Australian opera singer Stephen Smith was in foster care as a child. He left school at 15 and was homeless for a time.

At age 17, Stephen was working at a department store in Melbourne when a colleague suggested he take singing lessons.

He went for an audition to the Victorian College of Arts, got himself a Bachelor of Arts, and toured the world as an opera singer for 20 years.

You can hear more of Stephen’s incredible story on this Conversations podcast.