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Sharing Stories with Shelomo Solson

Have you always been a fan of stories or was the decision to start interviewing individuals prompted more by another interest?
Two years ago, I oversaw sales and marketing for a tech start-up in Tampa, FL. I was building relationships with different people and interviewing them on tips for other business owners. I used to carry around a selfie stick at networking events and started interviewing people. I would share on social media, and other business owners loved these tips.
I wanted to do something similar for the youth since I have worked with them for over five years, which has been my true passion.
 
What was it that made you decide to start interviewing different people about their experiences?
Initially, I was going to interview entrepreneurs to give business advice to teens. I surveyed over a hundred teenagers, and the majority of people didn’t care about entrepreneurship. Instead, many of them were interested in a mental health book. They were interested in topics like depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicide, etc. After seeing the results, I got the idea of interviewing successful people about how they overcame struggles with their mental health to become successful.
 
When did you start to realize that the stories you were sharing really did have to power to change lives?
My book editor has teenagers at home and showed his children the book. They were impressed. What confirmed it was after a teen book blogger read my book, and she loved it. More people started to share my book, and I began to get a bunch of positive feedback.
 
You talk about several of the struggles that you have gone through in your life on your website, Teenage Impact. Did stores help you through those tough times? If not, how do you think they would have made the process of growing up easier on you?
What helped me get through these tough times is surrounding myself with positive people who lift me up. Your loved ones are supposed to bring out the best in you and if you are going through a tough time, find at least one or two people you can trust to open to. They won’t solve your problems, but they will be there for you at any stage of your life.
 
What do you hope to accomplish by sharing the stories of individuals through your podcast, social media, and website?
All I want to do is inspire people who feel like giving up or are going through tough times. Even though it probably won’t completely change their life (or it might), I am hoping it can inspire them to have a different perspective on life, push them to tell their friend what they are going through, or give them a nudge to pursue a goal they have wanted to pursue.
 
Did you ever think that you would one day publish a book?
Yes, I did. I have always had big goals ever since I was in middle school. It has always been one of my goals. A year and a half ago, I stopped making excuses, and I started. I stayed consistent even though it wasn’t easy.
 
As a motivational speaker, I’m sure that you have plenty of good advice but if there was one lesson you’d like to share with readers, what would it be?
The struggle you are going through now isn’t going to last forever. It is going to set you up for something better in the future. Who knew that 15 years of bullying for how I spoke, going to speech therapy for seven years, repeating myself because people couldn’t understand me, laughed at during presentations for speaking funny was going to lead me to talk for a living. You too can turn your pain into opportunity.

Shelomo Solson

Shelomo Solson is a Youth Motivational Speaker, Founder of Teenage Impact, the author of ‘Never Fight Alone’, and has a podcast that’s been listened to in over 30 countries.

The odds were stacked against Shelomo Solson from the beginning. He was bullied for 15 years because other kids thought he spoke funny, did not come from a wealthy family, failed every reading assessment, encountered racism/prejudice, and to top it all off, four of his best friends died in a car accident. He talks about how he was able to overcome life struggles and how other students can do the same to become their version of success.

Shelomo made it his goal to become more confident and resilient in his life after high school. Within 11 years, he has held 15 leadership positions, won 7 speech competitions, helped run a startup for 6 years and eventually became a full-time entrepreneur. Shelomo has been trained by well-known speakers and leaders.

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