Was Shakira's Inspiration for Success Rooted in a Family Bankruptcy?

You aren't likely to find a person who can't hum the familiar tune of "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira or know the chorus to any number of her other popular singles.She has become one of the most successful pop stars of all time, but not without some modest inspiration. In a recent interview with CNN, Shakira revealed that her parents had filed for bankruptcy in Barranquilla, Colombia when she was just 8 years old. Shakira told the interviewer that it had been hard to embrace and accept that her parents had filed for bankruptcy--and what that truly meant.

Her parents took it upon themselves to show Shakira what life could be like had they not filed bankruptcy. Her parents took her to a park to see others who had not gotten protection from foreclosure or help with their other debts and had since been forced to live on the streets. "They wanted to show me another reality that was much worse than mine to make me gain perspective on things," said Shakira of the experience. And it was that very experience that inspired Shakira to be the success she is today. Due to the life-changing experience, she has started the Barefoot foundation which helps pooor Colombian children get an education and became a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.

What 8 year old Shakira didn't see is that her parents knew when to file bankruptcy. They got protection from foreclosure, credit card debt help, and relief from harassing creditors because they were responsible for the well-being of their family. It is this brave act by her parents that showed Shakira the protection that bankruptcy can provide and the opportunity it can give you to be a great success.

Now, as a Missouri and Illinois bankruptcy attorney at a St. Louis law firm, I can tell you that the rules for bankruptcy are much different than they were years ago (and on another continent!) but the feeling of being in overwhelming debt remains the same. Other actors, musicians, and entrepreneurs would agree that their bankruptcy filing was just a jumping off point for their future successes.

Where can you find more information on bankruptcy and how it can help you? You will find that most bankruptcy attorneys will talk to you for free but the best ones will give you free information before you set foot in an office. Make sure that any attorney that you are thinking or hiring to help you get out of crushing amounts of debt is prepared to offer you free articles, blogs, and publications full of the information you need to decide if bankruptcy is something to consider.


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Missouri Bankruptcy attorney James Brown has been working to relieve the debt of hard-working American families for over 15 years. He has dedicated his career to educating consumers about options for debt relief and has released 5 publications, including, "Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don't Want You to Know." You can request a free copy by visiting his website at http://www.CastleLaw.net .