At Wine & Design, we pride ourselves in being #girlbosses and, as such, love to highlight successful women. On Father’s Day, however, we reflect on the inspiration and support our fathers and partners provide to help us get where we are today…pursuing careers we LOVE!

The phrase, “like father, like daughter,” is only too fitting for our CEO Harriet Mills and her father Rick Edwards. Edwards’ role in growing the family company, Affordable Dentures, to the largest denture provider in America was fundamental, says Harriet. “My father created an empire derived from passion and hard work, and he always gave 110% to everything he did.” Edwards’ incredible work ethic and passion for the job inspired Harriet to “work hard, create something on my own, and love what I do. “

Harriet says that her dad has been her “number one fan” throughout establishing and growing Wine & Design. His support extends past your typical proud dad moments. According to Harriet, Edwards has been instrumental in defining how she wanted to build her dream career. “He has shaped my business philosophy,” says Harriet, by reinforcing that “compassion is the foundation to successful relationships, business or otherwise.”

While our dads have been our role models and cheerleaders in the quest for careers we love, we can’t forget about our partners, whose support makes our dreams possible and ignites the same passion in our children. “My husband has been with me since day one of Wine & Design,” says Harriet of CCO and husband Patrick Mills. “From taking out the trash to crunching numbers for franchisee proposals, he is an amazing husband, father, and business partner.”

She says that while she was hard at work founding Wine & Design in 2009, Patrick did a lot of the heavy lifting as a new father, while also being successful business owner in his own right [he has his own company, Capital Sign Solutions]. “He put our first-born to bed almost every night when we first started,” said Harriet. Patrick’s unconditional support with both their business and their family was essential to Harriet living out her dream career as CEO of Wine & Design.

These men are just the tip of the iceberg of the multitude of fathers who have helped turn our professional and personal dreams into reality. Happy Father’s Day to all the awesome dads out there! Let us know on Facebook (Wine & Design Corporate) and Instagram (@wineanddesign) how you’re celebrating the father or father figures in your life!