Abel Maxwell’s main drive is to leave a legacy of his own. “Chasing success is only natural, but sometimes people need to slow down a little bit and ask themselves one important question: What happens when you are gone?” says Maxwell. “People often think that their legacy is the money and sentiments they leave to their loved ones. But a true legacy is so much more. It’s more than money, cars, and houses.”
For Abel Maxwell, leaving a legacy means having someone that will tell and recount your story and wisdom for generations to come. “You need to ask yourself who will tell your story when you’re gone. Who’ll share your life experiences with future generations — things that will help shape their way of thinking and help them succeed in life?” he says. “Only when you have answers to those questions, can you say that you achieved success and fulfillment.”
Abel Maxwell is a Toronto-based musician, entrepreneur, and bestselling author. In demand on international scenes with four recorded albums, Abel Maxwell has become a recognized influencer who inspires young people to pursue excellence and chase their dreams.
He’s been the Official Spokesperson for Épelle-Moi Canada, which aims to promote the French language, in partnership with Spelling-Bee Canada. He was also a Producer and Radio Show Host with the University of Ottawa’s CHUO 89.1 FM leading his well renowned and acclaimed show TROPIC FM. In 2015, Maxwell was nominated as the best male performer at the Trille-Or Gala by Radio Canada and APCM, and in 2016 he was awarded the UNESCO/International Humanitarian Fashion Week Community Achievement Award.
However, Maxwell’s journey to get to where he is now wasn’t easy, but it makes his success even more impressive. Ten years ago, he left his home in Lyon, France, and landed in Toronto with only a dream. Maxwell had no money and no connections. He barely spoke English. However, he was determined to make a name for himself, so he wasn’t picky about what he had to do to survive. He did odd jobs until he eventually found himself working in corporate finance.
Those were times, Maxwell explains, when he had very little faith in himself. He was afraid to pursue his dream of inspiring the younger generation. However, the finance job allowed Maxwell to pursue a results-oriented mentorship and find inspiration to do what he loves — music. “I didn’t believe in myself and I was full of fear when it was about pursuing my dream of performing music and inspiring young people,” says Abel Maxwell. “I started to educate myself and got mentorship to find more inspiration and more confidence and now I have a few awards, a best-selling book, four albums, working on my fifth one, and many international engagements under my belt.”
Thanks to his drive, persistence, and dedication, Abel Maxwell is well on his way to achieving unfathomable success. As he explains, now that he’s an accomplished author and artist, his goal is to inspire the birth of new brands and inspire young people to never give up chasing dreams. “I want my legacy to be a blueprint for every young person that has a dream to become the best version of themselves,” says Abel Maxwell. And for them, he has a piece of advice that will undoubtedly help them on their journey to success, “Whatever dream you undertake, never give up. Keep moving forward no matter the obstacles and no matter the judgments of people. Ironically, those people who used to laugh at you will say that they always believed in you and, in the end, you will win.”