My Story

If you’re here, you probably want to know who I am today. But the truth is, everything you see now was built from years of adversity, reinvention, and starting over.

I grew up as the middle child of seven in a small Michigan town. Sports became my identity, and I became one of three in my family to make it to the NFL - until I was cut by the Oakland Raiders. Overnight, I went from “Jacob the Athlete” to a man who had no idea who he was without the game.

I rebuilt myself through creativity, spending 15+ years as a Creative Director leading teams and earning a 40 Under 40 award at 32. But personally, life was falling apart. A painful divorce left me essentially homeless for three months. I battled alcoholism, job loss, and suicidal thoughts. It was the darkest season of my life.

That’s when everything changed.

I discovered what it meant to Fail Forward - to use setback as fuel instead of shame. That mindset saved my life. And ultimately, it became my mission. I even wrote a book about it.

Today, I teach leaders how to Lead From the Core™, because finding mine is what rebuilt me. Over the past decade, I’ve shared this message with thousands on global stages, millions online. Through powerful storytelling, practical strategies, and the A.V.O.C.A.D.O. Leadership™ framework, I equip leaders to show up authentically, navigate change with resilience, and lead from their core.

Every struggle from the NFL ending, the homelessness, and heartbreak, became the wisdom I now share.

My purpose is simple: Help people push past fear, unlock their inner power, and build lives worth celebrating.