Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, at 14 years old, I decided that I wanted to ride saddle broncs in the rodeo. After two years of hitting the ground, I wanted to quit. Thank God! I had a coach who told me, "Keep going and trust the process."

I didn't quit and ended up becoming 2x State Champion!

For my next wild ride, I joined a team of entrepreneurs in Kansas City at a small third-party logistics company. My business partner and I opened offices in Tulsa, OK, and Dallas, TX. The business took off and I eventually became VP of Client Operations and then VP of Sales.

Both experiences taught me how to lead with my intuition and truly understand how to be the captain of a ship. That it’s not so much what you’re doing rather who you’re being.

1. I wasn’t raised in a barn, but I was raised in the basement of a grocery store.
When I was 8 years old, my mom and dad decided to buy a small town grocery store.  My sister and I spent many hours in the basement of the store stacking groceries and being a part of the family business. At the time it felt like torture, but now I realized how valuable it was to be a part of a team, understand systems, and learn a small town work ethic..

2. I played bass guitar in a rock band.
My friends were really into metal and all played instruments.  I’m talking about Metallica, Bush, Soundgarden. After school, I’d watch as they play. Then one day my friend, Kalen, handed me his bass guitar saying, “Here…. you play this so I can play drums.” I taught myself bass guitar and could play a mean Master of Puppets by Metallica.

3. I rear-ended my own parents with my car!
I was leaving home for the first time to go to college at Fort Scott, KS, driving on an open  gravel road. My face was buried in one of those giant maps, trying to figure out the best route to take.  Little did I know, at the end of the road, my parents were stopped at the intersection to turn onto the highway.  BAM! I slammed into the back of the trailer at 60 mph!  I was fine but the car wasn’t.  Years later, someone told me, “when you’re in your head you’re dead.”  That lesson still applies and I teach it often!

4. I dated a girl for 5 months and asked her to marry me.
Six months later we were standing in a chapel on a hill in Tulsa, OK.  When you know you know.  It was the best decision of my life and we’re still going strong today. I remember when I first told her I loved her. It was what I call an “Oh shit!” moment because I knew my life would never be the same.  I like to live my life like that. Commit and go all in!

5. I have three daughters, Claire, Sophie, and Thea
A good friend told me, “Zach, I think there’s a reason you’ve been given all girls.”  I knew he was right. They’ve softened me, and showed me what unconditional love feels like.  Outside of my friends, most people say, “oh, I’m sorry” when they hear I have three girls.  I simply shake my head and smile.