My Life is a Great Adventure

My Life is a Great Adventure!   

This morning at Daybreak Rotary I was the featured member for our weekly 'Daybreaker Spotlight' so for this week's news I am sharing a few episodes of my great adventure with you…

Episode #1…  I was born with a hole in my heart that became a heart murmur by age 6.  My brother John called it a 'heart moo moo' and he teased me constantly as a kid.  It used to make me so mad until one day my dad said ‘just ignore him.’  So, I did and that made him mad, so much so that one day he trapped in the corner of the garage with a pitch fork threatening to put a new hole in my heart!  It was right then and there, at the age of 10, that I learned how to sell.

Episode #2…  I’m the oldest of eight kids.  Being the oldest has its privileges and responsibilities.  I learned how to cook, iron, sew, change diapers, baby-sit and more; all skills that would come in handy later on.  The squabbles and bickering often times were boys versus girls, until a non-family member would pick on one of our sisters.  Suddenly we became all-for-one because no one was allowed to picked on our sisters!

Episode #3…  After high school I couldn’t wait to get away from the mob and I enrolled at UNI as a music major.  On September 11^th, 1972, my first day of college, my brother John was killed in an auto accident so I went back home, missing my first two weeks of classes.  It was tough, but yet an incredible time where our family really came together.  Today we call it our own 9-11.  While in college I painted houses and barns each summer with three college buddies.  I loved my summers and I learned to love learning while in college. 

Episode #4…  Upon graduation with a broadcasting degree in hand I worked at Frank Magid (media research firm), as a Disco Jock (the ‘70’s Saturday Night Fever era), radio, a radio jingle company, newspaper and an ad agency.  Then, my last ‘job’ was with MDA and the Jerry Lewis Telethon for 20 years.  Honestly, I have loved every job I have had.  Of course, I’m an eternal optimist, or as my wife calls me, an EO, a close cousin to ET, that short dude from another planet! 

Episode # 5…  My family today.  Lonna is my wife, my very best friend and we’ve been married for 25 years (happily for 24 – okay, just kidding!).  She works at Mount Mercy and we have two sons; Jason the sports, track and football guy and Logan, the music and car guy.  Jason is married to his best friend Sarah and their two boys are an extreme adventure (grandkids are way cool!).  Logan at 19 still lives at home working two jobs, looking to start college this spring and he also works as disc jockey doing weddings, dances and parties.  I love it, when he calls me from a gig, asking for old rock and roll songs he can play for the ‘old’ people!   

Episode #6…  Let me tell you WHY today I’m a business coach.  My dad was a business owner and he always struggled with finances and people.  He’d talk to me about his problems because when he talked to my mom they’d fight.  Life in our house during this time was not an adventure!  At one point my parents were on the verge of bankruptcy and divorce.  Somehow though, by the grace of God, they made it through.  As I was looking at businesses 12 years ago, when I found coaching I knew it could be my passion.  You see, I don’t want anyone to go through what my dad did.  Many business owners need help.   I believe that my mission in life will glorify God when I help people to achieve their dreams.  I really enjoy working with small business owners.  Thus, business and leadership coaching is the focus of our firm.  That’s why I’m a coach.

Episode #7…  I joined Daybreak Rotary in 2006 because I wanted to do something more to make a difference, to help people outside of my business.  I visited every Rotary club in town and when I came here, it was a fit.  Life is an adventure to many of you in this club and I like the way we create opportunities to impact others in a very positive way. Just as being a coach allows me to help others so they don’t have to go through their challenges alone; we do the same as Daybreakers with the organizations, families and kids we serve.  Being a Daybreaker is very rewarding.

And that my fellow Rotarians is my great adventure.  Thank you.  

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