by Tina Seymour Demoran, LLC

In less than two days, I’m going to be speaking to a group of 60+ women about my journey from cancer survivor to CEO.

It’s been a heck of a journey.

11 years ago, I was a new cancer survivor.

7 years ago, I was recently divorced, looking for a full-time job while consulting with several companies, and renting a house.

Today, I own two companies.

My husband and I have just renovated a definite fixer-upper/money pit that we bought three months ago.

I’m now renovating the same house I was living in seven years ago, the same one that I bought in 2013, and it’s going to be our new Law Firm.

I have scrounged, guys.

I have saved.

I have done everything I can to keep my overhead low.

I have scrubbed toilets at my own Law Firm.

I have painted walls and pulled weeds and re-screened doors at my new and old houses.

It has not been an easy journey.

However, I have learned that the most important people you meet in life are not the people with a bunch of letters behind their names.

They’re not the people who own the companies.

They are the everyday people.

They are the gatekeepers, the janitors, the secretaries, the people who guard the doors of those who own the companies.

They are the ones who work quietly in the background but who make such amazing and big impacts on their company’s success.

Success isn’t about spending money to impress your neighbors.

Most of the millionaires on the Coast wear shoes and clothes that have seen better days.

They drive used cars and old pickup trucks.

They can also pull a roll of cash out of their front pockets and buy every car in the parking lot, if they so desired.

Most of the brokest people I know drive 60k cars and wear the latest fashion and $800 shoes.

They can’t afford lunch at McDonald’s…unless they pull out a credit card.

Thursday, I will speak about how my journey from support staff/secretary to CEO has taught me everything I know today about running a company.

I will speak about remaining humble, finding your own voice and how to stop worrying about the world’s definition of success.

In this life, don’t let other people’s standards define what success means to you.

My Mama always says, “Don’t waste your time with negative people, critics, and people who cannot cheer for your dreams. Don’t scrimp on a good doctor, a good hairdresser, and a good lawyer.”