Will Trade Marketing For  Chocolate Pancakes

I’d like to think Ive done an excellent job at compartmentalizing my entrepreneurial career. But before I was the customer journey guy I spent a decade as an active duty Marine who struggled with body dysmorphia because of my past.

When I left the Marines, my dad passed away from cancer, and I realized 

I didn’t want to be sick anymore. I was addicted to pain pills and chose to start eating paleo and clean up my life.

Through it all, I found out I had celiac disease I decided to teach myself how to cook.

Without even knowing it, I became an entrepreneur overnight with a food blog that went viral by documenting everything I did. This led to a seven-figure brand and a New York Times best-selling book on Paleo.

Because of that, I learned a lot about my relationship with food and eggs became my favorite food of all time.  

I can eat them 85 ways and feel it’s one of the most underutilized and powerful ingredients in the world of food. And they are a staple ingredient in chocolate chip pancakes.

My Favorite Movies Of all Time 

Movies are a big pastime for me. I’ve probably seen more movies than anyone I know due to my deployments. On top of my list is Goodwill Hunting, but my number one movie takes me back to childhood.

 It’s called Rad.

It’s a story about a kid racing BMX bikes who no one thought would make it. You’ll have to watch the movie to find out the ending.

The reason why this movie relates to me is that I went from poverty and abuse to being homeless for most of my childhood.

My wife has a similar story and her favorite movie of all time is Little Mermaid. She was that little girl that was told she was too much and ended up becoming a successful entrepreneur well before meeting me.

We both have these movies that are defining moments in our lives. 

I also love watching documentaries because I look at the cinematography, storytelling,  emotions, and everything else at play. It’s a way for me to disconnect from the chaos, and reconnect with myself. 

Books That Have Influenced My Life

I didn’t start reading books till about five years ago. And today, most of the books and authors I recommend are my friends.

Why?

Because I met a lot of cool entrepreneurs, who happened to be authors at my early stages of entrepreneurship. 

One of them is my friend, Bo Eason. A former NFL player who has gone on to train some of the most successful people in the world from athletes, artists, and entrepreneurs. 

He wrote a book called There’s No Plan B For Your A Game, and the premise of the book is aligning and living with your purpose unapologetically while being willing to figure it out.

Another all-time favorite book of mine is by Mike Michaelowicz, Clockwork.

Clockwork has the same premise and principle, but it’s broken down into an analytical structure of frameworks and time.

I recommend you read them both because it helps you start to realize that our time is limited because it is the only asset that we all have. When you combine intention with attention, you often find clarity in the direction you want to go. It’s how you start to build momentum and stack those wins.

These books are a good starting point to ask yourself: What is it that I want, and where do I want to be in life? They challenge you to find your vision and purpose. 

And in that place,  growth is discovered. 

A Question I Ask Myself Every Morning I Wake Up

I watch so many entrepreneurs get stuck because they are glued to ambiguity.

The way that I run my life and business is that I assume every morning that I wake up, my wife, kids, and my business are gone. And every day I have to earn it all back. 

Through this approach, my vision never changes, but who I get to become changes. I get to earn everything in front of me because for decades, I took that stuff for granted.

That’s why I prioritize relationships over everything. 

My Secret To Balancing It All

There are two parts to my success as an entrepreneur.

The first is the twelve years as an active duty Marine. After spending time in combat zones and developing an intimate relationship with death, I realized accomplishments don’t matter because we are all going to die someday.

I learned through hardships and a lot of personal work how to rid myself of behaviors that didn’t serve my potential.

Today, no matter the outcome, I always choose my family over business.

I know that I am one hundred percent responsible for what shows up in my life, and I have to balance it all by managing inputs and outputs.

Family first over everything is how I stay aligned.

The One Rule I Live By And Why I Hate Agendas 

I have a rule that I will not invest any capital in a company. 

If you want me, you get one thing and it’s all my time. I will give you more of me than anybody else ever will, but you can get money anywhere.

I don’t like negotiations where it feels transactional to me because I feel very unseen. 

When entrepreneurship gets wrapped up in the identity of the results that we create, it’s a red flag. It’s just a drug like any other type of addiction. 

I think entrepreneurship is one of the most addictive and deadly drugs on the planet because everybody celebrates the culture, they celebrate the hustle and they reward the disconnection.

That’s why I hate agendas and aim to find humanity through it all. 

Why I Use The Lighthouse Analogy

I use a lighthouse for my branding because they’re designed to stand forever.

The oldest living lighthouse in operation has been on for almost nine hundred years. It’s only been turned off twice, once to go from whale blubber to kerosene and once to go from kerosene to electricity.

This is the impact that I want to make in the world. 

The Billion Dollar Rolodex

I’ve met a lot of interesting people in my life, and the one thing I am proud of most is my ability to create relationships.

On my phone is a billion-dollar Rolodex.  Hundreds of names from some of the brightest minds in the world. And I don’t say this to brag, but as a credit to who I am and what I do today. 

I show up authentically wherever I go.

I’ve given keynotes in hoodies. I’ve shown up at fortune ten companies with board shorts and a blue mohawk. I even worked with teams like the LA Clippers. 
The reason they all love me is that I  prioritize humanity over everything. Now, when I need a speaker for a conference, I am able to call and ask with no resistance, and vice versa.

That’s why I hate agendas. Because most people who have one for you are just trying to manipulate who you are based upon transactional value rather than seeing you as a human.

Hence, my trademark model, Relationships Beat Algorithms.

Thanks for letting me share these facts, and I hope to see a bit more of you around the socials.