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What does it take to go from a 22-year-old college dropout to delivering keynotes for Disney, American Express, and other Fortune 100 companies? Spoiler alert: it’s not luck, natural talent, or magic.
The truth is, people see the WINS but rarely see the WORK. Let me take you behind the scenes of my journey as a keynote speaker, motivational speaker, and corporate speaker to show you what building a dream really looks like.
22 Years Old: I made the boldest decision of my life. I dropped out of college to pursue my speaking dream. I had no roadmap, no connections, and a ton of self-doubt. But I had a vision—and I committed to it.
23 Years Old: After countless emails, cold calls, and free gigs, I finally booked my first paid speech! It wasn’t glamorous, but it was proof that this dream wasn’t impossible.
24 Years Old: With only $600 in my bank account, I packed up and moved to Toronto. Starting over in a new city was terrifying, but I knew growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones.
25 Years Old: This was the turning point. I signed an exclusive contract with a US-based agency. For the first time, I felt like I had the wind at my back—but the work was just beginning.
26 Years Old: Hard work and perseverance paid off when I had my first six-figure year. I also signed a deal with Sony Pictures for my first brand partnership. Talk about a pinch-me moment!
27 Years Old: I stood on stage at my first National Conference, speaking to an audience of 10,000 people. It was a dream come true, but it took years of grinding behind the scenes to get there.
28 Years Old: A major milestone! I signed a book deal with Penguin Random House. It was the culmination of years of sharing my story and helping others build confidence.
29 Years Old: One of the most surreal moments of my career: speaking at the largest EDU event in the world. Picture 50,000 people in a stadium—and me, on that stage, sharing my message.
30 Years Old: Today, I’m grateful to deliver keynotes for companies like Disney, American Express, and Zillow. These are the moments that people call “overnight success.”
Here’s the thing: People will call your wins luck. They’ll call it natural talent. They’ll call it an overnight success. But those labels overlook the years of unseen work, late nights, rejection, and grit that it took to get here.
To everyone currently building their dream:Keep going.
The unseen work you’re putting in right now will be rewarded. Be patient. Commit to the process. And most importantly, continue building your “overnight success.”
Your dream deserves your effort. Stay the course. The world needs your best.
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