Description: In this episode I am speaking Steph Silver who is the author of the book Anywhere, USA: A Memoir. This will be a bit of a different kind of episode. I have known Steph for many years and I had no idea that she had an upbringing with an incredible amount of upheaval. I want you to hear a bit of the story from the book, the process of writing her memoir, and what she got out of the book from a personal growth perspective. Read Steph’s bio: Steph savors the little things wherever she goes—like flowers in a field, sunlight through the trees, or sounds of laughter. Moving over thirty times before she was seventeen, traversing between campgrounds, fully furnished homes, and homeless shelters, Steph used her optimism and grit to rise to a place of comfort, peace, and personal success. She is now on a mission to enhance as many lives as possible and to help humans thrive. Her first book, Anywhere, USA is a memoir that reveals some dark sides of a turbulent childhood while shining light and optimism at every turn. Despite close calls with disasters, both natural and man-made, Steph believes that if she is good enough, strong enough, or works hard enough, one day she’ll become worthy of the love and security she seeks. Who she ultimately chooses to become and if she’ll transcend her circumstances are questions Steph must answer for herself more than once in this gripping coming-of-age story. Steph founded VINE Collective in 2018 after parting from a branding agency she helped grow over 12 years. Through individual and team coaching, retreats, public speaking, and brand work, VINE cultivates meaningful and memorable experiences that bring forth the most exceptional versions of each person and/or brand. Steph also uses her desire for human connection, authentic experiences, and profound growth to train, educate, and amplify leaders and businesses who live through their mission, vision, and passion as host of MVP Business Podcast. She’s deeply driven to build relationships and help people authentically grow, succeed, and connect. When she’s not managing her team, visiting with clients, or connecting with friends, Steph can usually be found cooking, gardening, dancing, or mountain biking with her two sons. After listening to this episode, I want you to think about friends and colleagues. How well do you really know them? I have known Steph for over 10 years and she is a really together person but after I read her book, I wondered how did she survive her childhood to become the person she is today. Many of us had very difficult childhoods and not everyone is here today but people like Steph can be an inspiration for all of us. This episode is sponsored by Career Pivot. Check out the Career Pivot Community, and pick up my latest book, Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for the 2nd Half of Life Third Edition. For the full show notes and resources mentioned in the episode click here.