What’s Inside
Honoring our Men -Letter from Editor
Get Us Digitally
The Team
Cover Story-Anthony Cade– Civil War Historian II
Rob Hodes—Autism Awareness Advocate
Bryan Franklin—Founder of BAM.eco
Sam Silver—Realtor
George Stanley Beard—Environmentalist
John Conde—Educator
Mike Montgomery—Health Insurance Expert
Renata Brown CEO of DreamSpire Publications
Happy Father’s Day! Happy Father's Day, no cap. Every Father’s Day especially with the advent of social media comes a certain amount of vitriol in the African American community. We know the stats. However, Father’s Day is a celebration of fathers. On graduation day, one doesn't bring up those who dropped out. Let's normalize cherishing and honoring fathers. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
Just Some Thoughts,
Renata Brown Editor in Chief
www.revealed4beauty.com
Anthony J. Cade II Nineteenth-century American military historian who specializes in African American and immigrant history of the Civil War How are you changing the world? I like to think that I am changing the world in a number of ways. I served many years in
the United States Marine Corps before I moved on to earn my PhD in history. As a historian, I focus on the subaltern of the Civil War, groups of individuals who are often ignored or relegated in historical narratives. Through my research and writing I bring the voices of the often silenced to the forefront of the historiography, and those actions will slowly shift how America as a nation views its past. Because of my military experience I have a viewpoint that some academics do not have. I understand motivations, what it means to be shot at, injured, watch a friend die in your arms, and how it feels when your war is over but your battle is not. By looking into the
past with my unique lens, I am able to tell the stories of men in combat in nuanced ways that ensures they are listened to in the twenty-first century. In my professional setting I have had the opportunity to mentor and guide more African Americans into academia. It has been one of the most rewarding endeavors of my life. I have aided students apply for graduate school, navigate academia, and I hope to help them seek permanent employment once they graduate. Even if I am only able to help a dozen or so people in my lifetime, I feel it is worth it to go out there and support whomever needs it to achieve their goals. Academia has a severe diversity problem, and I like to think my actions will help to fix that problem one day. If so, I know those individuals will in turn create their own change in the world, and we will all benefit from them doing great things in various fields.
What are you most passionate about? I am most passionate about bringing African American history to the forefront of the American paradigm. We often hear about Black history, and the knee jerk reaction in this country is to assume that means enslaved history. Through my dissertation, which I hope to publish by 2024 as a book, I examine a set of regiments designated the Louisiana Native Guards. The regiments were filled with both free and enslaved African Americans, and many of the people who served were quite wealthy. I tell the story of how Blacks in the city unified together and fought against decades of racism to form such a strong, free society, and then I show how they affected change in Louisiana during and after the war. The reason why this is my passion is because I think when we begin to redefine the narrative surrounding African American history we can start to show that Black people are so much more than what previous histories has made us believe. We are not simply a group of formerly enslaved people who were granted freedom, nor are we a monolith who should be relegated to the outskirts of American history. Black people in this nation are survivors who have thrived despite centuries of laws meant to relegate us, and reading histories about previous generations encountering some of the same obstacles helps us to realize that one, this fight is not new, and two, we can continue to have small victories as the war wages on.
What was an early experience where you learned that you had power? I do not know the exact age, but when I was very young, preteens I believe, I had a teacher attempt to claim I did something that I did not do. As most children, my first reaction was to be timid and accept that an adult is yelling at me for being wrong, but in the midst of her tirade to my parents something just clicked in me. I asked myself, why am I tolerating this injustice? I cut her off midaccusation and told her in no uncertain terms that what she stated was specious, and I did so with a few choice words that landed me in the hot seat with my mother. However, my actions were so out of character that they realized I must have been telling the truth to react as I did. That small victory caused a paradigm shift in my adolescence. Learning I had the power to stand up for myself and others at such a young age changed how I interacted with others for the rest of my life. Never again did I tolerate injustice when I saw it. From that day forward, if an adult was yelling needlessly or was in the wrong I spoke up; before I finished middle school I was labeled a troublemaker by my school because I did not acquiesce to adults as other children did. I am sure my feelings about doing what I thought was right played a factor in my choice to join the United States Marine Corps, and even within the military,
I always said or did what I thought was right even if it was against the desires of others. Something I strive to teach my children is that you have to be comfortable with yourself at the end of the day. Giving in to others simply because they are an authority figure gives away your power, and living your life attempting to appease someone else will do nothing towards helping you achieve your own happiness. I encourage my children to take their power back—even when dealing with me—because I want them to grow into adults who know that speaking up and doing what is right is far better than living meekly in the hopes of never erring on the wrong side of someone who is doing or saying the wrong thing themselves.
