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From Adversity to Advantage
posted by Bruce Freeman on Aug 10, 2009 | Comments (33) | Permalink | Trackback URL
From adversity to advantage
You’ve heard the saying, if it doesn’t kill you, it will make you stronger. People who meet life’s challenges head on have a better chance of succeeding.
Building a small business and dealing with a chronic illness like Multiple Sclerosis have a lot in common: managing your fears, finding ways to turn a liability into an asset, staying motivated and positive.
Cathy Kerns of Orlando Fl was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in her late 30s. Cathy left the corporate world and launched Style Stick&©, a home-based Internet business that makes colorful, fashion-forward walking canes for those with limited mobility. When MS forced Cathy to use a cane she began designing colorful sticks to match each outfit she wore. The novelty of this new walking tool as a unique fashion accessory soon spread to others needing mobility assistance.
Now after 15 years the Style Stick© is recognized around the world as a unique accessory for those not wishing to give up
their sense of style when faced with a disability.
The emotional stress of being diagnosed with a chronic illness is often compounded by an instant lack of confidence in what the future will bring. Style Stick© helped Cathy keep her chin up to face her uncertain future and offer assistance to others also needing a positive boost after devastating news affecting their ability to walk.
I too have a similar situation. While growing my business, writing my syndicated column and publishing a book, I was experiencing a numbness in my left leg. Over time, I saw three neurologists. The first one said I did not have Multiple Sclerosis, the second neurologist said I did have MS and he third one said I had pre-MS. I thought he said PMS…scared the hell out of me. I was diagnosed with MS about a year ago. I am still growing my business, writing my column, promoting my book, speaking and doing this new radio series for the Smallbiz America Radio Network.
Moral of the story: I’ve found the three most important things in battling adversity are determination, hope and a sense of humor. My grandmother who fled religious persecution and arrived in America just in time to raise 5 children during the Great Depression of the 1920’s often said to me “You only have two choices in this world, you can laugh or you can cry”. I’ve chosen to laugh.
I’m Professor Bruce. Thank you for listening.
FILED IN: Branding, Business Ethics, Creativity & Innovation, Emotional Intelligence, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, New Thinking, Podcast, Public Relations, Productivity, Sales, Starting Your Business, The Business of Health
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You are an inspiration to me and many more. You have great knowledge and wisdom.Keep up the good work.
The story is defintely extraordinary. People with the similar illness don’t always get to accomplish and so as much as the both of you. I love to hear determination and persistent stories like this. There very inspiring. Its good to see that nothing stop the both of you and you both continued to pursue your dream in business. Keep it up.
Thats great. I believe what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. Being diagnosed with such a condition could give you the determination and ambition to do better than anyone else and ultimately will allow you to be successful in anything you decide to do.
What a tremendous and an inspiring story. People who have a disability that “can” affect their everyday lifestyle, often choose to give-up or take it slow. One of the many lectures my father has told me was there are two types of people, people who cry and people who smile: very similar in what your grandmother has taught you. People who learn how to roll with the punches often get further in life than those who get hit and choose to stay down. Once you have determination, motivation, and focus… there is NOTHING that can stop you from achieving your goals and then some.
Thanks for sharing your story Professor. I think that it shows that you shouldn’t let anything hold you back. I think it’s great how you and Cathy put your time and energy in to making use of something instead of crying about it. I like that Cathy used her disable to her advantage by thinking about how her and other people may want to feel comfortable walking with their cane. It’s kind of like shoes with girls that have to always match. Well Cathy idea is her cane has to match her outfit.
This is one of my favorite blogs Prof.Bruce. There is no tool better than humor when things get tough on the way to your success. I believe that the experience of humor can positively influence a person’s state of hopefulness. My favorite quote is your gradmother’s “You only have two choices in this world, you can laugh or you can cry”. I definitely choose laugh, as well. Laughter should be part of person’s life.
