02: Heroin Addict goes from Homeless to CEO // The Story of Joe Roberts
Background:
Joe Roberts is an inspirational example of overcoming adversity and managing change. In 1989, he was living under a bridge, homeless on skid row. Today he is an advocate, author and the Executive Director of The Push for Change.
Joe has witnessed human behavior at its depths and its peaks, in personal and professional life, and he has captured his experiences in thought-leading principles that are critical to success.He is the former President and CEO of a successful multimedia company. Joe is a well-polished inspirational speaker that has delivered his keynote to over 1,000,000 people over the last 15 years. He is committed to helping young people break through their most difficult barriers and is the perfect front man for The Push for Change.
This Episode Brought to You By:
- Sketch is a non-profit that connects homeless and marginalized youth with skill-building workshops and opportunities in the arts. Since 1996, this nationally recognized non-profit has welcomed and engaged over 18,000 young people. Just a $25 donation today can help a young person reach their full potential. Learn about the transformative power of the arts at Sketch.ca.
Time-Stamped Show Notes:
- 3:22 Joe Roberts walked and pushed a modified shopping cart 9,000 km across Canada. Joe talks about how this amazing idea came about.
- 6:58 Walking across the country was fun for Joe but engaging with the people during that time was even cooler for him.
- 10:40 Telling his story made people identify with their own struggles.
- 12:10 1989 was the lowest point in Joe’s life when he was addicted to drugs and pushed a shopping cart in the streets of Vancouver.
- 18:16 A very dark and rock-bottom moment in Joe’s life was when he was undergoing drug withdrawal and he decided to sell his only pair of boots in the bar across the street.
- 20:00 Joe talks about that turning point in his life when a guy named Gus talked to him about his potential and possibilities.
- 23:13 He explains the AIR model that he co-developed, which helps overcome anything and create any possibilities in one’s life.
- 25:19 The first time he shared his story was twenty years ago and he was so scared back then.
- 30:27 Joe points out two of his “rockin’ it” moments when he realized that he finally overcame his toughest adversities.
- 33:27 The Push for Change initiative is a youth empowerment project that allows kids to come together and create a Promise Project in their community. Joe explains what his campaign was really all about.
- 36:11 People can learn more about the foundation and the Promise Project by visiting PushForChange.com. On the corporate side, Joe does a lot of public speaking, which can be found at SkidrowCEO.com.
- 37:50 His life experiences and failures taught him more than education did.
- 42:06 Eric has this theory that choice is more powerful than circumstance.
- 43:13 Joe shares his views on the subject of choice versus circumstance.
This Episode Sponsored By:
- 15:35 Sketch is a community arts enterprise engaging diverse young people, ages 16-29, from across Canada, who live homeless or on the margins and navigate poverty to: experience the transformative power of the arts, build leadership and self-sufficiency in the arts, & cultivate social and environmental change through the arts. Learn about the transformative power of the arts at Sketch.ca.
- 30:25 Joe’s foundation, the ThePushForChange.com initiative helps children and solve long-term homelessness. Check out the ThePushForChange.com initiative and make a donation today!
Key Points from the Interview:
- “Any story of overcoming has the seeds of instruction embedded in them because they are examples to the rest of us.”
- “We live in this illusion that’s not true, that I can’t… I can’t… I can’t… You can’t until you try and then prove yourself wrong. But it’s getting that inertia broken down to take that one little step. To put your shoes on and take those first few steps. That’s what you got to bust through but once you get that going, then you get momentum.”
