On gratitude, faith, and the joy of helping the next generation feel less alone.
Mentoring someone, no matter their age, should be at the top of our to-do list every day.
And maybe just as important, we should each ask ourselves: who is mentoring me today? Who is helping me grow, see differently, and keep moving forward?
A Walk Outside the Usual Path
This morning I took a walk, but not my usual route through Ocean Beach or my normal Point Loma neighborhood. I went down by the airport and walked the path near where the Naval Training Center began, close to the old Officers Club.
It was unfamiliar territory for me. But sometimes, when we step outside our normal path, the message becomes even clearer.
As I walked, one thought came through strongly: throughout my career, I have never been alone.
A Career Filled With Help
Mentors, friends, business leaders, and faith-filled guides have helped me through some of the toughest and strangest seasons of my life. Today, so many of them are blossoming in my mind. It is a joyful reflection. My heart is full of gratitude for all the people who showed up, guided me, challenged me, believed in me, and helped me along the way.
I cannot possibly name them all here. Some I will call separately, because they deserve to hear directly how much they have meant to me. But I can say this: I was incredibly well taken care of.
That is why I feel such a strong pull to mentor young entrepreneurs today.
The Dons Startup Summit
This Tuesday night, Cathedral Catholic High School’s Dons Business Institute will host its Shark Tank-style event as part of the Dons Startup Summit. Twenty students, representing 10 companies, will present their ideas to the judges.
For me, this brings everything full circle. Watching students walk through Seaside Market and learn how products actually get on the shelf, then seeing the Sprouts team spend time explaining what retail readiness really takes, filled my heart with joy.
These young people do not just need advice. They need belief. They need access. They need someone willing to slow down and show them the path.
I see it in the students. I see it in the teams I work with at TwinLab, Gundry Health, and other businesses. Mentoring is not just giving back. It is carrying forward the blessings we once received.
- I was helped.
- I was guided.
- I was encouraged.
- Now it is my turn to do the same.
Because none of us gets there alone. And when we realize how much we have been given, mentoring becomes one of the most joyful ways to give back.