INTERVIEW | Make Money Through Grit, Resilience, and Joy with Amberly Lago

Amberlee Lago, a USA Today bestselling author and resilience expert, reveals how she transformed from a single mom facing poverty and a near-fatal motorcycle accident to a global speaker and entrepreneur—powered not by talent alone, but by grit, connection, and the daily practice of gratitude. Her journey began at age eight, when she started a babysitting business, and accelerated when she moved to LA at 18 to pursue dance, despite widespread doubt from loved ones. After being told she’d never walk again following a life-altering accident at 38, she rebuilt her life through sobriety, a daily gratitude ritual with her 'God Squad' of sober sisters, and a commitment to joy as a sustainable fuel for success. She argues that resilience isn’t just about enduring hardship—it’s about surrounding yourself with people who reflect your purpose, and that joy isn’t a reward for success, but the engine that makes it possible. Her new book, *Joy Through the Journey*, is a blueprint for thriving amid struggle by anchoring in gratitude, accountability, and human connection. Lago’s story reframes failure not as a dead end but as a necessary phase of growth. She emphasizes that the people who discourage you often do so out of love, not malice—but their opinions aren’t the ones that matter. What does matter is seeking counsel from those who’ve walked the path.