I worked as a waitress while struggling with debt and taking care of my sick dad, putting my music dreams on hold. One night, my boss brought his friend—an awful singer—to perform at the restaurant. When his friend bombed, my boss blamed me and forced me on stage to “fix it” or be fired.
I stepped up, asked a coworker to play guitar, and sang beautifully. The crowd loved it. After the set, two local musicians invited me to play with them. I quit the restaurant that night.
We formed a band, started playing gigs, and slowly built a career. Within a few years, I paid off my student loans, bought a house for my dad, and finally lived the life I’d dreamed of. My boss’s humiliation turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.