Working with a seasoned audience who have experienced hundreds of motivational speakers, I avoid speakers that deliver the same-old-same-old messages in a way that provokes weariness. I first selected Real in 2019 as an afternoon speaker for an international trade association's annual meeting. Our meeting theme that year was "connect," and our celebratory speaker had done little to help with that message. Real took the stage and dazzled us all for half an hour. She has an ability to read her audience and deliver the energy and messages they need. People emerged energized as they literally buzzed around the event reciting messages from her talk throughout the conference's remaining days. Evaluations that year cited her as not only one of the best speakers they'd experienced but also someone who delivered content that had a direct impact on their lives. I wasn't surprised because the power of Real’s presence was apparent even through the phone. I've had the wonderful pleasure of working with 100s of professional speakers. Real Kunene is a stand-out.

Real Kunene has been invaluable in my search to find the right landing spot as I pivot careers. She is part strategist, part thought provoker, and part cheerleader. And she has a masterful knack for knowing when to invoke these various skills to bring out a clarity of purpose and desire that is often hard to pinpoint on your own. She has a way of repackaging your own, sometimes confusing, thoughts in a way that adds meaningful direction. I could go on and on with superlatives, but suffice it to say that if you are looking for someone to confide in and learn from about yourself, your professional skills, your career ambitions, and your potential, look no further than Real.

I wish I could have read this book years ago. It would have saved me months of false starts. RISE TO GREATER HEIGHTS Book is a collection of lessons that will hone your craft and turn you from a hobbyist into an authority. It’s a definitive and deceptively simple book that has boiled out all of the irrelevant minutia and pretense and bites deep into the bone of what makes you chase after success.