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2015 Chicago Marathon. Mile 13. I’m flying—feeling like I could run forever. Heart surgery, back surgery, barely able to stand a decade before, and here I am crushing it. Then I see the sign: NOT ALMOST THERE. Everything changed. Heavy legs. Cramping. Mental breakdown. I barely finished what started as my best race ever. That sign broke me, but it also built me. Southside Chicago kid who studied for 15 seconds between building cars on the assembly line. Graduated in 5 years. Built companies. Sold two. 800 employees. Young father at 20 who figured it out as I went. I’ve spent 50+ episodes of Not Almost There interviewing experts, and now my cohost and I are diving deeper into the conversations that matter most. We dig into what it really takes—in business, branding, health, life. No fluff. Real talk about building something that matters while the clock’s ticking. Whether you’re running your first mile or your hundredth company, we’re here to help you go the distance. Because almost there isn’t good enough.
Episodes
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
Maysoon Zayid is an actress, comedian, writer, and disability advocate. She is the co-founder/co-executive producer of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival, The Muslim Funny Fest, and has one of the most viewed TedTalks, with over 11 million views. As a professional comedian, Maysoon has performed in top New York clubs and has toured extensively in the US and abroad. She was a headliner on the Arabs Gone Wild Comedy Tour, and The Muslims Are Coming Tour. Maysoon appeared alongside Adam Sandler in You Don’t Mess with the Zohan and has written for VICE. She walked in New York Fashion Week, tap-danced on Broadway, written a best-selling memoir called ‘Find Another Dream,’ and is proud to be an ambassador for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.
→IN THIS EPISODE… Joe talks with Maysoon about her incredible entertainment career. Born with cerebral palsy, her journey to the stage has been a unique one. She has achieved every goal she has set for herself, including being a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, TED Talk superstar, a reoccurring role on General Hospital, a proud cat mom, and an advocate for people with disabilities. And yet, with all she has achieved, she is still setting goals and has so much she has yet to accomplish.
🔍 Breakdown with Maysoon Zayid:
Chapter 1 (0:00) Introducing Maysoon Zayid
Joe introduces Maysoon.
Chapter 2 (2:32) Find another dream
Maysoon took some advice to find another dream in a completely different direction. Maysoon never let anything stand in her way.
Chapter 3 (5:04) Inspirational for all the right reasons
Don’t be inspired by Maysoon because she is disabled, be inspired because she is a Stand-Up Comedian who sells out theaters, a best-selling author, and an actress on General Hospital.
Chapter 4 (6:26) Life goals
Maysoon was a born performer. She always knew she wanted to be on TV or Broadway, and she never let her disability define her or block any of her dreams.
Chapter 5 (8:21) Road to comedy
It was in stand-up comedy that Maysoon found her home. After graduating from Arizona State, she started auditioning for acting roles and didn’t get any callbacks. Where she ended up finding people that she identified with was in Stand-Up Comedy.
Chapter 6 (10:56) Current projects
Maysoon shares all of her current projects, ranging from virtual comedy shows to teaching a class at an Ivy League College.
Chapter 7 (13:08) The American Dream
Something people may not consider is the struggles of immigrants from refugee camps. Maysoon has the perspective of knowing a life that does not afford necessary privileges while living in Sudan.
Chapter 8 (18:54) Speed Round of Questions
Joe asks Maysoon some rapid-fire questions from favorite actors to her thoughts on her TEDx Talk, which has over 11 million views.
Chapter 9 (23:44) Only you can define you
The best advice Maysoon has for you is to be who you want to be and not to let anyone else tell you who you should be.
Chapter 10 (25:22) Wrap-Up
Final thoughts from Joe.
Material Referenced in this interview:
→Find Another Dream! By Maysoon Zayid
→I got 99 problems (TEDx video)
→The Teddy Bear Habit by James Collier
📞 Connect with Maysoon
→https://maysoon.com/
→https://maysoon.com/beyonce-the-cat/
→https://www.facebook.com/maysoonzayid/
→https://twitter.com/maysoonzayid
→https://www.instagram.com/maysoonzayid/
👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere/
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura
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