I always start my thank-yous at the beginning, and for my writing career that always resides with my agent Kevan Lyon. It’s nearly unbelievable how far I’ve come as an author, and that is due in large part to your insight and wisdom—and the fact that you unabashedly dream-crush me every time I pitch you an idea involving world-building or magical realism. Someday, KL, someday.
Thank you to Brian Hampton and the team at Nelson Books and HarperCollins who took a chance on Girl, Wash Your Face and worked so hard alongside us to make it successful: Jenny Baumgartner, Jessica Wong, Brigitta Nortker, Stephanie Tresner, Sara Broun, and every single member of the sales team who championed my work to our retail partners and continues to answer my emails—even when they’re annoying and likely overstepping.
Thank you to Jeff James and the team at HarperCollins Leadership for believing that a book that focuses on goal setting and achievement was the perfect sequel to a book that talked about hairy toes and incontinence.
As always, a big shout-out to the team at the Hollis Company, who remain the hardest working group in this industry or any other. We are small but mighty. We are the little engine that could. Don’t let anyone tell you that a small group of determined people can’t change the world—they already have.
Thank you, too, to my friend Annie Ludes, who illustrated the images in this book. A visual representation of my crazy ranting is no easy task, but Annie managed to knock it out of the park!
At the risk of sounding cheeseball, I want to take a moment to acknowledge my mentors. None of them have any idea who I am, but their work has given me the tools to change my life and my business and I am forever grateful for the guidance they have made available to dreamers like me. Dave Ramsey, Oprah Winfrey, John C. Maxwell, Keith J. Cunningham, Elizabeth Gilbert, Phil Knight, HRH Beyoncé Knowles Carter, Ed Mylett, Brendon Burchard, and, most especially, Tony Robbins have all been instrumental to me. If I have affected your life as an author, it is because these teachers have greatly affected my life as a student.
For my children, Jackson Cage, Sawyer Neeley, Ford Baker, and Noah Elizabeth. I hope the dreams you chase light your hearts on fire; I pray that I live my life in a way that makes you believe anything is possible.
And as always, I save the biggest and best thank-you for last. Dave Hollis is my touchstone, my cheerleader, and in many ways the caretaker I didn’t have earlier in life. He’s also now my business partner. In the midst of me writing this book we took a massive leap of faith—that didn’t feel so massive to us. We moved our family and our company to Austin from Los Angeles. Dave quit a lucrative job at Disney after seventeen years and walked away from a title and a salary other people would kill to achieve. He did all this because he believes in this vision as much as I do. We want to build a company that gives people the tools and inspiration to change their lives. It’s a grandiose ideal and one heck of a missional calling. I couldn’t do this work without you, my love.