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I tailor the message and delivery of my talks for the age of the audience. Whether I'm speaking to high school students, new graduates or Executives, we can all learn new variables for building successful careers and becoming better leaders.

If you could go back to the day you graduated from college, what advice would you give yourself? What knowledge do you have now that you wish you knew then?

This is the question I explore throughout the talk. I've interviewed dozens of Executives to CEOs and began each interview by asking them this question. Upon compiling their responses, I discovered three critical variables that kept reappearing. 

The talk discusses each variable, how they're connected and can be utilized in tangent to build the foundation for a successful career. 

The height of your career skyscraper will be dependent on how strong you build your foundation. 

The more resilient you are, the more your mindset is determined to succeed. This is often a hidden variable in influential leaders.

Resilience is a trait that will play a critical role in a person's life and career.

I've learned this many times over in my life. I was diagnosed with severe dyslexia at the age of six, from not being able to read until I was nine, to becoming a writer. From being put on academic probation, to graduating with honours. From being told I couldn't be a mother, to holding my baby boy in my arms… 

Resilience makes you strong, and this makes you persevere.

Each of us will have obstacles and setbacks in our career; the proverbial road bumps trying to block us from reaching our goals and destination.

The talk discusses how resilience plays a critical role in our lives, how it teaches us to get back up and keep trying. That we don't fall, if we keep getting up, it's merely a stumble. In life, you'll be dealt both happy moments and setbacks… no path is clear without obstacles. I share my story because I've learned that resilience assists in recovery. It was the hard knocks that made me preserve and prepared me for my greatest journey to becoming a Mom.

Failure is only permanent when you stop trying. Resilience turns failure into a mere setback.

When launching a career, people must understand they control the direction in which their car is steered. A career is too important to delegate to another; don't be a passenger in your own vehicle. 

Career's last decades and they don't become successful overnight or by accident. Successful careers result from many variables, but to name a few: careful planning, preparation, strategizing, working hard, developing skills, gaining knowledge, building networks and investing your time wisely. When it comes to highly successful careers, luck plays a minimal role. 

Before you embark on your career, you first must understand that your career starts with you, and it's within your full control. 

When you believe you're not in control of your career, it can deprive you of your energy and deflate you, creating a feeling of hopelessness and despair; potentially creating a permanent derailment off your desired path. When you come to a speed bump on the road, you slow down or maneuver around it, you don't park your car and walk away.

The talk discusses empowerment techniques and examples of how to take control of your careers, resulting in you feeling energized and motivated to take ownership of your destiny.

Embrace your struggles, reflect on your growth, share your lessons, and enjoy the journey.

A network is like a spiderweb, the more 'connectors' and 'links' you build, the stronger it will be, the larger distance it can span, and the greater storms it can weather. Having a diverse, influential, reliable and loyal network, will pay dividends for your career and help protect your reputation.

The talk discusses: 

- How to build a strong network; and 

- How to target and recruit critical members to strengthen your influence.

The more you can say, "I know someone who can help," the more reliable, resourceful and valuable you become. Many professionals feel they need to have all the answers, but in reality, all you need to know is where to find the answers. 

The more extensive your network, the further your business reach becomes. 

To make the best decisions at the beginning of your career, you must think about where you want to be at the end of it. What do you want to be thinking about the day you retire?

Many people who are starting their careers, feel lost, and don't know where to start. When you're at the base of a mountain, the climb can be intimidating, but from the peak, you can feel at peace with the view. When you start a puzzle, you first look at the completed image on the box and then begin arranging your pieces. 

The talk walks the audience through a step by step approach in summiting their mountain and how to find clarity with their goals and career aspirations. 

Start with the destination to begin the journey.