However, I soon realized that the American Dream was not as easy to attain as I had hoped. My journey to success in America was not what I had imagined. Before leaving Nigeria, I was filled with excitement about the endless possibilities ahead of me, but I wasn’t prepared for the hurdles that awaited me. The path I took was one of constant challenges, setbacks, and disappointments before I could finally embrace my true purpose.

The Reality of America

After settling into married life, I dove into the American job market with high expectations. Armed with my degree and work experience at Shell Nigeria and KPMG Nigeria. I was confident that I would land a great job. Yet, as the months passed, I became increasingly discouraged. Despite my qualifications, I faced rejection after rejection. Employers pointed to my lack of American experience as the reason for not hiring me. Finally, in 2008, I landed a job. It felt like a breakthrough, a step closer to realizing my American Dream. But just four months later, I was laid off.

Although the setback was tough, I remained determined to keep going. I consulted with industry professionals who all told me the same thing: I lacked an American education. It felt as though everything I had achieved before coming to America didn’t count. Pregnant with my second son, I enrolled in an American university to pursue my master’s degree. The experience was difficult—my coursework was demanding, and pregnancy made everything harder. But I refused to give up.

The Question That Changed Everything

Upon graduating with a 3.8 GPA and earning my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, I felt a renewed sense of hope. Holding my degree felt like I was finally holding my American Dream in my hands. But even with these accomplishments, the road ahead was still challenging.

When the financial market collapsed just as I was re-entering the job market, the rejection I faced was even worse than before. I applied for jobs every day, attended interviews, and leveraged my network. But still, no job offers came through. It was devastating to pour all my energy into securing a corporate job only to be met with rejection time and time again.

At that point, my husband asked me a simple question that would change everything: “Why do you want a corporate job?” That question made me reflect deeply. I had always imagined myself in a corporate role—dressed in power suits, attending important meetings. But I had never questioned whether I truly wanted that lifestyle. Was it possible that the American Dream I had envisioned wasn’t what I truly desired?

A New Path to Fulfillment

After a period of reflection and prayer, I decided to stop chasing a corporate career. A second question from my husband followed: “What are you passionate about?” The answer came to me: shopping and helping people. But the next question caught me off guard: “Can you turn any of those passions into a business?” At first, I wasn’t sure how to do that. But then I realized that I had already been helping others with both passions. I had helped my sister start a business selling American products in Nigeria, and I had assisted friends and family in Nigeria with shopping from the U.S.

Shortly after, I was invited to a women’s conference at Rice University, where I was inspired by women excelling in their own businesses. It was there that I realized that I could achieve the American Dream in my own way. Instead of chasing after someone else’s dream by working for a corporate company, I could create my own business and live out my passion. I reached out to a woman I had met at the conference and asked her to help me start my own company. And so, Heroshe was born.

Realizing My Dream

Today, Heroshe is a seven-figure e-commerce logistics company on a mission to improve lives by opening access to global commerce through logistics, payment solutions, and more. We’ve helped thousands of customers—many of whom have started their own businesses—and we’ve built a global team.

Looking back, I now realize that I spent so many years chasing a corporate career without ever asking myself why I wanted it. My true American Dream was not in a job I didn’t enjoy, but in creating a business that allowed me to fulfill my passion and help others.

If you’re stuck in a corporate job you don’t love or if you’re unsure why you’re chasing a particular dream, ask yourself why. There’s a bigger purpose for you—one that might look very different from the traditional corporate path. You can achieve so much more than you realize if you believe in yourself and take action.

I’m now on a mission to help women who are stuck in their corporate careers but dream of starting their own businesses. If that sounds like you, take the first step toward your own American Dream today.

If you’re ready to turn your idea into a real business? Download my free Business Clarity Blueprint and start mapping your path today!