Many people know me, but they don’t know my full story.
When I was a kid, my mom was on welfare, my dad was in jail, and I was surrounded by other drug addicts who would steal money from my mom.
Things were bad, and then they got worse.
By the time I turned 13, I got choked for winning a game of Monopoly, a family member stabbed another with a steak knife, and it seemed as if the police (and child protective services) stopped at my house… daily. And when they asked, “Is everything okay?” I lied.
At the time, I wish I had a different life. A life where I wasn’t surrounded by crazy people.
…but I didn’t.
I had my own private little hell. And you know what? Looking back, I realize one thing: I got REAL lucky.
“LUCKY?”
I know. Ridiculous. But bear with me a sec.
You see, my grandmother (my dad’s mom) wanted more for my mom, my sister, and me.
So, she persuaded my mom to go back to college. And my mom did it! She worked full time, raised two kids full time, and went to school full time…
…And watching her pull that off changed everything.
Here’s why:
I saw, first hand, the power of an education.
- I saw how education could thrust someone from the brink of poverty to a middle class life.
- I saw how education could level the playing field for people who seemingly have NOTHING going for them.
- I saw how education could be the REAL secret to success (and lasting change) for people who need it most.
So, it got me thinking…
I turn 31 on Christmas.
(Yes, my birthday is on December 25th).
And 31 is a special year for me.
As you may remember, I couldn’t celebrate my 30th birthday.
Why?
My cardiologist discovered I had a heart condition. And a few days before I turned 30, a heart surgeon entered my heart and burned something out of it with microwaves. So, instead of celebrating my 30th, I was in recovery.
So, what can I do to make turning 31 amazing?
Well…
Education remains a central part of my life:
- I educate myself by taking online courses, hiring consultants, and reading more books than almost anyone I know.
- I built a successful business selling educational products.
- And I also co-founded a software called ZippyCourses that allows other people to pass on their knowledge and expertise to the world.
And the fact that you’re reading this means education is also a central part of your life, too, right?
I mean, when it’s all said and done, what is Social Triggers?
It’s a remarkable community of entrepreneurs. We all want to build something amazing for the world. And we all actively actively pursue their own self-education by subscribing to blogs, signing up for courses, and more.
And that’s when I had a great idea…
A while back, I featured Adam Braun on my podcast, and he told me about his work over at Pencils of Promise.
If you’re unfamiliar with Pencils of Promise, they have built more than 320 schools in Ghana, Guatemala, and Laos. And they give innocent children access to an education… an education that can change their life…
Now, what if, we, the Social Triggers community, helped Pencils of Promise build a school?
What if we gave underprivileged children access to an education that has been such a meaningful part of our lives?
Wouldn’t that be AMAZING?
IT SURE WOULD.
And that’s why today I’m PUMPED to announce that Social Triggers is launching an initiative to help raise funds to build schools for kids who need it most.
You see, I talked to Adam (and his team) and I got the numbers. We can build 1 school with $25,000…
…but I’m betting with your help, we can build two, three, or four schools.
And to ensure we build at least two, here’s what I’m going to do:
Social Triggers will match all donations 1-to-1, up to a total of $25,000.
That means, if you donate $79.80, Social Triggers will kick in $79.80 making the total donation $159.60.
The best part?
Every dollar we raise will go directly towards building a school. And with the strength and size of the Social Triggers community, I know we can build at least two schools. And I hope together, we can do more.
I witnessed the power of an education in my early life. I was lucky.
I also saw the power of an education later in life…
…and since you’re reading this, I know you believe in the power of an education too.
Click Here to make a donation (and get it matched 1-to-1)
And together, we can make a difference.
I’m putting up $25,000 of Social Triggers money, so we’re guaranteed to build at least one school. But with your help, I’m betting we can build 2, 3, or 4 schools.
Donate right here…
https://fundraise.pencilsofpromise.org/fundraise?fcid=579173
…and let us build a school together.
The bottom line?
Education changed my life. And I’m betting it helped shape yours, too. So, I hope you’ll join me on this campaign to build schools for innocent children who need access to an education. I will match any donation 1-to-1, up to a total of $25,000. So, even if you just donate $27, I’ll kick in another $27 making the total donation $54.
