the interviews. What's your name, age, and what do you do for

a living? >> My name is Zach. I'm uh 64 years old. I'm a retired engineer. >> And how did you get into that line of work? >> Well, it was kind of a childhood uh thing. I grew up in uh Apollo 11. Landed on the moon when I was 7 years old. It was a big impact. I always wanted to be an engineer. I like to build things. >> And who are you celebrating today? My son

Christopher, he just got his masters of science and social work. >> How does it feel being a parent of a child that goes to USC and graduates? >> It's fantastic. You know, it was not an easy thing for my son to figure out what he wanted to do in life. When it came to the social work, amazingly, he just fell right into it. It was kind of a friend of a friend doing this, doing counseling. So,

it's like he found his true meaning to fulfillment of uh something he likes to do. So, it's fantastic watching him complete that journey and get his master's degree. What's a piece of advice that you wish you knew when you were your kid's age? >> Find out what it is you like to do. There's a lot of selfarching and all that. So, more you can get out there and actually do different things, I think, is is really,

really, really important. >> How do you push your kid to go out there and try different things? >> Sometimes you don't give them the option. You just do it. We're going to go do swimming today. We're going to do mini golf. Just keep it going, you know, and pretty soon I think you'll see like, well, I really want to go back and do that. So, it's like, yeah, we're going to keep doing that. >> For someone

who wants to get into engineering, what advice do you have for them? I was lucky. I loved it. You know, I think a lot of people out there are just kind of doing it because they know it's a good job. It helps if you love it. But we need a lot of science and technology majors right now. Even with all the AI, the future's bright. You just got to embrace it and we'll ride it out. Just

keep doing what you love to do, no matter what it is, you'll be successful and you'll find happiness in it. >> What's a skill that you think everybody in college nowadays should learn? >> Community and reaching out to each other, depending on each other. And especially here at USC, I've kind of noticed uh you know, there is a camaraderie here. When you're in college, you're going to make contacts that you know for the rest of your

life. and seek them out and have fun and depend on each other. It'll make the journey a lot easier cuz it's not easy. >> Would you say that you got relationships out of your college experience that you still use today? >> Yeah, I'm going to go visit a friend here in the next week or so. You know, I mean, I'm retired now, so I mean we kind of diverge and kind of come back now and, you

know, reminisce about the old days, but uh yeah. >> What's something that you did right when raising your children? >> They uh definitely have their own views and their own viewpoint. You know, they found their own path. It's so funny, you know, my son and I, we have the same outlook on our views. I mean, but we're looking at different things. social work versus engineering kind of science these kind of people are in. But man, when

it comes to like how we deal with things, we are we are the same, you know, as far as raising kids, you know, give them that confidence, give them that uh strength so they can go on their own. >> What's your name, age, and what do you do for a living? >> My name is Sova Wong. I am 60 and I am a chief technology officer. >> Do you mind saying what company? >> Company name is

Arn Fox Shift. It's a law firm. >> How did you get into that line of work? >> I started as a more like a system analyst. basically helping company to write different financial reports. I started studying internet before it exists. That's how I got into it. >> And what is your kid graduating with today? >> She's getting her master in applied psychology. >> Do you have any advice for any parents who want their children to also

become successful and go to USC? >> You have to have the aspiration, the determination, then you have to work very hard to pay for the tuition. >> Yeah, USC is very expensive. Would you say that the tuition is worth it? >> Uh yeah, I think so. any master degree I I think anywhere you go it's going to cost you the same money just the fact that you get to the next level of your education I think

it's worth it especially going to a school like USC you get not only good quality education but also get to know lots of different people >> so what advice would you give to parents who might have kids who don't really know what they want to do in life >> well you know at least trying to look for targets first you may not end up getting where you started to plan for but at least if you aim

for it there's a chance that you get to it if you don't aim for anything you're not going to eter. >> Nowadays with AI and everything, do you still think that college education is worth it when people could just learn online nowadays? >> There are components of education that definitely needs a lot of changes. It doesn't mean that AI could replace education, but I think it needs to be infused in part of the education. >> If

you were in charge of the school system, how would you change how education works? The school needs to keep an open mind, look at opportunities to embrace the changing world and really bring those into the students life and make them be part of it as opposed to refusing. >> What's the biggest skill that you think students should learn today? >> I think people skill is one of the most important thing be able to communicate with people

