World-famous motivational speaker, Ellie Drake, came from a humble home and had to face obstacles on her path to fame. She started life in Iran, where she recalls being told she could have no dreams. She should give up. Giving up wasn't an option, though. As a young lady, her parents brought her to the United States where she could learn English and live the American Dream.

Coming to American had always been one of Ellie Drake's wildest dreams. Living in the "free world" seemed impossible when growing up surrounded by bombs. When she was young, Ellie wanted so badly to learn English that she would walk to school, dictionary in hand, and memorize one new word per day. She couldn't pronounce what she was learning, but she at least familiarized herself with English terminology.

Ellie Drake's life changed in an instant when her parents brought her to America. Ellie's heart was filled with passion. She had the freedom to do or be anyone she wished, and she had the liberty of living in a country that would allow her to do so. She was unstoppable.

To be successful, you have to light a fire under your passions. Make your passions grow stronger in your heart. Success and passion are not the same things. Just because you are successful in your job doesn't mean you truly enjoy your job and wake up every morning with a desire to do your job.

Ellie Drake was so successful in her new American schools that she fulfilled her parents' dream of becoming a doctor. They wanted her to be a doctor so that she could make enough money to care for them when they got old. Ellie didn't enjoy being a doctor, though. She wanted more from life.

One day Ellie decided she'd had enough and handed her medical degree to her parents. She wouldn't be needing it anymore because she confidently told them she would rather follow the passions in her heart by becoming a speaker and entrepreneur. Sure, she knew she would have setbacks and failures, but she also knew that her passion was strong enough to get her through the tough times ahead.

Too many people ask themselves, "How can I make a living while following my passions? " Ellie encourages people not to think that way. When you're focused on money, you can't be focused on your passions. When you focus on your passions, you will grow more successful in them, and the money will come on its own.

When Ellie decided not to be a doctor, but rather follow her speaking passion, she was under a great deal of debt. She had $115,000 in credit card debt and $150,000 in student loan debt. She didn't focus on the debt, though. She focused on following her passions. Today, with the help of BraveHeart Productions, she empowers women and executives to achieve their American Dream as well.