Every single person you see is battling something in their lives. For some, the issue is obvious. Maybe they walk with a limp, or their arm is in a sling. For others, it may take a closer look to notice the haunted eyes of those living through a struggle within. The emotionally wounded, the traumatized. But some of the hardest things to deal with often turn out to be completely invisible. Those who must push beyond their obstacles often do so unseen, unnoticed, even misunderstood.
So it was with Dylan Smith.
If you were to look at Dylan today, you would see a successful businessman and inspirational speaker. You would see a strong, confident educator who has left a positive impact on many lives, and left an unforgettable impression on so many more. But Dylan wasn’t always this way. You could say Dylan’s journey was an uphill climb, but it was more like scaling the face of a cliff.
Dylan Smith was born in Russia, but, along with his twin brother, was adopted by a family in the United States before the age of three. Unfortunately, the conditions in which he found himself were less than ideal. His alcoholic father was rarely in the picture, and, although he had the help of gracious grandparents and the dedication of a hard working mother, Dylan spent most of his childhood without a proper father figure in his life. But Dylan decided at a young age not to let that discourage him. Rather than dwell on what he didn’t have, he focused on what he could take away from his situation. He used his environment as a way to learn what not to do, who not to be.
This continued until Dylan reached 7th grade. That year, things changed for him. A new father came into his life, and, this time, he was a real man. He was a proper example of how to act, how to be respectable, how to possess good ethics and take responsibility. With this positive shift in environment, Dylan was able to turn his focus from his daily conditions to a battle no one knew he had been fighting all of this time, including Dylan himself.
Dylan Smith was dyslexic. At first, Dylan was misdiagnosed with ADHD and put on medication in order to deal with it. But, as is always the case when taking medication you don’t need, it caused Dylan to deteriorate. He began to pick at his skin, and scabs and sores formed, creating the potential for other health issues to surface. He didn’t eat, he barely slept, and it was impossible for him to pass tests in school. Dylan suffered through a life of constantly struggling to show his teachers that he truly was trying, and yet always failing to show grades to back it up. At this point, many people would have given up. But that was not an option for Dylan. It went against his very nature. Instead of sitting back and accepting his state, he doubled down. If class started at 9, he would be there at 8. When class was over for the other students, Dylan would stay behind and get extra help, then leave school to work with a tutor. Throughout high school, while his friends were out enjoying life and attending parties, Dylan was studying, being tutored after school, and holding down a part time job. Others would be at the beach, while Dylan would be studying how to write his A-B-Cs in the correct order. Dylan remembers that it was a very humbling experience, but is also firm that he wouldn’t trade any of it for anything. Every hurdle in his life is part of what turned him into the man he is today.
After high school, in 2020, Dylan immersed himself in motivational speakers. The words shared by these people gave him the inspiration to use his journey as a lesson for those who were going through the same things he had. He knew from experience that there was a lack of attention given to the dyslexic community, and he determined to change that.
“I wanted to give something that I know I needed,” Dylan says, “to people who could get it way sooner than I could get it.”
He began teaching himself to speak to large groups of people. When he wasn’t practicing at home, he was consuming lessons, podcasts, everything he could get his hands on that would teach him how to reach and engage an audience. At the same time, he purposely began to step out of his comfort zone and approach people that he knew could put him in the right position to share his message. He subscribed to the idea that “the only thing that is impossible is the word itself”, and he made it his mission to leave an unforgettable impression of being hardworking and determined.
His dedication paid off.
Dylan sold out his first venue before the age of 21. He shared his experiences, his struggles, and his successes. In short, he became the type of person that others with dyslexia had been waiting for. Dylan watched clients who came to him transform from depressed and unable to read, to experiencing a swift, life-changing mindset shift. People who had felt they were alone now had someone they could relate to, someone who had walked in their shoes, and most importantly, someone who was willing to help them.
With the goal to inspire, educate, impact, and motivate others to the highest level, Dylan Smith has based his business out of New York and is still constantly booking interviews, speaking at events, and leaving a lasting impression on any who meet him. He loves the fact that he is in the position to have a positive influence on so many lives, and he plans to do the same for many years to come.
