How do I flip my life around? Inspiring video shows how GRIT can put dreams within reach 

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When Rheena Mae finished college her first thought was: How do I make six figures right out of school?

But five years later, after her successful career in the mortgage industry was brought to an abrupt end, Rheena decided to 'flip her life around' and focus on something more meaningful.

This came in the shape of Mae Mae Jewelry, a company that Rheena describes as 'the most honest thing I ever did'. 

Inspiring: Jewelry business owner Rheena Mae is one of four men and women who shared their stories of how they used grit to achieve their dreams

Rheena's is just one of four stories shared in an inspiring new video from Strayer University showing the value of grit and determination in achieving your dreams.

She describes how as an ambitious young graduate she embarked on a career in the mortgage industry, earning 'a killer mount of money' by the age of 25.

But when 2008 hit and the industry was struck by disaster, she sold her part of the company and began to build her next business. 

Rheena says that she was determined to make MaeMae Jewelry a success no matter what. She adds: 'It's real and it hurts. And when I create here I cry, I laugh, I dance, I sing. But I have control.'

In 2015, Rheena sold her jewelry at a trade show for the first time and had her line picked up by more than 125 stores. Then five months ago, she opened her first brick and mortar store.

She tells DailyMail.com: 'To me, grit is finding a way and making it happen no matter what. No excuses and no bad energy behind it.'

Determined: Cosmetologist Sarah Grandinetti enjoyed a thriving career as the owner of hair and beauty business Salon Mix, but she almost lost everything due to a burst sewer pipe

Dreams: Tony Morgan used a combination of grit and determination to turn his boxing gym into a success, despite various setbacks

Cosmetologist Sarah Grandinetti also enjoyed a thriving career as the owner of hair and beauty business Salon Mix. 

She says: 'I come from a family of entrepreneurs. I went through life seeing that type of inspiration - digging in and getting to the grit of things.' 

Within three years of leaving beauty school, Sarah had bought a salon and relaunched it as a new business.

But she nearly lost everything when a sewer pipe burst, flooding the salon and leaving Sarah at the point of despair.

'Nothing prepared me for what was inside,' she continues: 'It was horrific. 

Despite having invested in insurance, Sarah discovered that her policy did not cover her for sewage. 'It was just one dead end after another,' she says.

Street smart: In the video, Tony describes how he used the skills he had to open Mighty Maccs in Los Angeles, despite having no previous experience in business

'I remember sitting at the front desk with tears streaming down my face thinking: I don't know how much longer I can be strong through this all.'

She adds: 'When you have built something that you are so proud of and watch it in one moment slip away, it puts you in a place of doubt and fear.'

It was only thanks to her grit, the dedication of her staff and the support from the community that the checks started to come in and Sarah was able to re-open her salon.

Tony Morgan also used grit to follow his dreams. He describes how he opened Mighty Maccs Crenshaw boxing gym in Los Angeles, despite having no previous experience in business.

'I didn't have anyone to show me,' he says. 'I was basically street smart. I took the little skills and tried to do it on my own.

Ambitious: Charles Tichenor now works as a social media planner and buyer, but only thanks to the fact that he returned to school to pursue a graduate degree

Perseverance: Rheena says that running her own business can be tough, but it is the 'most honest' thing she has ever done

'I've been through hell and back. I did all the small things to achieve the big things.'

The father-of-one explains that he had to make certain sacrifices to achieve his dream of opening the gym, but he was determined to make it happen.

He says: 'I like jewelry, I like clothes, I like going to certain places. But in order for me to achieve my dream I had to cut down on those things. 

'I couldn't do the things I wanted to do because I had dream, and I had a goal to make the gym the best it could be.' 

Tony now focuses on the young people in his community, especially those who suffer from anger problems. 'I don't just teach them boxing,' he says. 'I teach them respect and self-confidence.'

He adds: 'Grit to me means hard work and dedication.

'Boxing is a lot like life. You get knocked down but you have to pick yourself up.

'You've got to take the good with the bad. Not all the time will you win. But a loss helps you grow. As long as you can get back up.' 

Charles Tichenor now works as a social media planner and buyer, but only thanks to the fact that he returned to school to pursue a graduate degree.

He describes how he enrolled at Strayer University after deciding that 'he wanted more out of his life', and was able to move from entry level to management in less than two years.

Success: Tony says that boxing is a lot like life, because when you get knocked down you have to get back up again

Charles, who received an MBA in Business and Marketing Management, says: 'I wanted to be a professional. I wanted to have a career not just a job.

He describes how he worked in radio during his mid- twenties, but found that he lacked job security.

'So I decided to go back to school to provide myself with some more opportunities,' Charles says. 'And Strayer allowed me to do it at nights and on weekends, so I could really make it fit in with the rest of my life.

'It took a lot of determination and grit to work, not only a full-time job, but also [to] go to school. But as a result, I got to get out of my dead end job and start a career that made me really happy, so that I could live the life that I'd always wanted to live.'

'You've got have this grit,' Rheena says as the video draws to a close. 'This [idea of]: I'm going to do it no matter what.'