Life is hard sometimes. We get to face challenges we’ve never imagined we would, during our time on this earth – and it’s up to us how we react to those obstacles in our way to a happy and successful existence. What would you do? Give up, or push through?  

Your ability to be successful in spite of challenges is directly related to how fast you're able to say "so what!" 

My guest today is a true example of that statement. Summer Owens is an award-winning Resilience and Leadership speaker, 11-times published author, and certified life coach. She's the founder and CEO of S.O. What! and the S.O What! Foundation. In addition to being an author and a speaker, life coach, excuse eliminator, and entrepreneur, she is an adjunct professor at the University of Memphis where she teaches marketing and the life skills course she created. 

Summer became a mother at 15 as a result of a forced sexual encounter, but she didn't let that stop her from achieving her dreams! She graduated from high school, college, and business school with honors and was named "Most Likely To Succeed" and "Miss University" - with her son by her side through it all. And she indeed earned her prize!  

Listen to Episode 244 of Becoming Your Best, to find out her story, how she overcame the obstacles in her life, what drove her, and how she’s inspiring countless people through her work.  

Some questions I ask:  

• Tell us about your background, including any turning points in your life that’s had a significant impact on you and on what you’re doing. (02:42) 
• How did you get to be a speaker? Where did that idea come from? (07:35) 
• What’s it like being a woman minority in corporate America? (10:40) 
• What is it like to tell such a personal story, like you’ve been talking about? (13:39) 
• Tell us about S.O What! Give us the background on it, describe it, help us understand it. (17:09) 
• Any final tips you’d like to leave our listeners with? (24:50) 

In this episode, you will learn:  

• The reason Summer decided to write her memoir – her first book. (04:37) 
• How having set goals motivated Summer to push through the challenges she was faced with and defy the statistics. (05:15) 
• Three of the Becoming Your Best Principles that helped Summer become successful: having a vision, managing with a plan, and prioritizing your time. (08:47) 
• The importance of looking for the lesson in every challenge you go through. (21:33) 
• How to be accountable for your life. (22:15) 
• The power of never giving up whenever life gets hard. (23:05) 

Connect with Summer: 

• Website 
• LinkedIn 
• Facebook Page 
• Instagram 
• Twitter 
• Youtube Channel 

Becoming Your Best Resources: 

• Becoming Your Best Website 
• Becoming Your Best University Website 
• Becoming Your Best Library 
• Email: [email protected]   
• Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders 
• Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance 
• Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety 

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