and to understand and establish those relationship and network with others. That's more important than learning how to write software or to program something. >> What's the best piece of advice that you've ever received? Work hard. Believe in yourself. Don't give up when it's getting harder. Just keep pushing forward. >> What are your guys' names, ages, and what do you guys do for a living? >> I am Gwendalyn Hanal Rise. You're not supposed to ask a woman

her age. >> Just joking. I'm 54 years old. I am a doctor. >> I'm Reine Rise. I'm an orthopedic spine surgeon. I am 55 years old. >> You guys look great for that age. >> Oh, thank you. >> Do you guys have any advice for parents who want to raise successful children? takes a lot of dedication being able to listen to them, being able to help push them along and encourage them along the way. Also teaching

them that no matter what they do, whether they go to college or not, they really have to truly find something that they're passionate about and then just hit it full speed and do it with passion so that they'll be successful. >> I agree. I think one of the most important things I think for the kids this age is they have to believe in themselves. Self-confidence is critical. If you doubt yourself, you'll never be able to do

anything. So the most important thing is they have to be able to learn how to believe in who they are. >> Do you guys have any advice for anyone looking to get into the medical industry? >> You do not have to follow a cookie cutter path. You don't have to be a biology or a science major by any means. You want to be well-rounded. You want to be exposed to many different things. I think being well-rounded

is better than being a bookworm. >> Passion. They got to have passion. It's got to come from inside. if they love medicine, if they love the science, but whatever you choose, it becomes easier if you have the passion and the desire and the love for it. >> What's a piece of advice that you wish you knew when you were your kid's age? >> It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Do what you need to do to

get to where you need to be. >> Stay away from all the noise. I think there's too much noise outside. What is that person doing? What is that person doing? It really matters what you're doing and what you believe in and where you want to go. >> And what is your kid graduating with today? Her major is health and human sciences and she's got a triple minor in forensics and criminology, business and mind and body something.

>> Wow. USC is obviously very expensive. Would you guys say it's worth it? >> Yes. I think it's a matter of what you make out of it. I think uh it's very well worth it and we're happy that she chose her dream and was able to finish up here. >> Agree. >> Any last advice you guys want to leave the audience for people who want to be successful? >> Put your head in the books. Concentrate. Get

it done. And just realize that you can work very hard right now for a few years and be super comfortable for the rest of your life versus playing really hard right now and then struggling for the rest of your life. >> Emphatically, emphatically state you got to believe in yourself. >> What are your guys' names, ages, and what do you guys do for a living? >> Hassan, I am 53. >> And what do you do for

a living? >> I'm general manager for Consumer Insights. I we live in Dubai. Yeah. >> And I'm Fatma. I'm 45 and I'm a teacher. I'm a preschool teacher. >> And how did you guys get into your jobs? I hold a PhD degree in strategic marketing. So I started my career when I was 23. Growth and growth, just hard work and opportunities. Keep on learning about new things every day. I think that's the best thing you can

do about it. >> I just happened to be a teacher because I wanted to be around children. So it worked very well with the timings and everything and I love them. >> And what is your daughter graduating with today? >> Double masters in global media communication. >> Do you guys have any advice for any parents out there who might want to have their child go to USC one day? >> So my daughter has been multiple countries.

She was in UVA, University of Amsterdam. Then she moved to second degree in London, London School of Economics. And the third one was USC. But if I ask her where did you learn the most and which university you enjoy the most? That's USC. She said it deserve every single penny which we have spent here. >> I guess parents have to believe in their children and just let them live their dreams and we are so proud of

her and to see her grow so much in this one year as a person, as a student, learn so much. It has been such a big achievement for us to see her grow and we are so proud and it's a great school >> and obviously USC is an expensive college to go to. >> You guys would say it's worth it. >> I believe it's worth it. It's totally worth it and uh because if you can afford

it and I believe like you know there are scholarship for the people who cannot afford it. So if you can afford it, I think every single penny that you have spent here literally >> your child, you're investing in your child. I think that's how it is. I take it like I mean this is an investment as a parents we have made in her for her education and I hope she lives it up in her future >>

