Cornerstone Class Speaking Outline for Cornerstone Classical Academy

 Speaking Outline for Cornerstone Classical Academy

Bill Conley

1. My Post-Secondary Pathway

After high school, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. I enrolled at the University of Minnesota, where I earned my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

But the important thing to remember is this: college wasn’t just about the degree. I had to pay my own way, so I worked 20+ hours a week on top of school. I joined a fraternity, got involved in activities, and eventually became captain of the university cheerleading squad.

My path did change. I didn’t go to college knowing I’d end up in sales, computers, real estate, or writing books. I discovered those opportunities along the way because I kept saying “yes” to challenges and kept working hard at every step.

Lesson for you: The name of your college isn’t as important as what you do while you’re there. Use college (or whatever path you take after high school) as preparation—a stepping-stone to your future.

2. My Career: How I Got There, What Drove Me, Pros & Cons

After graduation, I had no set plan. A fraternity brother connected me with his father’s welding company, and I became a salesperson—even though I knew nothing about welding. They gave me the worst territory in the nation. I worked 80–100 hours a week, drove constantly, held welding clinics, and within a year went from #50 to #2 in the country. By the time I left, I was #1.

Later, I moved to Seattle and entered the computer industry, cold-calling companies and outworking my peers. I became the top salesperson there, too. Eventually, I started my own company selling used Hewlett-Packard computers, grew it to 75 employees, and then launched U.S. Computer, which I later sold for millions.

I didn’t stop there. I reinvested in real estate development—apartment complexes, memory care centers, homes, and office buildings. Today, I’m still building large-scale projects. On top of that, I’ve written 12 books and am on track to write 365 children’s stories in one year.

Pros: The freedom to shape my own life, financial independence, building something from nothing, and leaving a legacy.
Cons: Long hours, risk, uncertainty, and at times losing money—but every loss became a lesson.

Lesson for you: Life is always selling. You’re persuading, building trust, and proving value, whether you realize it or not. And every career—no matter the industry—requires persistence, confidence, and the willingness to outwork everyone else.

3. The Good Life: Where Meaning and Purpose Come From

To me, the “good life” isn’t just money. It’s freedom—the freedom to do what you want, when you want, with whom you want.

But money is only one piece of it. Meaning and purpose come from:

• Self-worth—knowing you are valuable and capable.
• Improvement—becoming better every day, measuring yourself against yesterday, not someone else.
• Contribution—creating something that benefits others. For me, that’s my business, my real estate projects, and especially my children’s stories, which teach values, ethics, and morals to kids.

Lesson for you: The good life isn’t about keeping up with social media or following the crowd. Cut out the noise. Focus on who you want to become, and build a life that reflects your purpose.

4. What Does Success Look Like to Me?

For me, success has never been about perfection or privilege. Success means:

• Excellence—showing up every day with the drive to be better than average.
• Freedom—having financial security to live life on your terms.
• Legacy—leaving behind lessons, stories, and examples that inspire others.

Success looks like being able to say, "I gave it my all." I didn’t waste opportunities. I lived with focus and purpose. I left the world better than I found it.

Lesson for you: Decide what success means to you early. Don’t let someone else define it. For some, it’s family. For others, it’s building something. For me, it was both. Whatever you choose, pursue it with excellence.

Closing Thought

Your life will not be built by accident. It will be built by choice. Choose discipline. Choose persistence. Choose to cut out distractions. Choose to focus on excellence. If you do, doors will open, opportunities will come, and you will find yourself living not just a good life—but a life of purpose, success, and legacy.