We’ve all been told once before to follow our intuition, or “go with your gut”. Follow your passion, work towards your dreams, and prosperity will surely find you. Sometimes it can be easier said than done, especially when the conventional path that’s in front of us can seem easier to follow than forging our own. Meet Deja Wilson: despite being a degree holder she chose to pursue entrepreneurship and follow her passion to achieve success.
Deja, born and raised in New York, started work at the tender age of 13, as soon as she received her worker’s permit, at an Italian ice parlor. She held her part-time job for eight years before getting a position as sales officer at a local clothing shop at the age of 21. Deja says that having jobs from a young age helped her finance activities and save for her higher education, while helping her learn financial responsibility.
Deja went to NCAT State University where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Sciences with a concentration in Psychology. Although Deja completed her higher education in order to secure work in her field, she was presented with another opportunity she hadn’t previously considered. Her driving desire to achieve dominance in life as her own boss and to help her community overcome financial adversities, prompted Deja to seize this new opportunity.
Deja was able to use entrepreneurship as a vehicle to bring her closer to obtaining the financial means to fund not only her passions but a future career of her choosing.
“What first inspired me to become an entrepreneur, was actually the first time that I saw on social media that I can save myself time, energy and money actually working as my own boss. I decided that I wanted more out of life than chasing someone else’s dreams. I know that pursuing a career as a Psychologist will not only take capital but clients. As an entrepreneur, I am in the perfect position to achieve financial independence on my own terms, and use what I’ve gained from this business to reach my goals even faster,” says Deja.
Deja refocused her efforts into building a roadmap that can provide everyone with economic independence, through her new business venture – forex trading and network marketing. However, this wasn’t an overnight achievement. Deja worked tirelessly mastering her craft and refining her leadership skills to build her business to where it is today.
Deja is now part of Tradehouse Investment Group. When discussing the work Deja and her team do, she says:
“We partner with an ivy league educational platform, to give us a better understanding of how to diversify our income with risk management. Understanding the value of this skill-set allows us to take advantage of the Network Marketing business of this platform. We impact lives by introducing them to this space, and guiding them through the educational system to change their circumstances”
Although Deja has found success in trading in the financial markets, she places great priority and focus on her role as a mentor.
“What we do is simple, but it isn’t always easy. In order to help people take the most advantage of this opportunity, my team and I organize opportunity plans, conventions, business events, and zoom training every single day, to ensure everyone feels included and is given the attention and resources they need to succeed.” says Deja.
Deja’s search for a means to achieve her goals while following her passion was fulfilled, as she began transforming her dream into a reality. However, the income generated and financial security gained is not her only goal. Deja hopes to shift the mindsets of individuals who believe it isn’t possible to achieve success without the traditional ideals of a college degree or a good job, making it difficult for them to find the courage to invest in themselves and chart their own path to life.
“A lot of people, unfortunately, have a closed mind because they are afraid to invest in themself. The vision is clear, so the work is very simple. It’s just a matter of helping people make the conscious decision of doing whatever it takes for the next 6-12 months of their life so that they have a sense of pride in accomplishing something they chose instead of something they settled for,” says Deja.
You can’t develop a company without encountering obstacles and gaining valuable lessons, along the way, and Deja is happy to share some of her biggest takeaways with aspiring entrepreneurs:
Create a vision for yourself. “The only thing that can motivate you everyday is your own vision. You must decide who you want to be and work every day to become that individual. Be specific about it, and show up like him or her every day.”
Step outside your comfort zone. “You must get yourself outside of your comfort zone. Every day you have to do something, say something or ask something that you would normally never do. It’s the only way to grow.”
Keep learning, listening, growing and experimenting. “You should always be asking questions because there’s never too much to learn. If you don’t ask, if you don’t try, if you don’t start, then you stay exactly where you are.”
Never give up! “The biggest lesson that i have learned through this unfinished journey is that the only way you fail is when you quit. Being an entrepreneur doesn’t make you a superhuman. We all still have emotions, a personal life, and trials. The only difference between us and the average person is that, we never give up, even when it doesn’t make sense to anyone else”
Learn more about Deja Wilson and how she is pushing the boundaries of societal norms on her instagram page @D__doubleyou or email her at [email protected].