I can pinpoint the moment life clicked…

I was 12. Dad drove an old blue pick-up truck. It would rattle down the highway, catapulting over every bump in the road and sending my homework flying. It was one of those road trips to visit dad’s rental houses that changed my life.

Out of the blue he thrust his cellphone at me saying, “There's a guy on the other line with a house for sale. You're going to close the deal."

Terrified but determined, I fumbled through that call. Within weeks, we'd closed on that property. That moment changed everything.

By 14, I was devouring business books and enrolled in online college. By 18, I had my degree in international business and was already consulting with major brands. At 22, I launched my first two companies. They failed—and I wear those failures as badges of honor. They taught me more than any success could have. By 24, I was consulting with Fortune 500 companies, helping them understand a generation they were desperate to reach but struggling to connect with.

Now, at 27, I'm the Gen Z CEO Advisor, bridging the gap between "Native Analog" organizations and leaders and the "Native Digital" students I train daily through d'Skills (where we train students to create their own AI-powered internships).

Through gamified keynotes, I help companies understand how to authentically connect with Native Digital talent. Meanwhile, d'Skills has inspired tens of thousands of students to #getdskills and create a different future for themselves.

Chris Lochhead, the godfather of Category Design, has called me "a pioneer of our time." Some school administrators have called me "offensive to some." I take both as compliments.

Through my writing, including "A Leader's Guide to Unlocking Gen Z," my TEDx talk, and my top 10% charting podcast, I'm on a mission to impact 1 million high schoolers while helping forward-thinking companies tap into the immense potential of my generation. I’ve been privileged to be in the 2% of female founders to raise venture capital, and work with legends like Ted Dintersmith.

The future belongs to those who can bridge digital and analog worlds. I'm here to be that bridge—both for students ready to transform their skills into opportunity and for companies smart enough to embrace what's next.