Laughter is the key to calmness. Many people don’t adhere to this principle and look at laughter as something that is for people who aren’t serious. Many people fear to realize the value of remaining level headed in times of despair or misfortune. This is a very important moral to live by.
Professor Bruce has created a great blog. This one really shows you that anyone can do anything. Cathy and Professor Bruce both have MS and don’t let that bother them at all in the work that they do. They both are both very successful people in the world and don’t let one thing change the way they are. It makes them a lot stronger and wanting to try new things everyday.
That is the beauty of adversity. Adversity can go many different ways it all depends on how you react towards things and how you think about them. Is like they say pressure can bust pipes but pressure also could make diamonds. A lot of the successful entrepreneurs that have lived have made something in the negative and turned it into a positive. At times it was a product, sometimes maybe simply a challenge, but there are times were even someone’s health problems could be turned into a positive thing. Dealing with MS is a very serious and I’m sure a very hard thing to deal with. But is it going to slow you down? What Cathy did was not only remarkable but admirable as well. She made the best out of her situation, and ended up improving it all together. Like you say, you could either laugh or you could cry, why not laugh?
This story is extremely motivating because it proves to me that nothing can hold you back from success. In life everyone has their own struggles but having determination, hope, and humor like Professor Bruce said nothing can stop you.
This is an extremely inspirational story. Its great to see people that have a disability turn it into something positive instead of letting it get them down. What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. My really enjoyed the quote from your grandmother. My grandmother taught me something that I believe relates to this story. She always said “the word “can’t” does not belong in your vocabulary, because if you say “i can’t”, it means you aren’t willing to believe in yourself and give your best. By saying “I can” means you will try and put your best foot forward.” This is a quote i will live by and now after reading this i will remember your grandmothers saying. Everyone can learn something from Cathy and Professor Bruce. Having determination and a positive attitude won’t let anything stop you.
Prof Bruce hit the nail on the head, what doesnt kill does make you stronger. With an illness like MS i could very easily see how Prof Bruce could of called it quits and do nothing for the rest of his life. People like him and Cathy from the story are role models to people that have disabilities. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. People these days give up to easy. After hearing a story like this, it makes me want to do more with my life. These days quitting seems to be the easiest thing for people to do. People need to learn to stay the course and never give up.
Professor Bruce you have a smart grandmother. Choosing to smile and work through adversity is a great motivation. Life is too short and no one is going to feel sorry for you. I believe that given the current economic situation that you have to be determined. I wonder how long Cathy Kerns had the idea to develop Style Stick. Maybe (M.S) pushed her to follow her dream. It may have giving her the drive to become successful. I often think about how many time we kill our own hopes and dream. Saying stuff like that won’t work or how silly that is. I am glad she choose to smile her story can help others who have given up to be encouraged. It is easy to give up. The problem is at the end of the day no one is going to feel sorry for you so it is better to get up and dust yourself off. Take control of your situation and remember you really only have two choices either laugh or cry.
i like the story so much because it is full of lessons for life,lessons we can’t learn it at any where.the way professor Bruce telling a story is very interesting and he is giving us a motivation to be better students and better businessmen in the future.
This story i can really relate to. I feel like when things are going bad or wrong, they way i get to past them is to laugh it off and keep moving forward. Good story Professor Bruce
There is always good opportunities out there for people with problems. I think that can’t stop someone from working hard to accomplish something in life. You just need to have a lot of ambition and courage.
I really liked this story. American ends with I CAN, and you did.. it can be difficult to stay strong when you have personal set backs however you have chosen to take that as an opportunity and rise above it. Not many people have the courage and determination to start their own business, write a column, write a book and do private speaking arrangements. Your grandmother would have been proud of you to see you work so hard to making your dreams a reality!