What’s the greatest piece of advice you ever received? There was one point in my military career where I got in a bit of trouble. In the midst of it all, there was a fellow African American Marine who told me, you should never allow another man dictate your future. Almost immediately I understood what he meant by those words, and I often think of those words of advice.
Who is/was the most inspiring person in your life and why? While I have had a number of inspirations, both professionally and academically, in my life, I do not think of any one of them as the most inspiring person I have ever met. My true inspiration are my children. I currently have three boys and a daughter who passed in childbirth. With three boys in my house, looking up to me every day, I know the example I set for them will dictate the type of men they will grow up to be.
What’s next for you? What is next for AJ Cade, now that is a great question. My wife always says I am in constant need to find something to keep my days busy, and because of that there are a number of things on the horizon. I am currently writing a book for minorities on the process of applying to and being successful in graduate school I hope to have it out next year if possible depending on my publisher. Next year I plan
to defend my dissertation and begin the process of publishing that as a book as well. I have had professors approach me regarding teaching at the university level, but that is a path I would only take if I was offered a tenure-track position. Whether I become a professor or not, I intend to continue to motivate and mentor minority students to pursue higher education, and I hope that by the time I retire as a historian, and open my restaurant, academia looks quite different from when I entered it nearly a decade ago. If you really want to keep up with me then follow me on twitter @ajcade2nd or bookmark my website: americashistorian.com
Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this publication are those of Anthony J. Cade II and not the opinions of the United States military, the Department of Defense, or the federal government. He is in no way acting as a representative of the government in this appearance, and instead, Anthony Cade is here as a representative of America’s Historian LLC.
Rob Hodes Rob Hodes grew up in Long Island, NY with undiagnosed Autism. When he was learning to speak during childhood, he could only say vowels, not consonants. He had very few friends and was bullied incessantly as his stuttering continued until his late teens. He had very low self-esteem, self-confidence, depression, an inability to maintain relationships and a deep distrust of other people and life in general. He didn’t know then that many of those things were symptoms of Autism. He wasn’t diagnosed with High Functioning Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) until 2005. The first two are part of the Autism Spectrum or ASD. He struggled most of his life with issues that he didn’t know had a name until he was diagnosed. Training sessions after 2005 further assisted him in understanding his own uniqueness and assisted him in developing the necessary framework and emotional insight to remove the many labels that both he and others put on him and turn his life around. The CDC estimates more than 5 million people are on the Spectrum. That framework serves as the foundation to assist others in leading more fulfilling lives.
Before 1984 misperceptions and bullies led to devastating self-doubt and an extremely limiting self-image and self-worth that was not authentic. Now he has the power of infinite self-worth and dreams without limits that he brings to others. He started taking courses from the likes of Tony Robbins, Toastmasters International, Peak Potentials, Landmark Education, Dave Ransey, Michael Beckwith, A Course in Miracles and many others. This was an investment in learning about the roadblocks he’d created himself, roadblocks that kept him from living his life to its fullest potential. A lifetime of misinformation took thousands of hours of education to assist him in communicating with confidence, rebuilding his selfconfidence and self-esteem, and healing numerous internal wounds he collected along the way. He accomplished this by 1) Asking himself the proper questions which unraveled the many interconnected parts to reconstruct his self-confidence/self-esteem etc. 2) Learning how to connect with others so they trusted him and my leadership. At Toastmasters International (TI) after he mastered how to communicate with conviction, he led two different clubs to earn the highest award that TI offered its clubs within the same year! Neither club had earned any awards from TI the year before. Rebuilding HIMSELF has led to HIS life’s passion of assisting others to achieve things that they thought were unachievable. His personal mission statement is to inspire individuals on the Autism Spectrum to defy societal labeling by taking strategic action to achieve their goals and dreams by using their unique gifts by authentically sharing HIS life story.
