Growing up as an Army brat, I was never destined to stay rooted in the Lone Star State for long. My early years were shaped by constant movement and discovery as my family followed my father’s assignments across various U.S. Army posts. It was during these formative years that I developed a deep passion for travel, service, and leadership.
In 1985, I proudly enlisted in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman. My first duty assignment placed me at the very heart of Cold War tensions, 110 miles inside communist East Germany, in what was then West Berlin. Serving behind the Berlin Wall during this pivotal time profoundly shaped my worldview. I witnessed firsthand the daily clash of ideologies and gained a front-row seat to history in the making.
More importantly, my time in the military connected me with some of the most outstanding leaders and mentors I have ever known. Their example instilled in me the values of integrity, discipline, and resilience—principles that would guide me long after my military service ended.
After leaving the Army, I transitioned into the private sector and soon discovered a passion for entrepreneurship and leadership development. I founded and scaled several successful businesses, including a release of information company and my own leadership training and consulting firm. Through these ventures, I have had the opportunity to work with individuals and organizations across industries, helping them grow stronger, lead smarter, and operate with purpose.
Today, I continue that mission through my work as an author, speaker, and leadership coach. My books—including “The Walking Leader”, “Great to Follow”, and the upcoming “3000-Word Leadership Lesson Compilation” are designed to equip everyday leaders with practical tools to lead by example, build trust, and inspire lasting change.
Whether through my writing, speaking engagements, or online content, I remain committed to empowering others to lead with confidence and conviction just as I was taught during my time in service.
Growing up as an Army brat, I was never destined to stay rooted in the Lone Star State for long. My early years were shaped by constant change, movement, and discovery as my family followed my father’s assignments across various U.S. Army posts. It was during these formative years that I developed a deep passion for travel, service, and leadership.
In 1985, I proudly enlisted in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman. My first duty assignment placed me at the very heart of Cold War tensions, 110 miles inside communist East Germany, in what was then West Berlin. Serving behind the Berlin Wall during this pivotal time profoundly shaped my worldview. I witnessed firsthand the daily clash of ideologies and gained a front-row seat to history in the making.
More importantly, my time in the military connected me with some of the most outstanding leaders and mentors I have ever known. Their example instilled in me the values of integrity, discipline, and resilience—principles that would guide me long after my military service ended.
After leaving the Army, I transitioned into the private sector and soon discovered a passion for entrepreneurship and leadership development. I founded and scaled several successful businesses, including a release of information company and my own leadership training and consulting firm. Through these ventures, I have had the opportunity to work with individuals and organizations across industries, helping them grow stronger, lead smarter, and operate with purpose.
Today, I continue that mission through my work as an author, speaker, and leadership coach. My books—including “The Walking Leader”, “Great to Follow”, and the upcoming “3000-Word Leadership Lesson Compilation” are designed to equip everyday leaders with practical tools to lead by example, build trust, and inspire lasting change.
Whether through my writing, speaking engagements, or online content, I remain committed to empowering others to lead with confidence and conviction just as I was taught during my time in service.
My civilian career began with the State of Texas, where I served as a network analyst and eventually advanced to the role of Information Technology Department Manager. It was in this environment that I began putting my leadership principles into practice, applying what I had learned during my military service to guide teams and drive performance.
While working full-time, I made the intentional decision to pursue higher education later in life choosing to gain real-world experience before completing my academic journey. I earned both a Bachelor’s and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), balancing rigorous coursework with professional responsibilities.
Equipped with both practical experience and academic insight, I transitioned into the private sector, where I continued to grow as a leader and professional. Several years later, I embraced another opportunity for growth by returning to graduate school, this time to earn a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration.
Today, with a solid foundation in leadership, business, and education, I can positively influence not only my team, but also students, professionals, and emerging leaders from all walks of life. My mission is to help others recognize their potential and become stronger, more effective leaders in their own right.
This Is What I Believe…
- Greatness is found inside each of us. No matter how damaged or broken life has left us, we are still very capable of being so much better than we were yesterday
- Dwelling on the past is not going to create a new future.
- The only way to move towards building a better future is to lead yourself first.
- Leading by example is the purest, truest form of Leadership.
- No title, degree, or position whatsoever will make you an “automatic” leader.
- The title of Leader can only be EARNED.
- The title of Leaders is NEVER easily earned.
- The title of Leader can be easily and quickly stripped away.
- Real Leadership comes from trial and error.
- Real Leadership comes from trial and error. (Yes, its worth repeating!)
- Genuine Leadership comes from getting back up after every fall (literally, figuratively, and intentionally).
- Authentic Leadership is the result of recognizing that being a Great Follower is where leadership (at all levels) truly begins.
- Leading others may appear to come naturally to some people but Leadership is a skill that must be cultivated and allowed to grow over many years.
- Being a leader may take an entire lifetime to master.
- Leadership is all about CHANGE.
- Leaders expect things not to stay the same.
- Leaders roll with the punches.
- Leaders are expected to experience failures.
- Leaders that NEVER experience failure are NOT REAL Leaders.
- Learning from their mistakes is how Leaders grow.
- Leaders know that everyone is watching, listening and most of all, they are paying attention to what they do and not always what they say.
- Great Leaders exist only because they foster the development, growth and success of NEW Leaders.
- There are no shortcuts to becoming a leader, let alone to becoming a Great Leader.
A Word of Advice:
There are no shortcuts to becoming a true leader. None. Leadership is not given, it is earned through relentless effort, unwavering commitment, and the willingness to endure discomfort, pain, and sacrifice.
If you are ready to put in the hard work—to sweat, to bleed, and yes, even to cry, then you are ready to begin the long, arduous, and often lonely journey of The Walking Leader. This is the path that leads to true leadership greatness.
That road—the one few dare to take—is often referred to as the road less traveled. And for good reason. Not everyone is cut out to be a leader, let alone a great one. But those who embark on this journey will find it filled with invaluable lessons, lessons that cannot be taught, only lived.
At times, the path will be dark, uncertain, and even frightening. At other times, it will be bright, inspiring, and filled with purpose. But through it all, one truth remains: It will all be worth it.
No matter what position you hold in the company, organization, or in life, it is up to you to TAKE THE INITIATIVE and LEAD YOURSELF, first and
BREAK FROM THE CROWD TO BE THE LEADER YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO FOLLOW!
BE A LEADER WITHOUT EQUAL!