Eric McGehearty allowed his dyslexia to hold him back when he was younger. He couldn’t read in school and the challenges he faced made him feel dumb.

Luckily, as a 10-year-old, McGehearty became inspired by a summer art class and learned that he shouldn’t let his dyslexia stand in the way of becoming a success.

McGehearty had broken his arm before his art class began, and lamented to his teacher that he would not be able to participate. She responded with a valuable lesson: there are plenty of successful artists with disabilities. McGehearty took her lesson to heart and realized that if a broken arm couldn’t stop him from creating beautiful art, then dyslexia shouldn’t stop him either.

​McGehearty embraced technology at a young age and became an avid listener. He also learned how to ask for help when he needed it.

These skills, which he believes he developed due to his dyslexia, helped him rise to success. He has earned an MFA and has become the CEO of his own company. To accomplish this, he embraced three lessons that allowed him to succeed in art and business:

  1. Push yourself to be creative.
  2. Brand yourself by showing the world you are unique.
  3. Manage your own budget.