Born and raised in Monroe, Louisiana; I’ve always seen the bigger view of life even through the small window I had to gaze from. I have always dreamed big, wanted my life to make a difference, and truly cared immensely about people. In my childhood, however, I wrestled mentally and emotionally with the idea of “belonging”.

I was short, had a jerry curl, and wore thick glasses. I was a kid who lived in low-income housing, raised by a single mother (who I will forever view as the original Superwoman).

Even though I was surrounded by limitations based on location; I had a mom who ensured that I knew that there were no limitations on me and where my life had the potential to go.

Off and on for 7 years my mom battled with breast cancer until she passed when I was 17. I remember going to her appointment with her. I was a Mama’s boy, but not in the traditional sense. I just wanted to make things easier for her. I watched her go through radiation and chemotherapy but yet still manage to be there for other people, serve in the church, and be Superwoman at home. She was amazing.

I told myself that I wanted to be that kind of amazing. So when it got to a point that she truly needed help, I made the decision to drop out of school. She wanted me in school, but she also needed me at home helping her out. So it was a no-brainer for me.

I had no clue the journey my life would take me on, but I found myself in an emotional tailspin in Atlanta with a man I didn’t come to really know until I lost my mother – my father. I lost my mother June 19, laid her to rest June 25 and was in a new space, with new people, and without Superwoman on June 26.

One Sunday, I was walking through the hallway in the church, when Archbishop Jimmie Lee Smith called me into his office. In that brief but powerful exchange, he would speak words to me that I carry close to heart even to this day. With his glasses pulled to brim of his nose and him peering over them, he said “Son, listen…life is a journey not a race. If you run too fast you’re going to miss everything along the way. Take your time. Notice everything. Enjoy your journey.”

Between the promise made to my mom, and those words from Archbishop Smith, things began to take some sort of form for me regarding some direction for my life. Over the next few years I started looking at things completely different. I became a student of the “human experience”.

One question that I am often asked is
“How did you get started with your businesses?”

I was homeless and started my first business at the age of 19. It was an epic failure. I then started turning my side-hustles into businesses. They all failed miserably or only experienced extremely short life spans no longer than 4 to 6 months with the max being 1 year. The only one that seemed to stick was graphic and web design. That self-taught skill paved the way for me building an in-demand design business, and also served as the springboard for starting several other businesses.

I would go on and spend the next 18+ years of my life learning how to speak effectively to the human condition. In most instances, my own life experiences have been my classroom.

As of today I have written 4 books, spoken to audiences of all sizes nationally and internationally, helped countless entrepreneurs start and expand their businesses, started several businesses of my own, worked with countless churches and religious organizations, and so much more. I’m simply trying to honor the promise I made to my mom by directly impacting a combined 200 million lives through coaching, consulting, online courses, and creating content that will empower people to grow better and do greater in every area of life and business. After I accomplish that goal of 200 million, I’ll shoot for 400 million more!