Founder's Story: Starting Over, Studying Hard, and Finding My Voice Part 2

Founder's Story: Starting Over, Studying Hard, and Finding My Voice Part 2 Host: Julie Riga | Episode Type: Solo Episode Part 2 What You Will Learn: Julie opens up about the college years that changed everything. For the first time, nobody knew her past. Nobody knew what happened in high school. She got to start over. And she made the absolute most of it, earning Dean's List honors, discovering a love of learning, and ultimately finding her way to a microphone that would define her path for decades to come. Key Topics: The Power of Starting Over: Why college gave Julie her first real opportunity to reinvent herself Making 12 friends within two days and experiencing real community for the first time How a clean slate can be the most powerful gift life offers The Eight Hour Study Sessions: Earning her place on the Dean's List despite severe gaps in her foundational education Spending up to eight hours in the library to match results others got in two Why the will to succeed can override any learning deficiency The Sorority She Walked Away From: Pledging a sorority and quitting on induction night after Hell Night The professor who asked: "Are you here to pledge a sorority or are you here to get an education?" Choosing her education and her purpose over fitting in Finding Her Voice on the Radio: Becoming the voice of Rowan College on 89.7 WGLS FM Hosting two talk shows and a club mix as CJ the DJ How an internship she thought was pointless turned into one of the most brilliant series the station had ever run Memorable Quotes: "Sometimes that is just what you need in life. You need to start over." "You will do it if you want it bad enough. You will do it." "Nothing in my life was handed to me. Nothing. And so I had to push forward." "I am here to get an education, sir. And that moment changed everything for me." "Learning was the remedy to my problems. I could learn." "When you start to remember what you did as a young person and you are able to come back to who you started becoming, because life took you in a different direction from where you started. This is the journey I have been on." Key Takeaways: A fresh start is not a luxury. It is sometimes a necessity for growth Outworking everyone else is a valid and powerful strategy Knowing what you want badly enough will always outperform raw talent Purpose-driven decisions require walking away from things that do not serve your mission Your earliest passions are often pointing you toward your purpose all along About Julie Riga: Julie Riga is a leadership coach, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Stay On Course Podcast. She helps leaders and business owners discover their true purpose, build authentic confidence, and break through to their next level of success. Services: One on One Coaching | Leadership Programs | Training Programs | Brand Building Explore all of Julie's resources here: https://stacklist.app/julieriga Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts Share this episode with someone who needs to be reminded it is never too late to start over #StayOnCoursePodcast #FoundersStory #PurposeDrivenLeadership #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipMindset Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.