Obstacle-Illusions: Transforming Adversity Into Success

With Stephen J. Hopson Stephen has been profoundly deaf since birth but that hasn't stopped him! He is a former Wall Street stockbroker where he won numerous sales awards and recognition in the coveted Executive Club three years in a row. In less than 4 years, he increased personal sales 1,700%. While in this position, he built and managed multi-million dollar investment portfolios for wealthy clients. Stephen has been featured in a cover story for Careers and the Disabled, and interviewed on CNN, Detroit Fox 2 News and Buffalo News 4, to name a few. He has been profiled in numerous newspapers including The New York Times, The Detroit Free Press, The Oakland Press, Macomb Daily and has appeared on the national LEEZA talk show (Paramount), several cable television programs and countless radio shows including The Mitch Albom Show (author of best-selling "Tuesdays with Morrie"). His Passion For Speaking and Writing Stephen is a man of intense passion who is known as a risk-taker with a capital R. In 1996, he stunned his family, friends and colleagues by giving up a lucrative six-figure Wall Street career to follow his divine calling of becoming an inspirational speaker and author. At that time, he had not spoken to a live audience since graduating from college 15 years earlier nor did he have any writing credentials. In the mid-1990's, Stephen got his start in public speaking by speaking at Kiwanis, Rotary, Lion's and many other service organizations. Along the way, he's won numerous humorous speech contests while a member of Toastmasters. Today, he speaks around the country and is contributing author of three books including best-selling Chicken Soup for the College Soul (July 1999), Heartwarmers (April 2000) and Magical Souvenirs: True Spiritual Adventures from Around the World (March 2002). In 2011, he released his first book Obstacle Illusions: Transforming Adversity Into Success. Click here for more information. He's also written several articles, mostly in storytelling format, about his life's experiences. In August 2006, he earned the "expert author status" at EzineArticles. You can read his growing list of articles by visiting any one of the following places:Overcoming Obstacle Illusions Blog (formerly called Adversity University Blog), this websiteor over at EzineArticles.