I was born in 1948 as the first child to a middle class family in Madison, Wisconsin. My dad was in business for himself; he owned a photography studio on a major street near the University of Wisconsin campus. I don't know if that is where my interest in business came from, running in the family and all. Either way, I believe I got my ultimate Passion for business from God.
I started college in 1966, and graduated 4 years later with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Management. I had a total blast in college, majoring in what I call "Weekends," at the expense of a decent grade point average. Nevertheless I ended up with a C+, which in the end didn't qualify me for any decent job offers. During my sophomore year I had decided I wanted to be a computer programmer, but of course didn't apply myself and just coasted along to the next weekend.
My first job after college was working at a small bank in Madison. They liked me, and wanted to groom me for a career there, which probably wouldn't have been so bad although it was the ultimate frustration to know how broke I was and then have to handle other people's money. I was there for about a year and a half, having already moved from the Teller Department to the Loan Department, but I was discouraged about money, restless, and overall quite scared about the future.
My next job was as a Personnel Supervisor for a retail store division of the JCPenney Company. That one I hated, and quit after a few months. I wished I was back at the bank!
I had a girlfriend back then. One day as I was complaining about my lack of job satisfaction she casually said, "You might be better off owning a gas station." (I had worked at two during a couple of summers while in school.) ME, owning a gas station? "Come on," I said. I had a college degree and couldn't see myself stooping so low as to actually owning a gas station for a profession! I now believe, in fact, that God was speaking through her.
About a year later, and long after she was gone, guess what my first business was? Yep, a Texaco gas station along the Interstate near Madison from 1973 - 1975. How that happened is a story in itself. Anyway, a customer used to stop on his way home from work and we would talk about God. Even though I had gone to church with my parents almost every Sunday (but stopped when I went away to college because I was too busy nursing a hangover every Sunday morning), I had no real, practical knowledge of God. Saving faith finally grew and a few months later I gave my heart to the Lord and became a born-again, spirit-filled Christian.
I remember being in prayer one morning back in 1987. At the time I was a struggling self-employed computer consultant (finally became a computer programmer!) in Madison. I don't remember exactly what I was praying about, but all of a sudden I felt impressed by the words, "I will make of you a great company." I thought that was pretty cool, as it reminded me of God telling Abraham in the book of Genesis that He was going to make him a great nation, except His word to me seemed to pertain to business. Naturally, I expected my business to turn around that very day! But it didn't. However, I did keep plugging away, and several years later found myself making about $150,000 a year doing pretty much the same thing as I had been doing in 1987. I was quite pleased, but not wise. Through credit, I managed to acquire lots of nice things and basically spent everything I made on lifestyle. Of course, we were tithers and gave to Missions occasionally, but that was about it as far as being good stewards of our money for God's work was concerned, let alone investing for our future.
With me being able to service my main client via the Internet, we moved to Florida in June 1998 in order to enjoy year round boating. I knew that this client was eventually going to invest in a new computer system someday that would cause them to no longer need my custom programming services. Since I had grown somewhat bored with programming I thought I would try something new, something in line with my recreational passion, so I embarked in the field of Yacht Brokerage in the fall of 2000. The brokerage business was on a downswing so I quit the end of June 2001. I loved that business, but it just didn't work out for me.
In July, I located three computer stores in Colorado that were for sale. In early August, I received a call from THE client in Wisconsin. They were moving forward with their conversion to their new system, and I was out of a job with them. By then, and shortsighted me, that client was my only source of income.
We refinanced the five acres that we had purchased a couple of years prior, took the money and moved to Colorado intending to buy a house and those three computer stores. The house deal went through but the stores didn't pan out. So there we were, living on the little money that was left from the refinancing of the land and no income still. I ended up leasing a small combination cellular and satellite tv services store in the small town that we were living in, but it didn't do all that well. We ended up losing the house to foreclosure in 2002.
We had been riding very high for a number of years, but the Colorado experience was very humbling indeed. Yes, we had made some mistakes, and there were some who thought we were being punished for them, but all through that I always felt we were just being prepared for something big in the future.
We moved back to Florida in the summer of 2003. Sadly, my wife took a fulltime job. I had a few short-lived jobs working for others, but mostly I got involved in Internet Marketing while looking forward to the "great company" that God has had for me.
By His grace, things have turned around for us quite well! Since those days, I have embarked on various (ad)ventures -- online sales of boat equipment, supplies and accessories (RSTMarine), a line of "Beach Life" tee shirts (Beach Life USA), yacht building (Ruby Yachts), faith-based movie production (PTL Productions) and mobile marine electronics sales and installation (RST Marine Electronics). Some have done better than others, but I love Business so I couldn't help myself to keep from trying.
Most guys by now would be retired, and probably bored, but not me! Remember, we invested in lifestyle and not our financial future. So here I am still working. The fact is though, even with great investments to rely on, I would probably still be doing something in the entrepreneurial world anyway. I am hopelessly addicted to business, and love every minute of it!
Up until now the thing that has kept me the busiest has been the mobile marine enterprise. However, with my age continuing to advance (fortunately) I was beginning to wonder how much longer I could continue to crawl around a boat to install stuff. Every time the subject of my age comes up, people are amazed that I am so old -- thank God I don't look it, nor do I act it!
During October, 2022 I came in contact with a company owned by Grant Cardone. I had never heard of him, but soon learned that he is an Entrepreneur's Entrepreneur. As as man with a 30+ year highly successful track record in sales he has developed an Online Sales Training Program, as well as a proven Personal and Business Coaching System. I was approached with the opportunity to invest in both aspects through their Licensee Program. The first time the offer was presented to my wife and me via a Zoom call, I signed up.
As a Grant Cardone 10X Certified Business Coach I am in a very unique position to offer and deliver everything that Grant has created to enhance the careers, businesses and very lives to virtually anyone in the world. That is enough in itself, but I am also able to personally help people apply Grant's proven success principles by sharing my 50 years of experience in the business world.
I have learned much from Grant Cardone, and continue to do so. It makes me more productive in my own life, as well as makes me more and more valuable to my clients. When people ask me what I do I say, "I help individuals and businesses increase their income by 15% - 30% in 90 days or less through delivering online training programs, in-person seminars and workshops and live events, as well as offering personal and business coaching services."
I have written My Story here so you will know where I am coming from. I am not a multimillionaire yet, but I am on a great and exciting journey of Personal and Business achievement, and hope that you will join me!
In this blog I talk about goals, success, achievement and God. I hope my mention of God doesn't come across as "preachy," although I truly believe that He is the creator of True Success. I would be remiss to leave Him out of the conversation. You see, He told me that He is going to teach me His way of doing business -- and I am going to teach others!! Funny that as I write this I had forgotten what He said back in 2012. I'm not saying that Grant Cardone is some kind of preacher or prophet, but I am certain that he has discovered many God-inspired principles pertaining to the subject at hand.
OK, let's go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!