Discuss moments or influences in your personal life that have defined who you are today.
A key defining moment in my life was when I coached an elementary school basketball team as a high school senior. My team of 3rd through 5th graders demonstrated a wide spectrum of ability, skill, and desire. My strategy was simple – teach them the fundamentals of basketball and how to work as a team. In working with each child, I soon realized that the impact I had on them reached far beyond the realm of basketball and into their personal lives. I learned about their day-to-day problems, families, aspirations, and I slowly became their mentor and friend instead of just their coach. Looking back on the experience, I hardly recall the outcome of the season, but vividly remember the relationships I developed with each child and the impact we had on each other. The experience motivated me to continue to give back to my local community, but to do so centered on impacting children’s lives.
Today I’m heavily involved with three organizations: Children’s Services, Core City Parks and Recreation, and the City Area School District. These charities share a common theme – they all provide a platform to spend time with and have a lasting impact on children. Most recently, I initiated a co-op event with Children’s where we took 50 local children holiday shopping for their loved ones. Although we only spent a few hours with the children that day, it was an event that both the children and volunteers will remember for a lifetime.
Another influence in my life was my late grandfather. Throughout the years we shared numerous conversations on a variety of topics: his thoughts on his life, the family business, and his legacy. He taught me that what was most important was to leverage our business as a platform to help others. I learned that what inspired him to acquire additional businesses wasn’t the pursuit of riches, but instead the ability to give others the same opportunity for success he was given. He shared with me the joy he felt at being able to work with his family and how proud he was of my father for entering into the business and running it with the same core principles as he had. These discussions shifted my perception of the family business from a family-run manufacturing group to a platform to have a lasting impact on others. Our discussions and my grandfather’s influence steered me towards entering the family business and motivates me to improve the organization and his legacy.
His influence enables me to go to work each day motivated to improve and grow. I understand that in order to achieve success for all stakeholders, I don’t have the luxury of contentment. My grandfather’s dedication to hard work, integrity, and humility has set the parameters in which I work and live. His influence and the lessons make coming to work every day an honor, and I am thankful that he spent the time to teach me the impact our organization can truly have.