Willpower: It's Not What You've Been Through, But It's How You Get Through

William Holmes, aka Will Keeps, was born into a traumatic life in Chicago, Illinois. At age seven, he was sexually abused by his step-father and neglected by his mother. Feeling confused, sad, angry, and lost, Will embarked upon what he never imagined would become a lifelong journey to find answers, only to realize his deepest desire was simply to have loving parents and a safe home. Like many other teenage boys in similar situations, Will found a form of love and security in a gang, joining the Blackstones of South Side Chicago at the age of 13. But this lifestyle led to even more trouble. At age 15, Will witnessed a rival gang murder his friend. When the gun was pointed to his own head, it jammed, but he was beaten and tortured nearly to death, leaving him badly scarred inside and out. Though he survived, this was only the beginning of Will's second act, a life devoted to saving others. Will moved to Des Moines, Iowa in his twenties, seeking to build a legacy of hope and opportunity he never had growing up and to give back to his community and the youth within it facing situations similar to his. Coupling advocacy with music, his greatest passion, Will found that his God-given abilities and his story of bravery and perseverance empower others to go down a better path.Danny Beyer is a networking specialist and bow tie aficionado. Through his network he has achieved success in both his professional and personal life. He is the author of The Ties that Bind, a keynote speaker on networking and building real connections, and frequently blogs on those topics for the Des Moines Business Record. In 2013, he was chosen as the Amy Jennings Young Professional of the Year and was selected to the 2014 Des Moines Business Record 40 Under 40 group. He was elected to the Dallas Center City Council and currently serves in Mayor. In 2021, he became a partner at Iron Horse Wealth Management, LLC where he works as a Senior Financial Advisor.