How are you changing the world? I’m changing the world by changing people’s perception of the world. Many people have given up on their dreams as a result of having numerous negative experiences. Their judgements, grudges, shame, blame, anger and numerous other emotions have caused them to play it safe and not give a full effort to achieve their goals and dreams. I motivate and encourage others by authentically sharing how I turned lemons into lemonade in my life.
What are you most passionate about? My passion, mission and purpose is to use the tools I gained from 35+ years of self-improvement courses to empower others to achieve what they think is currently unachievable. I upskill others and teach them how to ask themselves questions to uncover what their God given talents and abilities are.
I “light up like a Christmas tree” when I see results in people that I coach. Here are my Mission and Vision Statements:
My Mission Statement: “Serving the needs of individuals on the Autism Spectrum Disorder and Asperger’s Syndrome communities by assisting and encouraging them to develop their innate gifts”.
My Vision Statement: All individuals on the Autism Spectrum and with Asperger’s have identified their
gifts and are using them on a consistent basis.
What was an early experience where you learned that you had power? I was bullied and was a shy introverted nerd as a child and had very few friends. The result was very low confidence and very low self-esteem. When I was twenty-five, I started taking personal development courses. The concept of people saying they wanted to be with me was foreign. I turned lemons into sweet tasting lemonade when I learned how to effectively communicate with others and sell the courses I was taking to others. I also learned how to enroll others in assisting me in operating those courses as a volunteer.
What is something most people don’t know about you? People made fun of me because of my stuttering and my clothing. I’ve turned the tables and am now an expert in making non insulting jokes about what people say and how they say it. When someone says its nice to meet you, I typically say I stopped meeting people when I became a vegetarian. If they say thanks for your patience I say I have no patients I’m not a doctor or a nurse!
What’s the greatest piece of advice you ever received? Be yourself, everyone else is taken. I used to do things, so people would like me, and I wanted to be my friend. Many years ago, someone told me “It’s a lot easier for me to be with you now that you’re not doing things just so I like you”. I learned that people did not want to be with me because I was not genuine and authentic. My goals when I speak with others are: 1) Listen twice as much as I talk and add value to their life whenever/wherever its appropriate. 2) In the beginning do not keep track of who is contributing more to the relationship. 3) Practice WIIFM, “What’s in It For Me” (for the listener) when I communicate so the other person can take maximum action on their behalf.
Who is/was the most inspiring person in your life and why? I would not be where I am today without my best friend John Lockett. His guidance, input and wisdom has given me so much clarity and direction in the 35+ years that I’ve known him. I’ve learned to choose my words carefully and to use authentic examples regarding what mis takes I’ve made (not mistakes, there is NO failure in life, only growth opportunities. Fail stands for “for all I learned”.
Almost everything in life happens for a reason. I teach individuals how to ask themselves the proper questions to harvest the learning from each supposed failure.
What’s next for you? The sky’s the limit! I continue to inspire people on both the Autism Spectrum and with ADHD to defy societal labeling by taking strategic action to achieve their goals and dreams by uncovering what is blocking them from reaching their full potential. They will feel more accomplished and fulfilled when
they see how much affect they have on others lives.
Bryan Franklin Is the Co-Author of Network Marketing Success? - "The greatest STORY ever SOLD!" and is currently writincaughtupincapitalism.com. He founded BAM (formerly 1imall.COM & bamway.net and founded as madvoice.com - Making A Difference - in 1998, an ADVERTISING & INTERNET SHOPPING MALL, AMAZON FBM FRANCHISE-like model to DISRUPT the over
$165 BILLION a year Network Marketing industry). Bryan was an Expert Witness on the 2010 class action LAWSUIT against Amway and an Advisor on the FTC CASE against Herbalife in 2012. He also created bamcircle.net™ – a way to collaboratively
share WEALTH. As the owner of crenshawboulevard.com he is referred to as the Mayor of Crenshaw.
