I grew up in San Antonio,
Texas. My passion was music and at an early age I decided I wanted to
be a drummer. I took lessons and played in rock, concert, and marching
bands. After graduating from the University of Texas, I packed my drums
into my car and headed to Hollywood to "make it big" in the music
business. I played as a professional drummer for twelve years. During
that time I worked as a recording musician and appeared with groups
opening for Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and
others. The music industry is extremely fickle and competitive and I
"paid my dues" heavily. There came a point when I realized that I
wasn't willing to put up with the lifestyle and uncertainties of the
music business in anticipation that someday I just MIGHT "make it big."
Looking for a career to fall back (or forward) on, I went back to school and earned a degree in Computer Science. I spent the next fifteen years in the corporate world as a communication specialist, senior manager and team leader in the software industry. During that time, I became very interested in my own career development issues. By extension, I became interested in what made some people successful and fulfilled, while others with equal or higher ability seemed caught in perpetual struggle. I began to read heavily in the fields of personal development, leadership, motivation, psychology, business, marketing, and success. I attended numerous seminars and accelerated learning workshops. I began to develop a passion for personal development and success strategies.
In 1998, I was ready for a career
change. I wanted to combine everything I was learning about business
and personal development into some kind of career. By chance, I met a business coach at a party and I
hired him to help me figure out what to do next with my career. Very
quickly, I grasped the value and power of the coaching process. I also
realized that coaching intersected with all my experience, learning, and
interests. Within three weeks of beginning coaching, I decided to
become a coach myself. I asked my coach to mentor me and I spent the
next three years with him, learning the ropes of business, sales and
executive coaching. I also attended Corporate Coach U International,
and became a Certified Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP (Neuro Linguistic
Programming—a system of technologies for improving human communication,
influence, and performance). I am dedicated to excellence in my field
and regularly attend trainings and seminars to sharpen my skills so I
can better serve my clients.
Now I coach business owners, salespeople, entrepreneurs, professionals, executives, managers and
teams who want to become more effective, successful, and balanced. I
have the great privilege of helping people achieve what matters most to
them and realize the success and potential they have within.
I have co-written two books with my fellow-coach and partner, Larry
Pinci. The first is called Sell the Feeling: The 6-Step System that Drives People
to Do Business with You. This book is for anyone in any
business who sells products, services, or advice. Our second book is The Referral Code: Unlock a Constant Stream of Business Through the Power of Your Relationships. It is for anyone who wants to grow their business through referrals. Both books are published by Morgan James Publishing.
I live in Los Angeles with my wife and two children. I still play drums
and I have a passion for Brazilian music. My hobbies are trail running, skiing,
mountain biking and rollerblading.
I am a passionate advocate for people affected by mental illness and am a board member and regular volunteer at a mental health organization called Step Up on Second.