Meet Dr. Eddie Connor

Written By Dr. Eddie Connor

We were lucky to catch up with Dr. Eddie Connor recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Eddie, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

Looking back in retrospect, the pandemic caused many of us to forsake what was so familiar to us. Through the turbulent times of the loss of loved ones, rapid changes, discomfort, and an economic downturn much of the messaging was about how to pivot. I realize you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and be uncomfortable with being comfortable if you’re going to experience growth. Doing the same old thing will not lead to a new result. We have to embrace the challenge to change and forsake the familiar.

As a result I saw my vision clearer. I began to see the need to not just pivot but a desire for strategies to show people how to prosper in a post-pandemic world. I believe knowing your identity places you at the intersection of purpose and opportunity. Somebody is waiting for you to become who you are so they can become who they are supposed to be. How long will you make them wait?

This pertinent question led to the birthing of the Access Identity Conference which is taking place in Detroit, MI on Saturday, August 5, 2023. You can register right now at http://www.AccessIdentity.org and use the code ACCESS at checkout to get $50 off. AIC 2023 is the conference that makes a difference by empowering attendees with substantive strategies to increase their ideas, impact, and influence. Our conference encompasses 6 access components of Mental Health/Wellness, Business/Branding, Faith, Financial Literacy, Purpose, and Relationships.

So many community members, entrepreneurs, and leaders are grappling with the challenges of growth, economic woes, unemployment, and innovation in a post-pandemic world. The Access Identity Conference provides solutions and strategies to discover your uniqueness and unlock your greatness.

The conference will feature an array of speakers who will address the needs of entrepreneurs, leaders, and educators with pragmatic strategies on work/life balance, mental health, building your brand identity, business, purpose, faith, relationships, and much more.

Each attendee will gain insight on how to catalyze their greatest resource within and influence their community with pragmatic strategies to transform their ideas into massive impact.

The Access Identity Conference provides an atmosphere of excellence that cultivates community inspired growth and purpose driven partnerships. We champion a culture of camaraderie and collaboration over competition.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I live by the credo that “Service is the rent you pay for the space you occupy.” I consider myself to be a servant leader by empowering people to overcome obstacles and walk in their unique purpose. By discovering the champion in me I overcome challenges to write 16 best-selling books, develop mentoring programs, share my journey as an international speaker and be featured on major media outlets across the country.

In 2012, I worked as an aide to former U.S. Congressman Hansen Clarke and assisted in developing a resolution (H.Res. 721 – 112th) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that bolstering literacy among African-American and Hispanic men is an urgent national priority. The resolution became the impetus for President Barack Obama’s, My Brother’s Keeper initiative. This work was a very proud moment for me and all who were involved to meet the needs of our people who are often overlooked, underserved, and underrepresent. I have since been honored to be a recipient of The President Barack Obama Volunteer Service Award and The President Barack Obama Lifetime Achievement Award from The White House.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I’m reminded of a quote by Dr. Myles Munroe who affirmed, “Vision is purpose in pictures.” For much of my life, I’ve known my purpose but the vision and picture of my future always seemed to be blurry. As a son of parents who are ministers, I was raised to love God and express love to people. Grappling with their divorce and the absence of my father, I battled with how to become a man when I didn’t interact with one. How do I play the role without the script? To make matters worse, in high school, I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

The pain of struggle came early and often in my life. My life is a stark reminder of the poignant and poetic words of Langston Hughes, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” Sometimes you don’t realize how strong you are until being strong is your only option. Through my struggle to find the can in cancer, I realize that pain is oftentimes a portal to purpose.

For almost two years, I received chemotherapy and radiation to eradicate an aggressive form of cancer. Battling that disease brought about the dis-ease of depression, dismay, and mental discombobulation. Many people didn’t think I was going to make it, but God healed me and I persevered. I found the can in cancer. The battles did not stop there. I was told by my guidance counselor that I would never go to college. However, from being told I would never go to college to serving as a professor at a college is one of my victories. Servant leadership is near and dear to me, which is why I developed the organization “Boys 2 Books.” It’s an after-school program that provides an opportunity to give back as a mentor and empower young males via literacy, leadership, and life skills enrichment.

I’m a living witness that as long as you have a pulse, you still have a purpose. I persevered through chemotherapy, radiation, depression, and an absent father. Yes, cancer made me cry but it didn’t make me quit. What I endured was painful but by God’s grace it became purposeful. I’m blessed to live through dying places and empower people to do the same.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The saying goes, “An entrepreneur is someone who jumps off a cliff and builds a plane on the way down without a parachute.” Undoubtedly, it’s a big risk to reap the rewards but you can’t reap the rewards without taking the risk. If you want to aspire higher and reach new levels, you have to take a leap of faith. Personally, for me to shift from full-time educator and professor to full-time entrepreneur was totally risky. Creating something from nothing, betting on myself, and beating the odds was very risky but all the more rewarding. I did not allow my situation to shrink my vision. If you want to aspire higher and reach new levels, you have to take a leap of faith. Knowing your why and discovering how to level up will be the ultimate reward.

Contact Info:

Dr. Eddie Connor
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Empowerment Speaker & Best-Selling Author