Bryan is proud to refer to Abe Thompson (a very close friend to Oprah), Emmitt McHenry (the inventor of the .com model and Advisor to .eco) and Dr. J. Owens Smith (a brilliant Political Scientist) as three of his Advisors a.k.a. Jegnas. Bryan's birth date, March 4, 1962, is very apropos. March forth is a command to "move forward" and that is exactly what Bryan does. In 1973 at 11 years old, Bryan won the “I AM SOMEBODY” essay contest and was the star of the KABC nationally televised contest. His mother helped him write the essay; however, Bryan spoke that he would be somebody into his reality from impoverished Watts, California.
Bryan's mother,
Mary Franklin, and God helped Bryan and his brothers to believe that they could be anything they wanted to be without limits. His brother, Dr. Rodney "Sam" Franklin, MD, whom practices medicine in Norristown, PA did it from the hood and their oldest Brother, Derick Franklin, a retired Station Manager for the United States Postal Service, helped his younger brothers reach for their dreams while living in the hood.
Both of Bryan's brothers are proud members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Bryan. was identified as "Gifted" at an early age as per the criteria of cagifted.org. He started his first job at WLCAC in 1976 at 14 years old. He attended Alain Leroy Locke High School in Watts, class of 1979, and is a proud alumnus of Control Data Institute, class of 1984. Bryan was hired as a Field Engineer by Trace Instruments in 1984 and by 1989, Bryan was promoted to the position of Field Engineering Manager and all of the Field Engineers reported to Bryan Worldwide.
He was considered one of the World’s experts on the subject of testing of bare Printed Circuit Boards. Being an expert in his field, General Electric, G.E. called on his Sales/Technology Company, Franklin-Choi Corp., (FCC) which he founded in 1991 to support G.E.'s plastics division from 1997 to 2005. FCC grossed $2.3 million in sales in 2001. In 2004, Bryan was awarded the D.J. Alumni award by impactrecordpool.com led by Dannie "Fut" James, (R.I.P.) and Tracy Kendrick.
He is an author for Business & Economics for Citizendium.org which was created by the co-founder of Wikipedia.com. Bryan is a former member of the California African American Political and Economic Institute at California State University Dominguez Hills. He is proud to be the virtual Chief Technology Officer, (CTO) for LonzoWilliams.com (The Club owner that discovered Dr. Dre, Easy "E", Ice Cube and more!) and Dr. Everett Glenn, Esq. of BOSSprograms.org (The first Black Attorney/Agent to represent four 1st round draft picks for the NFL and NBA!) just to name a few. Bryan is an Advisor to BuyBlackOnBlackFriday.com, TheSuaveLife.com, BluePrent.com, TMGIfilms.com, AfricanEconomicsMatter.com, BlackTradeLines.com and ACTS Freedom Farms of America and many other worthy movements. He was also the Executive Producer of a major music project called Urbal, which includes Stevie Wonder, George
Clinton, George Duke, R.I.P., Bootsy Collins and more!
He has two beautiful daughters, Mrs. Danielle Edwards, M.Ed, a proud Spelman College, UCLA alumna and a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. married to my Sun, Brian Edwards, M.Ed a proud CSUN, USC alumna and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and Ms. Ryan Franklin, Master Of Criminal Justice a
gifted Singer, Alumna Magna Cum Laude of Prairie View A&M University, Arizona State University alumna and a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.
