Usha Mani, an award-winning educator, author, and transformational speaker, shares her powerful journey of overcoming fear and embracing the courage to take the first step. From a 12-year-old facing ridicule for mispronouncing her own name, to building a school from 20 students to 3,000, to becoming a keynote speaker at global platforms like Oxford University, her story is a testament to resilience and vision. After the loss of her husband, she transformed grief into purpose—founding Parenting Bond to bridge communication between parents and teens, touching the lives of thousands. With decades of experience, she urges everyone to turn fear into fuel, doubts into destiny, and passion into purpose—because every great change begins with one courageous step. With over four decades of experience, Usha Mani is a celebrated educator and mentor. A recipient of the National Award for Teachers from the President of India in 2015, she serves as a British Council School Ambassador and Master Trainer for CBSE. At 67, she embraced coaching and public speaking, sharing her wisdom through her book "It’s Now or Never," which offers practical insights for parents raising teens. Usha continues to inspire as a transformational speaker, relationship coach, and lifelong learner. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx