Founder's Story: Starting Over, Studying Hard, and Finding My Vo…

Founder's Story: Starting Over, Studying Hard, and Finding My Voice Part 2 Overview In Part 2 of her Founder's Story, Julie Riga takes us inside her college years: the first time in her life she got to start over with a clean slate, build real friendships, and discover what she was truly capable of. From spending eight hours at a time in the library to make up for lost learning, to quitting a sorority on induction night to chase a radio station opportunity, Julie shares the raw truth about resilience, reinvention, and what happens when you finally find your voice. This is the story of a woman who refused to let her past define her future and who put in every rep it took to get there.

Founder's Story: Starting Over, Studying Hard, and Finding My Voice Part 2

Host: Julie Riga | Episode Type: Solo Episode Part 2

What You Will Learn:

Julie opens up about the college years that changed everything. For the first time, nobody knew her past. Nobody knew what happened in high school. She got to start over. And she made the absolute most of it, earning Dean's List honors, discovering a love of learning, and ultimately finding her way to a microphone that would define her path for decades to come.

Key Topics:

The Power of Starting Over:

Why college gave Julie her first real opportunity to reinvent herself
Making 12 friends within two days and experiencing real community for the first time
How a clean slate can be the most powerful gift life offers

The Eight Hour Study Sessions:

Earning her place on the Dean's List despite severe gaps in her foundational education
Spending up to eight hours in the library to match results others got in two
Why the will to succeed can override any learning deficiency

The Sorority She Walked Away From:

Pledging a sorority and quitting on induction night after Hell Night
The professor who asked: "Are you here to pledge a sorority or are you here to get an education?"
Choosing her education and her purpose over fitting in

Finding Her Voice on the Radio:

Becoming the voice of Rowan College on 89.7 WGLS FM
Hosting two talk shows and a club mix as CJ the DJ
How an internship she thought was pointless turned into one of the most brilliant series the station had ever run

Memorable Quotes:

"Sometimes that is just what you need in life. You need to start over."

"You will do it if you want it bad enough. You will do it."

"Nothing in my life was handed to me. Nothing. And so I had to push forward."

"I am here to get an education, sir. And that moment changed everything for me."

"Learning was the remedy to my problems. I could learn."

"When you start to remember what you did as a young person and you are able to come back to who you started becoming, because life took you in a different direction from where you started. This is the journey I have been on."

Key Takeaways:

A fresh start is not a luxury. It is sometimes a necessity for growth
Outworking everyone else is a valid and powerful strategy
Knowing what you want badly enough will always outperform raw talent
Purpose-driven decisions require walking away from things that do not serve your mission
Your earliest passions are often pointing you toward your purpose all along

About Julie Riga:

Julie Riga is a leadership coach, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Stay On Course Podcast. She helps leaders and business owners discover their true purpose, build authentic confidence, and break through to their next level of success.

Services: One on One Coaching | Leadership Programs | Training Programs | Brand Building

Explore all of Julie's resources here: https://stacklist.app/julieriga

Subscribe to Stay On Course wherever you listen to podcasts Share this episode with someone who needs to be reminded it is never too late to start over

#StayOnCoursePodcast #FoundersStory #PurposeDrivenLeadership #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipMindset

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.