Daniel Seddiqui’s resume is intentionally long. Although finding work after college graduation was a seemingly impossible mission, having failed 40+ job interviews, Daniel regained focus and found a new purpose by exploring America’s cultures, careers and environments. Each week, he arrived in a new state and found a job, but not just any job. His mission was to choose an industry that reflected the culture and/or economy of the state.
He’s worked as a baseball scout in Massachusetts, a coal miner in West Virginia, a meteorologist in Ohio, a music studio technician in Tennessee, an archaeologist in Arkansas, a petroleum engineer in Texas, a meatpacker in Kansas, a cartographer in North Dakota, a National Park Service ranger in Wyoming, a reverend in Nevada, a lumberjack in Oregon, a dietitian in Mississippi… The list is unreal.
In the midst of the recession, this was no easy quest. Learning to give himself an opportunity and understanding that life is what you make it, Daniel hit the road and when gasoline was at a historic high of $4.99/gallon. “I could’ve used every excuse in the book not to embark on this journey and how I would fail, but I was left at the point of desperation. I had an overwhelming spark of curiosity that my ‘why’ was strong, therefore the ‘how’ became easy.”
Now, Daniel encourages students to open up their worlds, be curious and learn from others. He understands that we have to set goals for ourselves in the classroom and in the real world, not to just go through the motions. “We have to apply and connect what we learn and recognize how it can benefit us.”
Taking risks, being adaptable, building a network, and having endurance are all part of the equation of persevering. Daniel shares with audiences that these are the five essential elements attributing to ones’ success. “Learning and challenging yourself is an incessant cycle.” Daniel has taken his 50 Jobs in 50 States endeavor as a tool for inspiration to “go the extra mile.” In his most recent mission, Daniel has challenged communities that suffer socio-economically to overcome adversity and use the power of people and existing resources to uplift themselves. He has visited the most obese town in America, for example, and fostered community-building to coach the town for a 5k road race.
We are excited to host Daniel as our GCDA Mini Conference Keynote Speaker and look forward to the wisdom he shares that we can use to positively impact our clients.
To get a taste of what to expect, you can see Daniel's TEDx video here.