What I wanted was to be allowed to do the thing in the world that I did best - which I believed then and believe now is the greatest privilege there is. When I did that, success found me.

What really fueled me, and maybe infuriated me, is that nobody believed in me. Nobody. I don't even think I believe in myself.

I had always been taught that life was the other way around -- that you had to make sure you got what was coming to you . . .

We are here for a reason. We all have a gift or gifts to share. You want to look inside your heart and your soul, and you want to tap into the one thing you love to do. Develop it. Share it. Nurture it. You were meant to have that gift.

I love having fun! Why not?

There are people out there who want to say yes. That gave me confidence to keep asking.

What really fueled me, and maybe infuriated me, is that nobody believed in me. Nobody. I don't even think I believe in myself. Part of what I was trying to do was to make the decision to go into business and find the guts to see it through. I was told that when I went in to see the bankers that I was supposed to be very muted, that I was supposed to blend in, that I was supposed to have the typical drab suit on.