From a Nervous 10-Year-Old to the TEDx Stage

Forty years ago, I stood frozen backstage at my new school, knees knocking, palms sweating.
New town.
New faces.
And now, I was supposed to deliver a speech in front of hundreds of strangers?

I was terrified.
Everything in me wanted to run.

But then… something unexpected happened…

I did it.
And somehow (despite the fear, the nerves, the self-doubt) I loved it.
The energy. The connection. The rush of sharing something real with an audience.

That tiny, terrifying moment in Grade 5 planted a seed.
A seed I didn’t even realize was growing.

Fast forward to today:
I’m getting ready to step onto the stage at the Biltmore Theater in Oshawa to give my very first TED Talk with an incredible lineup of speakers.

And once again, the nerves are here.
But so is something bigger: a story about how serendipity. Those unexpected, chance moments can shape our entire lives if we’re willing to step into the unknown.

When Life Hands You a Microphone...

My TED Talk is about the role serendipity plays in success.
How moments you never planned for end up changing everything.

That Grade 5 speech?
Total accident.
No grand vision. No 10-year plan.

But stepping onto that stage cracked something open in me.
A love for connection.
A skill I would later use in business, coaching, writing—and now, speaking on one of the biggest stages of all.

It wasn’t luck that brought me here.
It was saying yes to fear.
It was moving before I felt ready.
It was trusting that maybe (just maybe) the unknown could lead somewhere amazing.

3 Lessons for Solopreneurs Chasing Their Own Stage

✅ 1. Don’t Wait for the “Perfect” Moment
Perfect moments don’t exist.
That speech wasn’t planned. My TED Talk didn’t land because I waited for a cosmic sign.
I stepped first—and the path revealed itself.
Start before you're ready. Start scared if you have to. Just start.

✅ 2. Embrace the Nerves
Feeling nervous isn’t a sign you’re failing.
It’s a sign you’re growing.
Those shaky knees back in Grade 5?
They were a signal that I was stepping outside my comfort zone, and stepping into a bigger future.
Lean into the butterflies. They know the way.

✅ 3. Serendipity Only Happens If You Show Up
Opportunities don’t always knock.
Sometimes they whisper.
Sometimes they shove you onto a stage you didn’t plan for.
But you’ll never catch those moments if you’re hiding in the wings.
You have to show up, even when you’re scared.

Final Thoughts: You Don’t Have to Feel Ready. Just Be Willing.

As I rehearse for the biggest speech of my life, I’m reminded:
It’s not about being fearless.
It’s about taking action anyway.

And if you’re wrestling with fear or self-doubt in your business journey, I wrote something just for you:

👉 How to Overcome Fear and Self-Doubt When Starting as a Solopreneur

Because stepping into the unknown isn’t just for TED Talks.
It’s how every solopreneur builds something great.

You’re closer than you think.
You just have to take the mic. 🎤

—Dennis

P.S. Crazy to think... one 5th grade speech. One shaky moment. One step forward.
Sometimes, that's all it takes to change your life.

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