Good evening graduates, faculty, and honored guests. I am honored to be here today to speak to you on your special day. As you embark on the next chapter of your lives, I want to share with you some insights that have guided me throughout my own journey. As an entrepreneur and a champion for women in business, I have learned that the key to success is not avoiding fear, but rather embracing it and taking risks.

Fear can be a powerful force in our lives, often holding us back from pursuing our dreams and reaching our full potential. But fear also has the power to push us forward and motivate us to take action. When faced with fear, we have a choice: to give in and let it control us, or to use it as fuel to propel us towards our goals. As you embark on your own journey, I urge you to choose the latter. Embrace your fears, acknowledge them, and then use them as a driving force to take risks and move forward.

In my own personal and professional endeavors, I have faced countless challenges and setbacks. But it is during those moments of fear and uncertainty that I have grown the most. Each time I took a risk, whether it was starting my own business or pursuing a new opportunity, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and into a realm of