Making Your Struggle Your Springboard

The newspaper headline read, “Young Entrepreneur Raises Funds to Help Others Cope with Anxiety.” The story, chronicling the impressive path to entrepreneurship taken by 9-year-old Dahlia Garza, describes a series of panic attacks the young girl experienced last year and the research they prompted.

Amidst the research, Dahlia discovered that the anxiety she’d been fighting was a battle familiar to millions of other kids – 4 million to be exact.  Dahlia knew she had to do something to help, so she put her talents to work, designing and selling wreaths and centerpieces and using the proceeds to purchase coping tools for kids battling anxiety. 

Dahlia’s impressive display of empathy, courage, and ingenuity is nothing short of incredible. And it’s a set of qualities that is also surprisingly common among young people. Young entrepreneurs have consistently forged paths through struggle, using their lives’ biggest challenges as the springboards to their success. We’ve had the honor of following the journeys of many of them.

Jeff Hanson

Jeff Hanson was born with Neurofibromatosis, but hasn't let that define him. Instead, he's an artist, investor, philanthropist, and all-around Biz Kid. 

DK Arts

Dylan, a successful visual and performing artist, did not let Down's Syndrome stop him from following his passion for art, and building a career. Check out his website at www.dylankarts.com.

The message is clear: if a struggle, disability, or disadvantage has others doubting your ability to launch a business, invent a product, or forge a path to financial independence, you’re well on your way to achieving the sweetest success of all: proving the doubters wrong. Especially if the biggest doubt of all is yourself.