Part 6/11:
Ian confesses the frustrations of initial efforts to rally support. Early on, he faced skepticism and lukewarm responses from friends on social media, which was disheartening. Nevertheless, these experiences reinforced his self-reliance—realizing that the success of his mission depended largely on his own persistence.
He has also encountered the ups and downs of sponsorship and public recognition. Despite winning awards like a TikTok accolade, he shares how efforts to leverage this visibility for greater impact often fall short, leading to moments of disappointment that he combats through routine exercise and resilience.