We recently connected with D.J. Vanas and have shared our conversation below.
D.J., looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?
When I was probably eight or nine years old, I made little wooden plaques with wooden flowerpots and painted flowers made out of buttons. I sold them door to door to make money for Christmas presents that year. I remember the excitement of creating something with my mind, as much as my hands, that made people happy and made money at the same time. That seed took bloom later in life in ways I couldn’t have imagined. As a full-time speaker for over 20 years, a three-time author and host/producer of a PBS special, I never realized how fulfilling it could be to live a creative life that benefitted others and earned a good income. It has been such hard work through the years and yet I’ve never enjoyed anything more. I feel blessed to do what I do for a living.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m an enrolled member of the Ottawa Tribe of Michigan and a former Air Force officer. I’m a proud graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and after I graduated, I helped the Academy increase diversity as a recruiter for my alma mater for a year. I found that I loved sharing stories of my experiences, promoting the value of higher education and inspiring others to see the best in themselves, After that special duty assignment, I went into my regular field which involved Air Force space programs, I stayed with speaking on the side, attending Native American education conferences, schools, community programs, etc. – wherever I was called and did it all for free. I was learning my craft, cutting my teeth. I read and practiced incessantly. I studied other speakers that inspired me and journaled my ideas and ways to improve my delivery and content. I knew even then, that I wanted to share the message that I do now, which is to show people and organizations how to use our traditional Native American warrior principles to get better results in life, leadership and service to others. The principles revolve around ideas we can all benefit from: resiliency, grit, personal courage, teamwork, service, self-care and becoming better versions of ourselves. I’ve found that the biggest obstacles organizations face when it comes to providing great service isn’t a lack of budget, time, personnel, etc. The biggest obstacle is apathy. My message addresses that to create engaged and motivated people who fight for something something positive, something bigger than self, and do it sustainably. I’ve done this with over 500 tribal nations, as well as groups like Intel Corporation, the U.S. military, Amazon, Mayo Clinic, Allstate, Walt Disney, Costco, Subaru and NASA.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Into every life a little rain must fall… and sometimes it’s an epic, life-changing flood! I’ve been through downturns before, both personally with losing family members and business-wise, such as 9/11 and 2008, but nothing compared to the pandemic. Two months into the pandemic, which decimated my speaking schedule, my wife asked for a separation which lasted for over a year and led to a divorce. It was the darkest, most painful chapter of my life. I was shocked, alone, confused, scared and heartbroken. The fact is, we don’t learn much when things are going well. When the sky is blue, our belly is full and bills are paid, we tend to coast or even stagnate. But when things fall apart, we can learn much — and quickly. What I learned is that the hardest things we ever go through can bring out the best stuff we never knew we had. I finally started to reassemble my life and get back onto my path with a renewed sense of strength, determination and hope for the future. I poured that suffering into working on myself and on my craft. I reengaged in a conversation with PBS, after I was featured in one of their documentaries, that led to me producing and hosting my own special Discovering Your Warrior Spirit. It also led me to delve headlong into creating a comprehensive book proposal that not only got me a rock star of a literary agent, but also a dream deal with my publisher Penguin Random House for my newest book The Warrior Within. There are always blessings in the muck pile because we can use it as fertilizer for new growth. I wouldn’t trade the pain I went through because it led me to here — a place where I’m happier, wiser, more productive, balanced, self-aware, with more capacity to evolve and a visceral understanding not only that I can do hard things, but those are also the things that made the version of me I am now.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
A big pivot I had to make in my career came during the pandemic when I had to transition from being in-person for my speaking events to doing them virtually. It was a difficult and frustrating shift. I got into this line of work because I love being with people. When the pandemic hit, my entire year’s calendar (of in-person events) was wiped out in three days. I pulled out a dusty Microsoft Lifecam from the back of my desk drawer (that I had only used twice and never to deliver a program) and started figuring out the new medium. I hated looking into a camera to deliver my programs. I look at what I do as one third education, one third empowerment and one third entertainment… and I felt so limited, so hamstrung, with this new delivery method. It was a challenge to feel connected, to read the room, etc. and I go so frustrated, I had to have a serious self-talk. I basically said “get over yourself, you are here to deliver a message as best and as passionately as you can, regardless of the circumstances”. Once I finally acknowledged that, I stopped whining and fully committed to doing my best on camera. Suddenly, I was back to my high-energy, playful style of delivery that I’m know for on live stages. I ended up doing 110 virtual programs in a one-year period and though it’s never a substitute for in-person, I got comfortable with virtual presentations, received rave reviews on them, and now have a whole new skill set.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nativediscovery.com
- Instagram: @d.j.vanas
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buildingwarriors/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djvanas/
- Twitter: @DJVanas
- Youtube: @buildingwarriors