I’m Sam Silver of eXp realty I have been in real estate since 2004. I entered the Real Estate business while also attempting to have a family. Unfortunately, we were unable to conceive naturally so we attempted to have a family through other means. The other options were artificial insemination and in-vitro fertilization but neither one was 100%. Both
processes were extremely emotional and full of ups, downs with mostly failures. Medication, shots and too many doctors’ visits to mention were required in our journey while working on building a successful real estate business. We also experienced plenty of trials and tribulations as well. My wife experienced an extreme blood loss during an ectopic pregnancy and as a result lost one of her tubes in the process. More pain and heartbreak followed losing 3 pregnancies and then finally we were blessed with twin daughters’ born at under 3 lbs. each. This was just the beginning of the fight to come as they were only 30 weeks. How could we thank those incredible first responders and medical professionals for their love, care and inspiration while taking care of these little translucent babies. What would have been an impossible task until I uncovered a program designed to give back to our incredible first responders through my real estate business. I have been able to give back and save Law Enforcement, Teachers, Fire, Veterans, and other medical professionals since focusing on paying it forward to those incredible community heroes who serve us every day. Recently, I added another way of giving back through my real estate business. I am a Real Agent of
Change
focused
of
education
nonprofits,
REALTOR® and those other businesses that need to know about how gifts of real estate to nonprofits works with over 9 billion dollars raised to support 501c3 charities across the country.
How are you changing the world? By Educating your favorite charity, cause champion/donor, real estate agent, financial advisor, affiliate individual or company there are incredible benefits when implementing
Charitable Gifts of Real Estate to 501c3 Non-Profits. What are you most passionate about? Always Running My Real Estate Business with the mission of Giving 20% hero Rewards back to SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE. Military Service Members (& Veterans) Medical Personnel (Nurses, Doctors) First Responders (Police, Fire, EMT) Non-Profits (Charities, Churches) Educators (ISD, College) Government Employees.
What was an early experience where you learned that you had power? My earliest experience where I learned that I had Power or influence was as a teenager being asked to be a teen counselor helping other teens suffering from drug addiction, mental health issues, and behavior issues. The Support group separated teens and adults into their ow groups for the first half of the meeting discussing each other’s perspective was about the issues for the week. The second half was putting the parents and teenagers together in a group setting to talk about positive and negative consequences for parent and child behaviors. It was my first experience about how masterminding in a group setting helps to brainstorm with others for an ultimate solution. I was able to learn a lot about how to manage my own children through my experiences of growing up in a dysfunctional household .
What is something most people don’t know about you? I was in the marching band in junior high throughout my high school years. I played both woodwind and brass instruments which is an unusual transition however the needs of marching band were more important than my fear of changing instruments
What’s the greatest piece of advice you ever received? If It’s to be…Why not me?
Who is/was the most inspiring person in your life and why? My Grandfather inspired me to be the kind of person that nobody had a bad word to say about. I noticed this character when going to his funeral and being surrounded by love and family.
What’s next for
you? Focusing on charity, cause champion/donor, real estate agent, financial advisor, affiliate individual or company there are incredible benefits when implementing Charitable Gifts of Real Estate to 501c3 NonProfits
George Stanley Beard Mr. Beard is an avid environmentalist with a passion for the
sustainable development of Tobago and Trinidad’s diverse natural resources. He has been described as “A Man with a Plan”. He
was born on the sister isle of Tobago and is the longest serving Justice of the Peace on the island. Mr. Beard’s life-long passion for “things natural” began from infancy and being born in Tobago, where he enjoyed an active outdoors lifestyle with his parents and five siblings.
Mr. Beard is an avid environmentalist with a passion for the sustainable development of Tobago and Trinidad’s diverse natural resources. He has been described as “A Man with a Plan”. He was born on the sister isle of Tobago and is the longest serving Justice of the Peace on the island. Mr. Beard’s life-long passion for “things natural” began from infancy and being born in Tobago, where he enjoyed an active outdoors lifestyle with
his parents and five siblings. Mr. Beard’s first career appointment was as a teacher attached to the Woodbrook Secondary School, Trinidad. He later moved on to become the resident Tutor attached to the University of the West Indies Extra-Mural Studies Department, with responsibility for the island of Tobago. Three years later, Mr. Beard joined the Institute of Marine Affairs in Chaguaramas, Trinidad in the capacity as Education/Extension Officer with responsibility for Trinidad and Tobago. He is the originator/creator of several successful initiatives, including the Tobago Archaeological Program, the Walking Tours Program, the Fort King George Theme Park Development, along with the Tobago Heritage Festival and Blue Food Festival; two of Tobago’s mainstay events which persists on the island’s annual events calendar.
