The Alchemy of Hope

Book excerpt: Sophia lived her childhood in an orphanage in Taiwan. She was abandoned and abused, but she never gave up--she found a way to thrive. A child raising children, Sophia was expected to care for her brothers and sister, so she showed them how to thrive too. She sold trash in exchange for food and went to night school so that she could work during the day. Her hard work got her admitted to the best high school in Taiwan. She taught herself English and came to America, and later, traveled the world. Back in America, Sophia got her first corporate job. Within five years she was the top salesperson in the company's healthcare sector. One day after she landed a huge contract for the company, the Vice President introduced her to the man who would be taking over the contract she had brought in. She was asked to fetch coffee for the men while they discussed the transition. Sophia promptly quit that job and started a company with her son at 50 years old. Today that company has 160 employees and does $23M in annual revenue as well as donating profits to orphans around the world. Sophia knows first-hand what is possible when you use hope to transform your life.