Meet Sequoia Schmidt

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sequoia Schmidt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sequoia, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

I grew up in an adventurous family; my father was a high-altitude mountain guide, so a deep love and respect for nature were instilled in me from an early age. That upbringing inspired a lifelong passion for climbing big mountains, exploring remote places, BASE jumping, and spending time in the wilderness.

These experiences have given me a deeper understanding of who I am and built a strong sense of trust in my own decision-making. As an entrepreneur, that trust is essential. The confidence I’ve developed in my abilities stems largely from the time I’ve spent in nature, pushing my limits.

In the world of extreme sports, sound decision-making isn’t just valuable, it’s vital to survival. The same is true in business: good decisions can mean the difference between success and failure. While my personal path to confidence involved activities like BASE jumping, it doesn’t require such intensity for everyone. What mattered most was stepping outside my comfort zone and learning to thrive in uncertainty. That process taught me how to be comfortable with discomfort, which ultimately led to greater self-trust, and from that, true confidence was born.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

My career is rooted in storytelling. As the founder of a publishing firm, I lead a team dedicated to crafting people’s life stories and sharing them with the world. Sometimes, those stories are my own—told through the books I’ve written—but regardless of the subject, storytelling is deeply embedded in my life’s journey.

Although my career has expanded beyond the publishing firm and now includes multiple companies—from real estate to early childhood education—storytelling remains a consistent thread and a core building block of my life’s work.

Starting my first company in my late teens gave me the freedom to be fearless to chase big dreams. That first company was my book publishing firm, where I was able to in build the team and author roster I had always envisioned. Today, through my portfolio of companies, I’m fortunate to work alongside creative individuals whom I deeply admire and continue to learn from every day.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Fearlessness, grit, dedication

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

My parents exposed me to a world outside the norm – from climbing big mountains as a child, to spending time in a sweat lodge on the Sundance reservation. Exposure was a key element in my upbringing and had a profound impact in who i am today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.diangelopublications.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sequoiaschmidt

Image Credits

Sequoia Schmidt