This is a very interesting and inspirational story. The lady took a disability and she ended up turning it in her favor. She ends up designing fashionable canes and there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s actually a good idea people must get sick of the same old cane and just like clothing you can express yourself with the customized canes. I definitely agree with professor Bruce when faced with adversity don’t give up keep you head up and keep persevering. Having a great sense of humor and determination are the key to being successful.
When life throws problems at you there are two ways to look at them, either as an obstacle or an opportunity. When Cathy was diagnosed with MS she saw it as an opportunity. Not only did she get a successful business, but she also has an inspirational story. It’s so easy just to quit when things get tough so stories like Cathy’s help me by reminding me not to take the easy way out.
When I listened to this story I thought of Stephen Hacking’s, famous physicist whose body is entirely paralyzed. Over 20 years ago Stephen was told that he had only 2 years to live. Instead of giving up he decided to focus on solving one of the most fundamental problems of physics and 20 years after he is still alive working with a greater amount of motivation and energy than ever before.
This story is a lesson to us all, we should never let a disability or disadvantage hold us back. We must keep going and striving for better, because many times in the end those setbacks make us stronger.
This story is truly remarkable for both Cathy and yourself, being able to look diversity in the face and still be successful in both life and business. Keep up the good work
What an inspirational story of courage. The courage to keep on going when all to odds are against you. People should never stop trying you will only become stronger with every obstacle you overcome.
There is truth in the saying “what doesn’t kill you makes you strong”, proof of that lies within Cathy Kerns’ story. She could have let MS take control of her life but she didn’t allow that. She learned to live with it and in some sense made a living off of it. Consumers love to buy product from people who actually use their own brand. They see these fashionable style sticks and may think that’s interesting but then when they the creator uses them as well it adds to the level of authenticity like they really aren’t trying to rip someone off they just want you to feel like you can still be fashionable even though you may have a disadvantage.
That was a great motivational story professor Bruce. I think the saying, if it doesn’t kill you, it will only make you stronger is very true. That story tells me no matter what challenges that life throws your way, you should always stay focused, reach for the stars, and accomplish your goals. I think Cathy and professor Bruce are inspirational people who let nothing in life get in there way.
A famous author once wrote the key to suriving the world is to not panic. Everyone is going to have adversity in life wither small or large that adversity is not going to leave on it own. A logical decesion base on not panicing is best course of action. Once your motivated do not let anything stand in way of your day. Once the adversity passes yo ucan laugh about it all the way to the bank.
I have a customer at the bank that I work that told me his story of how he had a landsccaping business that was thriving but gradually had to leave it alone because he had been diagnosed with diabetes and couldnt really manage it well enough to keep the business going. When he told me that, I thought to myself, I would never let an illness no matter how life altering determine whether or not I had a business. Hearing this segment is proof that life goes on regardless of your situtation
I think whether or not a person is diagnosed with a disability or condition he or she should still be able to continue to pursue their dream or small business and i also like the fact that you mentioned that in this life you can either laugh about a situation or cry about it. i think life is short so u should always laugh.
This is a great and inspiring story. When you are faced with a problem you can’t let it hold you back. I think its great that once Cathy was faced with a problem she didn’t let it slow her down. She proved to herself and everyone else that she was capable of great success.
Professor bruce i enjoyed this story. how someone can turn a disability into an asset for there small business is a good success story for anyone. Im sure there are many people that can relate to this and if not im sure this could inspire someone with a similar disability to overcome it through a bisiness of some sort.
Professor Bruce you are an inspiration to those who are disabled and feel that they are worthless and have reason to exist in the world and to those who aren’t disabled physically but mentally and emotionally because of this terrible economy.This gives them and people like me hope. Keep up the good work, I’m rooting for ya!
I always envy people who are determined and never give up even if so many times life gives them lemons. Over time I’ve learned not to give up any of my dreams and I do believe that dreams do really come true if you work for it. Everyone needs to learn on their own. Just like the saying, what doesn’t kill you will definitely make you stronger.
1.I always envy people who are determined and never give up even if so many times life gives them lemons.
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