Brian Heflin 9 star on the rise. Karen Kreisler A bright new star who ...

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<strong>Brian</strong> <strong>Heflin</strong> 9 Star on the rise
If you ask <strong>Brian</strong> <strong>Heflin</strong> what makes him successful, DeceMber 2011 <strong>Brian</strong> as a child growing up in South Central LA he’ll give you three answers: persistence, mentorship, and knowing the “why.” Persistence: Growing up in South Central Los Angeles is not easy, especially if you are an underprivileged black kid raised by a single mother. South Central is known for being a relatively rough neighborhood. Growing up, it wasn’t uncommon for <strong>Brian</strong> to see squad cars arresting people on the streets, or the occasional body being wheeled out of a home after a drug overdose. But <strong>Brian</strong>’s mother’s greatest gift to her son was showing him the value of persistence. Mabel worked two, and sometimes three, jobs to provide for <strong>Brian</strong> and his sister, Tonda and Trina. Somehow, she was always able to keep a roof over their heads and clothes on their backs. Despite her hours, Mabel also managed to be a loving and disciplined parent: she kept her children on the right track because she believed in their ability to become contributing members of society. Mabel recognized the limitations of living in South Central. She knew that she had to show her son another way of life. So she arranged for <strong>Brian</strong> to spend three months in Chicago every summer, from the ages of 8 to 15 with <strong>Brian</strong>’s great uncle who ran a successful business there. For the first time in his life, <strong>Brian</strong> saw a man get up and put a suit on every day to go to work. He met other business owners. He saw that hard work could lead to financial security. <strong>Brian</strong> recognizes that his time in Chicago with his great uncle was life-changing. “My uncle would always tell me that I could be anyone who I wanted to be. So when I came back to Los Angeles, I would return to the same place I grew up, but I would speak differently, I would think differently. I would dream.” The possibility of a different life for himself and his mother became <strong>Brian</strong>’s driving force. At the age of 10, he went to work for his uncle’s friend at a stationery store. By high school, <strong>Brian</strong> was taking a 1.5 hour bus ride every day after varsity track and field practice to a Thrifty’s Drug Store in the Valley. He wouldn’t get home until almost midnight by the time he was done. At this job, <strong>Brian</strong> got his first taste of the rewards of persistence: he worked his way up to the manager position. Icons MagazIne
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Brian Heflin 9 star on the rise. Karen Kreisler A bright new star who ...

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