SUCCESS coach and entrepreneur Natalie Lue-Fung has decided to provide youth aged 15 to 24, and young adults 26-35 with access to information and systems that will enable them to increase their opportunities for creating and ensuring physical, spiritual and financial realms of success.
This comes in the form of an inaugural event — First Steps to Success — on June 27 at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston.
Born in the tough South St Andrew community of Arnett Gardens, also known as ‘Jungle”, Lue-Fung was homeless at 15, pregnant at 16, and became a child of the system. But she developed a spirit of resilience to chart her way through life’s many obstacles.
Her determination earned her over 40 scholarships, has three university degrees from Morgan State University in Baltimore, USA and a job on Wall Street, where she gained a background in finance. But even then, she still had setbacks. However, she used them as a motivation to achieve more. But, having overcome the difficulties, Lue-Fung was not satisfied and having been abroad during the time of the 2010 Tivoli Gardens incursion, she became convicted to do more for her homeland.
And so, the idea for the conference evolved, where Lue-Fung intends for it to guide young people through the formative years of their professional lives.
“First Steps to Success will look at how people can position individuals to know that whatever their situation, financial or where they’re from they were born to win. Every single one of us was born to win. The question is often asked: “How do you eat a large elephant?” It’s simple — one bite at a time. Focus on doing the small steps and finding people who have achieved some amount of success, look at how they did it and follow exactly what they’re doing,” she said.
The event, put on by the Wealth Improvement Network (WIN), according to Lue-Fung, is in alignment with the nation’s guiding sustainable and developmental vision (Vision 2030 Jamaica).
According to Lue-Fung, First Steps to Success will begin with a major worship session led by pastors and worship leaders from The Potters House of Dallas Texas, where Bishop TD Jakes is the leader. Afterwards, the day will comprise large and small group seminars where local and international speakers will inform, motivate and inspire patrons on topics specific to a variety of career and business endeavours.
“For instance, we will have sessions on First Steps to Success in the field of medicine where our guest speaker Dr Patricia Yapp will speak on some of the decisions and actions she made/took to build a business and brand and now her very own line of products.
“Or another speaker, Ian ‘Container’ Miles speaks on how he went from pushing hand carts as a youth to now owning several successful businesses and building a brand all without ever participating in illegal activities. Another example, is Ricardo Gardner, the professional footballer who will speak on the importance of a positive mental attitude to taking talent to an international stage,” Lue-Fung said
Other speakers for the day will include Omari Edwards on entertainment, Luton Shelton on sports, Isaiah Raymond, Pastor Andrew Castillo and Rev Dewayne Shettleworth on ministry, Lue-Fung on corporate, Melarka Williams, Ian Miles on entrepreneurship, among others.
Lue-Fung said that the evening will end with a concert by local and international musicians and throughout the day there will be vendors who share the goods and services at a discounted price for those present.
Source: The Jamaica Observer [snippet]