Basketball Wasn’t Just a Game — It Was the Blueprint

I grew up in Porterville, California — small-town grit, where basketball wasn’t a hobby. It was life. My dad, a high school varsity coach, didn’t just teach the game, he taught me how to compete. How to build from the fundamentals up. That talent doesn’t mean jack without discipline, heart, and consistency.

What I didn’t realize then? Those early days built the framework for everything I do now in life, in business, in leadership. Those principles still show up in every decision I make.

The Game Was My First Classroom

I played college ball at UC Santa Cruz. Coached youth and high school players. I taught the fundamentals because the fundamentals never go out of style. I loved it. Coaching lit me up. It felt like my calling in college and I was on the path to follow in my dad’s footsteps.

But life doesn’t always go according to the playbook.

A Detour That Became My Destiny

Instead, I found myself applying everything I learned from basketball into the business world. And it worked.

Over 22 years, I built a company from scratch — no investors, no handouts, just drive, vision, and relentless execution. We made the Inc. 5000 six times. Entrepreneur’s, Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America and even cracked Deloitte’s Tech Fast 500.

People ask, “How’d you make the leap?”

Simple. I took everything sports taught me and became a coach in business.

Basketball = Business = Life

Running a team or running a company, it’s the same game.

You build culture.

You develop people.

You make real-time decisions under pressure.

You don’t win with hype. You win by doing the little things — the boring things — right, every single day.

On the court, you stop practice to reset. In the boardroom, you call a timeout when the team’s off-track. It’s the same mindset, just a different scoreboard.

Coaching Is Leadership at the Highest Level

Coaching isn’t yelling from the sideline. It’s building people. It’s pulling greatness out of others when they don’t even see it yet.

That’s what I do in business. That’s what I did in sports. That’s what real leaders do. They coach.

Here’s what coaching taught me about success:

Show up with consistency, especially when it’s hard.
Do what you say. No excuses.
Be coachable. Ego kills progress.
The team > the individual.
Lead with integrity. Always.

Whether you’re hitting free throws or sealing deals, those principles never go out of style.

Sports Gave Me a Launchpad — Life Made Me Build the Rocket

Basketball was never just about winning. It was training for life. I learned how to lead, how to take ownership, how to stay calm in chaos, and how to fight for something bigger than myself.

I believe coaching, whether on the hardwood or in the boardroom, is one of the most powerful things you can do. You’re not just teaching a game or building a business. You’re shaping lives.

The Full Circle Moment

Looking back, it all lines up. The shooting drills, the 6AM runs, the team huddles. They built the foundation for how I lead now.

Whether I’m guiding a business team or was working with an athlete, it’s all coaching. It’s all about unlocking potential.

And that’s the beauty of sports, it trains you for the game that really matters.

Life.