10/18/2025
Who knew that this kid, standing in front of a TV with a smile bigger than his confidence, would one day build a career with his voice?
At two years old, I didn’t know it yet.
But in the years ahead, my family and I would discover that I shared the same challenge as my father, a debilitating stutter.
When I got my first job washing dishes, it wasn’t about earning a paycheck or wanting to work in restaurants. It was about hiding in the back, away from people, so no one would hear the broken words I couldn’t get out.
But life has a way of pulling you toward what you’re meant to face.
Eventually cooking put me side by side with others, battling through the shift.
Training forced me to speak up, still with a fear of what may come to light.
Leading meant finding words for others to follow.
And eventually, speaking became the tool I used to help others find their confidence too.
From the dish pit to the stage.
From avoiding words to empowering thousands of leaders to find theirs.
All from what I once thought was the curse of broken speech.
So this weekend’s reset is simple:
Don’t run from your challenges, walk with them.
Sometimes, the very thing that once silenced you becomes the story that sets others free.
