Joshua Ledbetter - Me and My LP3 Project

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I was born with 100% hearing loss in both of my ears. I learned sign language at a young age and being sporty and an active child, my parents gave me the opportunity to try out motocross. I loved it and was pretty good at it, allowing me to turn professional when I was 15 years old. My parents had also drummed into me the importance of developing an excellent work ethic and they also ensured I committed myself to education. 

​In 2010, I graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in Sports and Exercise Science. Following graduation I moved back in with my parents in Colorado Springs and starting applying for jobs. After several months of searching I was unable to find a job. Luckily for me my friend Nate started a local construction company and so I began to work for him. This was far from my dream job but it was something that helped me make ends meet. However, in the back of my mind I still dreamed of the day I could start my own business where I could teach, motivate and inspire people to live every day better through body, mind and soul.

After several months of working for this construction company, I still dreamed of one day starting my own business. I knew that if I just stayed doing what I was doing that was unlikely to happen so I decided to quit my job and move to Denver with the little money I had left in my savings account. In planning the move, I was confident that I would be able to find a job at a gym given my degree and experience in the field. However, every time I got an interview I felt as though I was not treated fairly and they doubted my ability because of my restriction in communicating with others.

As the next couple weeks passed, I began to doubt my ability to succeed. After about a month in the depth of despair, I remember thinking to myself that I could either let this obstacle bring me down, or let it motive me to overcome the barriers that were being placed in front of me. Following this realisation I developed a burning passion to succeed and I started to build some of the foundations of the business that I was so desperate to start.

In the fall of last year, I met two of my business partners. We all had similar ambitions and a will to succeed, culminating in us officially starting the business in February of this year. Since then we have been able to provide education, tools and resources for thousands of people around the globe. Our company motto is to 'Ledbetter' (Live Every Day Better) through body, mind and soul. We currently provide online nutritional and training programs, support groups, recipes, inspirational blogs, e-books and apparel.

Looking back at my journey over the past year, I have not only learned a lot about business, but I have also learned that it is possible to overcome any limitation and pursue your dreams. I believe that much of our character development comes from learning to overcome obstacles and that is certainly been the case for me.

I encourage anyone who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing who may be thinking about opening a business of their own or pursue a goal or a dream they have had for a long time, to just go for it! Whilst it may not be easy at times, there is always an opportunity for you to overcome the odds that were placed on you, or persevere through the doubt that surrounds you. Most things worth achieving have an element of risk and it might be a bit scary, but if you learn to step outside your comfort zone, facing your fear will actually lead you to achieve even greater things than you could have imagined.

You can find out more about Joshua's Mind, Body and Soul project at www.ledbetterproject.com