A family man, a Dean of Discipline, a Geography teacher, supportive, sincere, dedicated, innovative and pro-active in his approach to youth development - organizing environment awareness field-trips, cultural shows, activities to support and showcase youths’ creative and artistic talents - all milestones on the path to a broader vision of themselves. Mr. George Stanley Beard has served and continues to serve this nation
tremendously well.
How are you changing the world? Being a critical thinker; creative and innovative problem solver; believe in the welfare and advancement of humanity & willing to take risks.
What are you most passionate about? Finding solutions to bring about sustainable social, economic and cultural changes, in the interest of the youth resource and development of Trinidad & Tobago.
What was an early experience where you learned that you had power? At age 15, I was able to bring about change in national ‘educational policy’ by gaining the right for male students to be permitted to write the Cambridge Secondary Schools examinations in Food & Nutrition (Home Economic)
What is something most people don’t know about you? My not being a biological father, has not “robbed” me from experiencing and performing the varied functions of “dad.” The West Indian extended family concept has seen me mentor and nurture many of the young ones. In addition, functioning in the capacity of Dean, at a secondary school here
in Tobago, for 12 years x 450 students per year, justifies my role as a dad. Lastly, I am now the longest serving Justice of the Peace, resident on the island of Tobago.
What’s the greatest piece of advice you ever received? Strive for excellence. Never give up. Always believe in yourself.
Who is/was the most inspiring person in your life and why? Charles Anthony Beard (My father) Even though, I was diagnosed at birth with a medical condition, and it was felt, that I would not live past age seven (7) my father, never had favorites. He mentored, loved and cared for his children equally.
John Conde CEO, educator, veteran, author, entrepreneur, licensed master social worker, humanitarian, and certified anger management specialist John Conde believes that every child can develop the skills necessary to persevere through life’s challenges. He draws inspiration for all his endeavors, personal and professional, through the many educators who influenced him—from his elementary and high school teachers to his professors at Northwestern State University of Louisiana and Clark Atlanta University, to his colleagues as a certified schoolteacher in the state of Georgia. He feels fortunate to have had mentors after whom to model his own behavior to effectively influence the next generation
As the CEO of Academic Function Motivations, LLC (AFM), he provides consulting services, curriculum creation, motivational speaking, tutoring, and more. AFM was built around three core elements critical to the success of all children—academic, function, and motivation. AFM believes the desire to strive for excellence resides inside every person, and through a convergence of all three of these concepts, every child can thrive. Academic: Influenced by a talented lineage of educators who left a long-lasting impression, Mr. John Conde, CEO, has modeled AFM after the wisdom passed down to him in the school systems in which he learned and has taught. Function: Discovering and developing the reason a child desires to be on the honor roll, excel at sports, or be respectful during interactions with adults is a challenge for
teachers and parents worldwide. Motivations: Being motivated is a necessary skill children must learn to be able to persevere through challenges in life. John Conde is a past recipient of the Humanitarian of the Year Award, an honor bestowed due to volunteer efforts that created in him the unique ability to use realworld examples to help students learn and thrive. He is also a past recipient of the
Bronze Star Medal, which was earned after two deployments to Iraq and is the fourthhighest award a service member can receive for exemplary service during combat. Along with his wife and two children, he calls the Atlanta area home, where he enjoys cooking, volunteering, traveling, and spending time with family. John Conde’s debut book, Malique Returns to School, was a 2021 Reader’s Choice Award nominee and is available in hardcover, paperback, and on Kindle.
How are you changing the world? I am changing the world by modeling behavior that will help young adults navigate through the many challenges they will inevitably face throughout their lives. As an educator, I am committed to ensuring the safety and education of children, which are both essential for them
to become productive decision makers in society. As an author, I create uplifting stories that children can read, relate to, and learn from. As a father, creating memories with my wife and children while celebrating our many accomplishments is my priority. And as a believer, I pray for the strength and wisdom to accomplish the tasks that are required of me.
