Started hustling at 14 — scrubbing toilets, washing dishes. Whatever it took to keep up with the cool kids.

Somewhere between late nights gaming and nailing skateboard tricks, I lost track of school. "You're wasting your potential" talk got old, real fast. So, I made a choice and busted my a** for degrees while serving the army.

At 27, I was entrusted the keys to help a sinking company. Everyone thought I was mad and unqualified.

Two years later, boom. Profitable. Turns out, proving doubters wrong felt damn good.

At 29, venture capital was at a whole new level: Ivy League degrees, highly accomplished individuals, and that voice in my head whispering,

"You don't belong here."

But that fueled me. Hundreds of books, nights grinding for an MBA

Now? I'm still holding my day job, raising kids, and building Bareborn because I know what it's like to be underestimated and feel alone in the struggles.

Look, the journey has been and still is tough

But here's the deal: to all the driven men and women, the ones who get mocked, the ones who fight that voice in their head...screw that noise

We are the ones making a difference.