What does it take to move from mere survival to building a life of purpose, impact, and lasting success? In this episode of The Power of After, we explore the extraordinary journey of Charles van Kessler—a man whose life began in unimaginable hardship during World War II, surviving the Holocaust. After losing his entire Family as a toddler and surviving years of severe malnutrition, orphanage life, and even the streets of Amsterdam, Charles made a promise that if he survived, he would dedicate his life to helping children facing similar suffering. Decades later, that promise became a mission-driven business and nonprofit dedicated to serving children in desperate situations. But this story is about more than survival—it’s about resilience, discipline, and the principles that helped Charles remain mentally sharp, purpose-focused, and determined through every season of life. We’ll discuss how those principles became the foundation not only for personal healing, but for building a business that fuels a greater mission. More about Charles here: https://Passion4HealthVitamins.com Full article here: https://GoalsForyourlife.com/survival-to-success

Listen to episode and subscribe on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/xjAwpPLo_UI

CHAPTERS 0:00 Introduction to the Power of After 2:15 Surviving the Holocaust and Early Hardships 5:30 Running Away and Finding Freedom in America 8:45 The Discovery of Liquid Vitamin Absorption 12:10 Starting a Purpose Driven Business 15:30 The Mission of Passion 4 Kids Charity 19:00 The Role of Faith and Daily Prayer 23:15 Staying Mentally Sharp and Healthy at Age 85 27:45 Finding True Purpose in Helping Others 31:20 Legacy and Advice for Your Next Chapter 34:00 Conclusion and Final Remarks

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Up for multiple GRAMMY Awards and spending over 20 years in the entertainment industry, Deborah Johnson, M.A., built multiple self-driven businesses. While many discuss career transitions and achieving success in a second act, few offer comprehensive guidance on leveraging automated content with core values and purpose. She is an expert on how to constantly reinvent yourself in a gig-economy, working mainly with those at mid-career and halftime of life. A creative powerhouse, she has released multiple books, albums, published hundreds of songs, has a thriving podcast and has written three musicals. Deborah speaks and performs for both live and virtual events.