Life Lessons from Six Years as a Hostage

Think you're having a bad day? Try being Stephen McGown, who was held hostage by Al Qaeda for six years and lived to tell the tale – a tale which he will be recounting in person in Beijing this month.

On the afternoon of Mar 20, the Beijing Metropolitan chapter of the worldwide Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) will be holding an in-person session with McGown, alongside inspirational tales of resilience from two Beijing-based entrepreneurs.

Imagine an everyman, the kind you might pass on the street without a second glance. Now picture that same man catapulted into an ordeal that would send any normal person into despondency. That's McGown for you. Captured by Al Qaeda, he faced adversities that would crumble the strongest of wills. Yet he emerged not just unscathed but emboldened, taking with him a tale of inspiration and new perspective on life.

He's a living testament to the idea that within each of us lies an untapped reservoir of strength, capable of overcoming almost any challenge. His philosophy during those harrowing times? "If they weren't going to kill me, I should use this time to grow – and go home a better person back to my family."

Which is exactly what he did.

McGown is more than a survivor: he's a beacon of positivity. Finding joy and laughter in the darkest corners, he champions a life filled with happiness, reminding us that sometimes, taking life too seriously is the biggest joke of all.

JinShang Yuan Indoor Garden will be McGown's stage for his Beijing visit, and you're invited to dive deep into McGown’s extraordinary journey. But that's not all – you'll also be hearing from supporting speakers Claudia Masueger of CHEERS Wines and Chris Niu of Beyond Hospitality Group, both members of EO, who will deliver inspirational messages of making it past challenges in life and the business world. The event will be hosted by Zhubei, the co-founder of Venture Education.

Chris Niu of Beyond Hospitality Group

Claudia Masueger of CHEERS Wines

Zhubei, the co-founder of Venture Education

The event will have you walk away with not only stories but also the inspiration to overcome challenges of your own. It's also an opportunity to mingle with other entrepreneurs over drinks and snacks, courtesy of The Wine Republic, CHEERS, Fukumimi & Basil.

Extreme Ownership with Stephen McGown is happening on Wednesday, Mar 20 from 3-6pm at JinShang Yuan. Tickets are RMB 198 and seating is strictly limited. Scan the QR code below to book your tickets today.

JinShang Yuan

20 Xinyuanli West, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新源里西20号

This is an Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) learning event open to EO members, prospects and the local community. 

About EO 

EO is a high-quality support network for 17,900+ like-minded leaders across 78 countries. EO has been helping entrepreneurs achieve transformational growth since 1987. 

The Beijing Metropolitan chapter boasts a membership of over 33 individuals hailing from 21 countries and regions. Furthermore, these members come from incredibly diverse backgrounds, representing 14 different industries.

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Images: Courtesy of EO and Stephen McGown

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