Today’s guest was Neil Amper, Vice President of Capstone Properties, a commercial real estate company.   The Life Skills class host welcoming Neil Amper to Hope High School and introducing him to the Life Skills class was Juan Corona.

Juan introduces Neil to his classmates at the beginning of today’s Life Skills class.

“My family was very rich and I was very rich too.  

Yachts.  Airplanes.  Vacations to wonderful places.  Beautiful homes.  My parents, sisters and me shared this privilege of wealth.  By the time I was 23 years old, I was worth $10,000,000 (million), managing part of our family international scrap metal company with hundreds of people reporting to me.   Then,

seemingly in an instant, it was all gone.  I had no money and no job. 

I had to start all over again”  Neil humbly told the class.

Neil then told the class how he started to rebuild his life. “I had a family to support, a wife and children depending on me. 

I refused to accept failure. 

Despite being part of a rich family, I always had a job since the time I was 15 years old.  So, I quickly started looking for a job. I initially reached out to my network of successful people but they deserted me;  they wouldn’t help.  I learned a painful lesson about who to chose in my network in the future.  Most of the companies I applied to said I was too qualified for the jobs I was applying for.  I eventually convinced a mortgage company if they hired me I would not look for another job for 2 years.   They hired me” Neil said.   “Surprisingly to me, I failed at my new job.  My new job at the mortgage company was dramatically different from my multi-million dollar family company with hundreds of employees reporting to me.  The mortgage company boss told me if I didn’t change my performance I’d be fired.  I had no choice but get better.  So, I started to re-train myself to do the new job at the mortgage company.  I did, so much so, I became one of the best in my department. 

I am convinced today we all can be the best at what we’re doing if we are totally committed to it.  

I am proof positive!”    Neil concluded his story of setbacks and failure, the power of perseverance, never giving up and ultimate success by encouraging today’s class to connect with him and add him to their network.