Take the Risk!

As a dyslexic student with ADHD, school was never my strong arm. Even though school might not have been too easy for me, outside of the classroom, I have always been building and creating new things.

I grew up in an entrepreneurial household, with both my mom and dad being entrepreneurs with their own business. Towards senior year of high school, I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I never was a fan of school, and I never knew if I wanted to go to college. One day when I was sitting with my dad, he had told me about Drexel. After some research, I quickly found out Drexel had the #2 school for entrepreneurship and I knew I had to go.

I chose Drexel for the great opportunities it presented along with a great entrepreneurship program. The first year, I was nervous and feeling "school" out. College was scary, especially to a student with dyslexia and ADHD. As the year went on, I developed business ideas I wanted to start, but I never knew how to take the first step. Throughout my first year, I met so many great people that I knew would be a big part in my life at some point; I just needed to take the jump to make the stars align.

Believe in yourself and others, and your world will change. Belief goes a long way.

I finally got the courage to schedule a meeting with my entrepreneur professor, Dr. Wilson (Doc). I excelled in his class called "ready, set, fail," where students build businesses and learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. At the end of the year, I took the shot to meet with Doc. Doc and I met, and I finally pitched my idea and Doc's reaction to my pitch was filled with energy, happiness, and relentlessness. He loved the idea and my courage, and insisted I view the Baiada Institute, an incubator office space for startups.

After I viewed the space, I realized I was at my new home. I worked my way from a small space to now the largest office space in Baiada, with my business having over 6 figures in funding with 7 people part of our team, where we build the future. If I never reached out to Doc and got out of my comfort zone, and realized the brilliance in working with other people, I would've never had the meeting. And if it wasn't for Doc seeing my ability and, most importantly, believing in me, I wouldn't be where I am today.

The messages I want people to receive, and some advice are: Take risks! Get uncomfortable with being uncomfortable. It's not the end until it's the end. Anything you do through life, especially with college, is a marathon, not a race. It's ok if you don't know what you want to do; knowing what you don't want to do is more important sometimes than knowing what you do want to do. Try new things. Failing is not ever trying in the first place. If you don't succeed at something you aspire to do, never give up and face adversity. Don't take anything too hard to where you break; it's very easy to put the world on your shoulders, but in the grand scheme of things, in hindsight or third-person view, what you may be doing now is just a small piece to a big journey. Focus on the now, stay in the present with the goal of a bigger picture. You don't have to win every battle, win the war within itself. Believe in yourself and others, and your world will change. Belief goes a long way. The most important piece of advice...you can't do anything great alone. Meet people, be nice, be kind. You never know what or who you will meet that might change your life. I wouldn't be anything or near successful without the people in my life.