This is only part of the story… the real story, the truth, is too much for the average person. If you want to know the whole truth, all the details, and the deeper meanings, we’ll have to sit down together, in person.
For now, here is an attempt to make this make sense. Why I would change directions so drastically… September 1, 2021 the day that started it all. I showed up for dinner, in my work clothes (terribly unattractive to say the least) to have dinner and some conversation. I had no idea this conversation would change the rest of my life.
If you don’t have any sort of a faith background, then think of the epic movies of our time: Lord of the Ring, the Matrix, Star Wars. All of these epic battle adventures contain a prophesy. This type of prophesy is about what was known in the past coming true in the present. The fulfillment of the future promises. In a similar sense, prophesy is a message from God. A prophet is a messenger of God. A man who can discern the voice of God and give messages to people on Earth. One of the men at the dinner that night was a prophet. I call him Jacob.
Prior to this dinner, I was very content in my life. I’d worked at the same construction company for the past 11+ years and was quite happy working there. I’d risen in the ranks from entry level field engineer all the way up to area superintendent. I was working on a billion dollar project, very well know and exciting. I was making a good, comfortable salary, I was an employee owner. I had planned to work for this company for the next 25 years…. until Jacob said, “God wants you to think about starting your own business.” My jaw hit the floor. What?!? You’ve got to be crazy.
On my drive home, baffled and confused, I prayed to God. “Lord, is this really you? Do you really want me to leave everything I’ve worked so hard for? I’ve sacrificed so much to get to this place. Really?!?” And then I had a vision. I saw that my business would be a treatment center where AA and the 12 steps would be strongly implemented along with Jesus Christ and Christianity to form a complete healing system. I began to weep.
The days rolled by and I thought of Jacob’s words often. He had told me that this transition was NOT a leap of faith, but rather it had “just been appointed.” Jacob told me to spend the next four months reading the books of Daniel, Esther , Proverbs and the story of Joseph. So I did. I prayed. I thought about a lot of things but didn’t take much action except for the name. Throttle & Thrive is the combination of two things. First: Throttle. We must learn how to control our power source just like an engine. If we are running around full throttle all the time, things are going to be out of control. In recovery, I have learned mastery over my emotions. I’ve learned to throttle. Then: Thrive. We are meant to thrive. Life is hard; yes. But we can learn to have discipline, put in hard work and reap the rewards. We have free will. We are blessed to be Americans. If we learn to throttle, we can thrive.
Jacob had said specifically, “start the business in tandem with your construction job and God will give you the green light of when to quit your job.” So I kept working in my career. I showed up everyday ready to work and focused. But when I wasn’t at work, Throttle & Thrive had me captivated. I spent a lot of time thinking and praying but I wasn’t sure how to really get things going.
2022 was off to a slow start for Throttle & Thrive as my construction job requires 50 – 60 hours per week and I help run logistical operations and management oversight for the small house church that I’m a part of…. I wanted to get things going faster but time was against me. Then everything changed.
Upon returning from a week long trip to Dubai, I was assigned to night shift work: graveyard. At first I was upset. I’d worked 17 months of graveyard on my previous project and understand how physically taxing it is. But there was a silver lining. I would be allowed to work only 4 nights per week instead of 5 for compensation in lieu of a salary increase. I realized that my work hours had just been cut in half and my pay was going to stay the same. This changed everything. I now had mornings free since I was typically off work by 6am or 7am and could then go home and conduct business meetings, make phone calls and get the ball rolling. I bought a computer, set up a desk, a printer and got to work. I incorporated the business as a Social Purpose Corporation. By the way, Throttle & Thrive is a DBA. The name of my corporation is something else… but that’s a different story.
I hired an attorney, I sought council of a CPA, I began to reach out to people in the treatment industry, I started putting things down on paper. Doors began to open, nearly everyone I spoke to was incredibly willing to help me. Mostly importantly, God continued to assure me that I was doing His will. But no good thing goes without opposition, my managers at work decided that everyone on nightshift would be forced to work 5 nights per week with no additional compensation. My protest was squashed with a termination threat. As the months went on, it became more and more clear to me that my corporate construction career was coming to an end. I had lost favor with the managers, strange events took place and I realized I the only path forward for me was to pursue Throttle & Thrive with everything I had. Again, while I was at work, I focused all my energy on work, but when I was off work, I pursued building Throttle & Thrive fervently. Everything started to fall into place. A friend of a friend who owns 6 treatment centers became a mentor to me. I begin to develop more industry connection and I hired a website developer. I spoon fed him all the content and the images. As the website came alive, I could truly share my passion and my vision with others. In creating the website and putting the words into text, I saw clearly that my vision for the treatment center was a no nonsense approach. It would be like boot camp. it would be a training ground. Rigorous daily training: emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically. This was not a luxury retreat and not a place for the weak. This was going to be a facility for warriors.
I was ready to network. I created business cards and started to connect with more industry professionals. I thought I would buy a house and apply for my own license. Start everything from the ground up. As I went down the rabbit hole, and fully realized the cost of buying a house large enough for a 6-bed facility, I saw that I would be stretched thin; too thin. I remembered what my mentor had said, “it’s best to find an operational facility and take of managing it.” I consulted Jacob and he agreed it would be better for me to set up a Management Services Agreement with an existing facility. What a relief! But where do I find such a facility?
I used my industry connections and found a company that helps treatment center owners sell their facilities. I toured two existing facilities and learned that one of them has had a lot of first responders and law enforcement officers come through their doors. I spoke with my mentor about this demographic and he explained to me that military and first responders don’t like and sometimes even won’t go to treatment with ordinary civilians. Made a lot of sense to me. Furthermore, the main business podcast on entrepreneurship I was listening to continued to focus on the importance of niching down into a specific part of an industry. Through these events and entities, God had begun to make it clear to me that I was to serve those who have served our country. Throttle & Thrive was created to serve military, veterans, law enforcement, first responders and firemen. I am truly honored that this is my calling.
I have always been pro-military and pro-police. I am so grateful to all the service men and women who have risked their lives so that we can have freedom. I love being an American and it is my great joy to be able to give back and serve those who have served us!
A turn of events. As September transitioned into October, another shift took place. I was finally notified that I was allowed to return to working only 4 nights a week, instead of 5. This change would give me an extra 24 hours each week to devote to Throttle & Thrive.
As I was getting ready to start creating my pitch to a local civilian treatment center, I remembered that I should look up local treatment centers that specifically serve military and first responders. I found a treatment center in Florida that appeared to be doing a good job but didn’t stand out to me. I couldn’t find anything in California…. I searched… and I searched .. and I searched some more. I was shocked that there weren’t treatment centers specifically for military and first responders! And then I found Warriors Heart in Bandera, Texas. Wow! Warriors Heart is the most incredible place. Their people, structure, facility and process is absolutely incredible. I spent hours and hours listening and watching their content. After learning about Warriors Heart, I feel absolutely certain that I am to serve and only serve military and first responders. I hope to be able to visit Warriors Heart one day and learn from them.
In the meantime, Throttle & Thrive pushes forward and trudges the road of happy destiny in search of a facility.