This episode will be aired on December 10, 2025

Rene Godefroy is proof that no condition is permanent. His story inspires audiences to rise above challenges, take personal responsibility, and embrace change as a gift. Born in a tiny village in Haiti with no running water, electricity, or medical care, Rene spent his early years fighting for survival. After his mother left to find work when he was only nine months old, he battled disease and ridicule from villagers who believed he would not live. They called him “kokobay,” meaning crippled, and he spent his days on a dirt floor fanning flies from his face.

At seven, he moved to Port-au-Prince to reunite with his mother, brother, and sister. The family lived in a small basement filled with rats and roaches, but Rene refused to let hardship define him. When an American couple gave him a dime and treated him with kindness, a dream was born. He promised himself he would one day go to the United States. At 21, Rene arrived in America with one pair of pants, two shirts, five dollars, and no English. When no one would hire him, he created his own opportunity. With three dollars, he bought two towels, a bucket, and soap and began washing cars in Miami until he got his first yes. Later in Atlanta, he worked as a warehouse laborer, caretaker, and finally a hotel doorman. While parking cars, he noticed business books in the back seats, wrote down the titles, and studied them all. Self-education became his turning point. Today, Rene is a sought-after keynote speaker and the award-winning author of Kick Your Excuses Goodbye. He has spoken for AT&T, Aflac, Coca-Cola, Verizon, Hyatt, and many others. Featured on CBS 60 Minutes and honored with a Key to the City, Rene now inspires leaders to innovate, do more with less, and see change as a doorway to greater possibilities.