Steve Ward is a classic example of a child ?left behind? before the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted. His grade school teachers categorized him as a slow learner, recommended that he be held back a year and refused to take additional time to get Steve up to speed academically. In a way, the California education system failed him, but ultimately he prevailed.
Today, Steve is a firefighter and the founder and CEO of Future N Focus, a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that no child or teen is left behind without career guidance and discovery of purpose for their future.
As an entrepreneur with vision and drive, Steve started his first business at age 21. The company, Generational Thinking Inc., developed innovative hardware technology that would become the New Wave Notebook, the first tablet PC designed strictly for classroom use.
Unfortunately, the company went bankrupt and became a casualty of the dot-com crash. Steve experienced significant financial loss, including his family home.
A serial entrepreneur, Steve would not be deterred. Several years later, he relocated his family and started Bridges Mind Building Network (BMBN), a non-profit that worked exclusively with group homes and young adults in the custody of the California Youth Authority. BMBN focused on workforce development and provided life skills training, life coaching and GED preparation.
While building and growing his organization, Steve met Michael Ormsby, CEO and founder of GED Academy. Together they discovered an opportunity in the market and incorporated life skills training to the existing GED program. Before long, Steve dissolved BMBN, worked in marketing, design and sales, and contributed to growing GED Academy to become a multi-million dollar business.
With more than 13 years of experience, Steve is an expert in educational technology. He is passionate about helping today?s youth discover their purpose, which has been the catalyst for launching Future n Focus. It provides innovative technology and customizable curriculum to help student develop a plan for their future. Since its inception, Future n Focus has changed the lives of many students.
As a professional speaker, Steve inspires middle school, high school and college students by sharing the lessons he learned on his career and entrepreneurial journey. He speaks about the building blocks to success and effective career planning.
When he?s not putting out fires or igniting fires of the heart in Southern California?s youth, Steve enjoys spending time with his wife and five children.