because if you invest in property or somewhere else and you pass it on to your kids if they are not properly learned like they're going to lose everything. >> That's true. >> But if you give them good education they make everything by themselves for themselves. >> What's the best advice that you guys have ever gotten? >> Please don't laugh at me. Okay. Because there is one thing which I learned from the cartoon. Have courage and be

kind. >> Which cartoon was that? >> Cinderella. It doesn't matter who you are. Always keep your feet on the ground. Be humble and then everything will fall in place >> and follow your dreams. Don't give up. Don't let anybody take that sparkle away from you. You can do it anything if you just believe in it. >> You believe in yourself, you can achieve everything. >> How are you guys celebrating tonight? >> Going for lunch now. And

then we are planning to go out uh in the night as well. Then she has plans with her friends late night. So yeah, a day of celebration since yesterday. And we went to Disneyland 2 days ago. >> And there are some teachers he can't stop talking about. One was David and the other one was Andy. Yes. And Freddy. I was looking for the teachers, but I didn't get a chance to meet them. But I really want

to thank all of our teachers from my heart. Thank you so much for educating my daughter so well. >> What are your guys' names, ages, and what do you guys do for a living? >> I am Lisa. I'm 56 and I'm a head hunter, an executive recruiter, and I have been for 33 years, and we live in Denver. >> My name is Ray. I'm 56 and I am retired. >> What did you do before you were

retired? >> I actually worked with Lisa. >> And you were a stay-at-home dad and took care of which is one of the reasons why they're here. Do you guys have any advice for parents who want to raise successful children? >> I think having high expectations is important, but also meeting your kids where they are and really showing them that you accept and love them no matter what, but also showing them what's possible. So, we push them

to want to learn, to want to be educated, but what do you do with that education once you have it? And so, we always push them to be as great as they could, but at the same time loving them no matter what they choose to do. I think it's important to teach your children that there's other places out there different from where you grew up and we encourage them to kind of go wherever they want, explore

the world. >> What's a piece of advice that you guys wish you knew when you were your kid's age? >> Slow down. You don't have to have a perfect internship. You don't have to have a job right out of college. It's going to work out, especially if you do what you're supposed to do and you're educated and you work hard >> and believe in yourself. I know that sounds like such a typical thing to say, but

truly believing it's going to be okay cuz these kids put so much pressure on themselves and I wish I would not put so much pressure on myself when I was young, but you had to put some pressure otherwise, you know, you won't get there. But the right amount of pressure, I think. >> Do you have any advice for all the stay-at-home dads? >> Do it. It's amazing. Don't be afraid of the stereotypes. Just embrace it. >>

I think it's finding the role that's right for you. And so, I wanted to go for it out of the house and but he's way smarter than I am. That's why our kids are here is my work ethic and his brains. What would you say is the best investment that you guys have put into your kids? >> Exposing them to lots of different things, meaning if you have an opportunity to travel, whether that's traveling in your

own state or internationally. But I think we were always watching documentaries and and our kids would get upset about different things like we have a a gay son, a transgender daughter, and just giving them this opportunity to see different things. And so I think the investment for us wasn't private school or anything else, but was really trying to show them you can do anything that you want. And I think it was just giving them more exposure,

don't you think? To whether it's music, symphony, ballet. >> USC is obviously very expensive. Would you guys say that it was worth it? >> 100% it was worth it. And I think too a lot of people don't realize there's there are great merit scholarships out there and our daughter did presidential scholarship which is like a national scholarship fund for your SAT. But also to me the money is absolutely worth it. USC is amazing. I mean all

the opportunities like our daughter is a big into hiking and she got to be part of a hiking club but she's also getting her masters here. But the professors here and the just quest for learning, but for you to get to be whoever you want to be and be great at it, I think USC is the best school in the nation for it. >> How are you guys going to celebrate tonight? >> We just want to

celebrate and be with our amazing daughter. We could not be more proud of her and it's so exciting. And have champagne, of course. Go USC fight on. >> All right. Okay. If you guys enjoyed the video, please make sure to hit that like button and subscribe because on this channel we do a bunch of videos just like this. And the whole point is to inspire you guys to become financially successful. Thank you guys so much for

watching and I'll see you in the next video. Peace. Heat. Heat.