My third grade teacher said I would likely never amount to anything. My peers even voted me the class clown. But the truth is, I was bored out of my mind! I was listening in class but it is applying knowledge that got me excited and unfortunately, 3^rd grade curriculum left no real options for an 8 year old to prosper . . .

A few summers later, I fell in love with a shiny new go-cart I saw at Price Club (remember that place?). It was $399.99 and my mom’s response, “If you want it, you’ll have to find a way to pay for it yourself.” Well, that’s the wrong thing to tell a twelve year old with a love for danger and an entrepreneurial mindset. A few days later I loaded up my Radio Flyer wagon with paint, paint brushes, and number stencils I cut out of old x-ray film, and began knocking on doors in the neighborhood. “Hello ma’am, I noticed your address number on the curb is rather worn. With your permission, I’d like to repaint it for you at a cost of your choosing?” Well, the rest is history. I painted address numbers on over half the curbs in my neighborhood and even got the go ahead to paint all the curb numbers at two big mobile home parks in the area. Roughly two weeks later, I paid cash for that go-cart and became the envy of all my friends as I raced past them on their bikes.

I tell you these stories not to brag but to demonstrate that with the proper mindset you can accomplish your dreams no matter how big or small. With each success comes numerous failures that ironically get us closer to our goals. Despite my 3^rd grade teacher’s careless evaluation, I went on to graduate high school (1992), get my Bachelor’s Degree (1996), and graduate Real-Estate Appraisal School (2000). I’ve owned/operated nine profitable businesses in my lifetime (two of which I still run today). And, for the past 7 years I’ve even been able to generate a healthy full time income from the comfort of my home. I don’t remember much of what I learned in 3^rd grade. However, along this road there were mentors who instilled in me various skills for effectively navigating life and business. And so, my goal is to help others realize their greatness and develop the mindset of a leader. Then they too can pay it forward.