What are you most passionate about? I am passionate about motivating people to strive for excellence. Personally, the opportunity to help people erase false narratives of inability through evidence-based practices, thereby creating a healthy and positive mindset, is priceless. To be part of a creative process that facilitates change, both locally and globally, is something of which I am proud.
What was an early experience where you learned that you had power? An experience that confirmed my power was when I registered to vote. Allowing my voice to be heard by casting a ballot was a powerful experience. On election days, I usually arrive early to avoid the long waits in line. To celebrate after voting, I usually grab something to eat at one of my favorite restaurants. The text messages and signs along the side of the road are reminders of how important each person’s vote is during the election process.
What is something most people don’t know about you? Something most people don’t know about me is that I played water polo in high school. Being on a swim team taught me the importance of teamwork, persistence, and hard work. Playing the goalie position developed in me an inner strength that has helped me persevere during adversity or if faced with opposition when debating a topic about which I feel strongly.
What’s the greatest piece of advice you ever received? The best advice I ever received was if you want to be promoted, you must do the job nobody else wants to do. I realized leaders evolve from situations that require motivating others to choose to do things they normally wouldn’t do. By doing the heavy lifting, you build a rapport, earn respect, and sacrifice comfort for the overall success of the team.
Who is/was the most inspiring person in your life and why?
The most inspiring person in my life is my spouse. She gave me two healthy sons and never asks me to do more than I can accomplish. As we have worked together to raise our children, we have supported one another to accomplish our individual and combined goals along the way. The sacrifice a spouse accepts while raising a family is something often overlooked in society.
What’s next for you? I aspire to write more children’s books that are socially relevant. I also will continue to make a difference in the classroom and in the community. I look forward to creating more standards-based curricula that children can complete with my books. I am excited about my work eventually becoming available in school districts all over the world.
Health Unicorn Mike Health Unicorn Mike is a Nationally licensed Award Winning Health Insurance Broker. He is a Subject Matter expert as he’s been in the industry for 8 years and is licensed in 30+ States. Experience and accomplishments for Health Unicorn Mike Includes being AGENT OF THE YEAR 2018, getting 2nd place in 2019. He is a Multi-Million Dollar Producer and has experience selling Life insurance, Medicare Supplements, Prescription plans, Dental,
Vision, Indemnity and Private Insurance. He is also a field adjuster and was previously a National Claims adjuster. He’s a graduate from Norfolk State University and is almost finished with a double masters in Community Planning and Public Administration.
How are you changing the world? I help people daily to grow and save money via commercial lending and health insurance. Also, I build others up and encourage them to be the best version of themselves. What are you most passionate about? Being a great example to my children. What was an early experience where you learned that you had power? I’m still learning my “power”. My ability to connect and relate to others is what I would deem as my power. As a teenager I was captain of the wrestling and debate team. As captain I took it as my responsibility to connect with others and make sure we all grew together. What is something most people don’t know about you? I’m A product of a single parent household. What’s the greatest piece of advice you ever received? A simple conversation I had when in was 11 changed everything. For me the advice was Can you do better? … Then do better. That logic has me always pushing my dreams and trying to beat the person that I was the day before.
Who is/was the most inspiring person in your life and why? My late spiritual Leader Rabbi Jehu August Crowdy JR. GFA. As he was so in tuned with his purpose and cared so much about helping his people. What’s next for you? More conferences, maybe a Ted talk? More international connections.
About This Book It is my earnest desire that “Things I Learned While Packing”' will help you navigate through your everyday experiences with a new perspective and insight into how life
is just one moving journey. The paradigm is not in getting to the destination, but more about how we navigate the roads that lead us there. “I just finished your book and I want to thank you for sharing your story.
Today we get a lot of social media editing, people only show the good and what success seems to look like. What people are not revealing is all the setbacks, steps, heartaches, etc that they had to endure to get where they currently are so thank you for your honesty. I also loved that you had a call to action through the exercises because while we all may not have the same journey we all have had adversity. Great read and I will definitely
recommend this book to others. “
True alignment comes from who you are – not where you might find yourself. AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
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