To Overcome Huge Challenges, Step Out Of Line Says Peri Finkelstein

At age 22, Peri Finkelstein already has raised nearly one million dollars for a pediatric illness nonprofit, published 93 podcasts, participated in numerous half marathons, and nearly completed an MBA. Already, that would serve as an impressive resume for any young person. It’s even more impactful when you realize that Finkelstein has accomplished all this from a wheelchair and while on a ventilator 24/7 due to living with a rare congenital form of muscular dystrophy.

Finkelstein was born with nemaline rod myopathy. As a child, she was fortunate enough to receive services from Chai Lifeline, a nonprofit organization helping families and children with life-threatening pediatric illnesses. So, when she reached the age of 12, she decided to pay it forward by fundraising for the organization. To date, she has raised over $850,000, and her Team Peri goal is to reach the one-million-dollar mark by the end of January 2023.

“I’ve learned to face adversity head-on and utilize my ‘differences’ to help me power through some of life’s biggest challenges by giving back,” says Finkelstein. “Team Peri is a group of individuals who strive to change the world through kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.”

Every year since she was 12, Finkelstein has completed the Miami Half Marathon in her wheelchair or jogging stroller with ventilator in tow, using the event to raise funds for Chai Lifeline. She launched the podcast Team Peri Step Out of Line during the Covid pandemic. Currently, she is in the initial stages of starting her own nonprofit, which will be focused on disability inclusion and diversity. Once she has graduate with an MBA in marketing from Adelphi University in June 2023, she will focus on building her own organization, her podcast, and other endeavors.

Here are Finkelstein’s top ten tips for winning in the face of adversity, which she credits to incredible mentors as well as her own life lessons:

1. Face your fears head-on.

2. When your back is against the wall, that is the most exciting time in your life.

3. Say yes to any and all opportunities presented your way.

4. When life gives you lemons, squeeze harder.

5. Share your story. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable.

6. Use your differences to your advantage.

7. Turn your rejections into reflecting points.

8. Stay true to your mission and core values. Do not deviate to fit into the box.

9. You might bend, but you won’t break.

10. Step out of line and don’t look back.

Growing up, Finkelstein was constantly in and out of the hospital. She suffered from countless respiratory infections and illnesses, and had numerous surgeries. “Being born with a physical disability is one thing, but being medically fragile places even more limitations on me. These challenges are exceedingly hard to overcome,” she says. “I did not have a normal childhood. I did not have a traditional friend group. I never fit the box and, try as I might, I never truly blended in.”

But through hard work on herself and turning her attention outwards to helping others, Finkelstein has been able to tap into her life purpose. She established Team Peri in 2009 and began fundraising in earnest. At age 17, she started building her personal brand. Technology, she says, has been extremely helpful, enabling her to work beyond her physical challenges and young age. “I know that I can instigate change that needs to be made and influence the way that people with disabilities are perceived and treated on a global scale,” she says.

“I don't think I face huge challenges in my career,” Finkelstein reports with confidence. “I feel like I have nothing to lose at this point in my life. Going through what I did as a child made me grow up and mature faster than most. I don’t have to prove myself anymore. My work stands for itself. I am able to network, influence, and procure talent and mentorship because I am hard-working and sincere, and I put my heart into everything that I do.”

Inspired by the work of Alex Borstein, an Emmy award-winning actress, Finkelstein recently started a podcast. On Team Peri Step Out of Line, she interviews other people and shares lessons she has learned for overcoming challenges in your personal life or your career, which she absolutely believes can be overcome. “Yes, you have to pivot. Yes, you have to change. But anything can be overcome as long as you are flexible and stay true to your beliefs,” she says. Finkelstein had the honor of interviewing Borstein on her podcast on December 21, 2022.

“Don't let your age be a factor in the equation,” Finkelstein counsels young people looking to align their career with their life purpose. “The entrepreneurs I have spoken to all had a clear vision of what they wanted to accomplish at a young age, and rather than listen to naysayers, they built a plan and hit the ground running. Perhaps doing these things at a young age when you are not jaded or have baggage makes it easier.”