“If your name isn’t on the awning, you don’t get to call the shots.” A reminder that ownership starts with courage.

It’s one of those lessons that stays with you, short, direct, and full of truth. He wasn’t just talking about business; he was teaching ownership. He meant that if you want to shape outcomes, build something of your own. Don’t wait for permission, create the platform.

That mindset took root early. In the mid-1970s, I accompanied my mom, traveling to Italy to buy gold for her businesslong before women in business were celebrated the way we are now. I saw courage in motion. She showed me what it meant to take risks, negotiate, and stand tall in rooms that weren’t always welcoming.

Both of my grandfathers were entrepreneurs before “entrepreneurship” became a buzzword. My paternal grandfather owned the first gas station in his hometown. My maternal grandfather was a money lender,the person people turned to when banks didn’t yet exist in the community. And both of my grandmothers were traders in the local markets, managing families and businesses with grace and grit.

“Entrepreneurship runs deeper than ambition. It is heritage.”

I didn’t just learn business, I inherited it. Every story, every trip, every deal became part of my understanding that entrepreneurship isn’t just about profit. It’s about agency, responsibility, and faith.

Now, through Thrive365 Consulting, I carry that same DNA, helping others lead, heal, and build from a place of purpose. I’ve learned that legacy doesn’t start when you retire. It starts when you take ownership of your purpose and commit to building something that reflects who you are.

Leadership isn’t just about managing what exists. It’s about creating what lasts.