we only live one life right and again you guys think differently talk to me
you guys think differently talk to me
you guys think differently talk to me afterwards and we’ll start a great
afterwards and we’ll start a great
afterwards and we’ll start a great business together but truthfully I
business together but truthfully I
business together but truthfully I believe that time is the most valuable
believe that time is the most valuable
believe that time is the most valuable asset on earth and I believe that you
asset on earth and I believe that you
asset on earth and I believe that you can exchange anything in the world for
can exchange anything in the world for
can exchange anything in the world for time people salaries are based on time
time people salaries are based on time
time people salaries are based on time you can charge by the hour but you can
you can charge by the hour but you can
you can charge by the hour but you can only spend time once so for that I want
only spend time once so for that I want
only spend time once so for that I want to start by expressing my gratitude to
to start by expressing my gratitude to
to start by expressing my gratitude to you for being here today’s talk is not
you for being here today’s talk is not
you for being here today’s talk is not about me it’s about you and I want to
about me it’s about you and I want to
about me it’s about you and I want to start by thanking you for taking what I
start by thanking you for taking what I
start by thanking you for taking what I think is your most valuable asset and
think is your most valuable asset and
think is your most valuable asset and choosing to be here with me today you
choosing to be here with me today you
choosing to be here with me today you could have done anything in the world
could have done anything in the world
could have done anything in the world today you could have been out with your
today you could have been out with your
today you could have been out with your friends children whatever right working
friends children whatever right working
friends children whatever right working out you chose to be here with me today
out you chose to be here with me today
out you chose to be here with me today so for that I’m grateful to you and now
so for that I’m grateful to you and now
so for that I’m grateful to you and now I’m going to tell you a fun story about
I’m going to tell you a fun story about
I’m going to tell you a fun story about my childhood that will take about 30
my childhood that will take about 30
my childhood that will take about 30 seconds and probably make you guys laugh
seconds and probably make you guys laugh
seconds and probably make you guys laugh there anyway that doesn’t want to hear
there anyway that doesn’t want to hear
there anyway that doesn’t want to hear at the childhood story it’s been a
at the childhood story it’s been a
at the childhood story it’s been a couple today the speakers today have
couple today the speakers today have
couple today the speakers today have been phenomenal so when I was a young
been phenomenal so when I was a young
been phenomenal so when I was a young boy I had the best cheeseburger of my
boy I had the best cheeseburger of my
boy I had the best cheeseburger of my entire life
entire life
entire life see my father loved to challenge me and
see my father loved to challenge me and
see my father loved to challenge me and wanted to give me things to help grow
wanted to give me things to help grow
wanted to give me things to help grow and he knew that I loved swimming so one
and he knew that I loved swimming so one
and he knew that I loved swimming so one day after going to the same pool that I
day after going to the same pool that I
day after going to the same pool that I had gone to for many years prior he says
had gone to for many years prior he says
had gone to for many years prior he says son you see that high dive board up
son you see that high dive board up
son you see that high dive board up there and this is of course before the
there and this is of course before the
there and this is of course before the really high dive boards were taken down
really high dive boards were taken down
really high dive boards were taken down for insurance reasons right you guys
for insurance reasons right you guys
for insurance reasons right you guys remember those so before my innocent
remember those so before my innocent
remember those so before my innocent young mind could connect what was
young mind could connect what was
young mind could connect what was actually about to happen I go yeah that
actually about to happen I go yeah that
actually about to happen I go yeah that yeah yeah what about it
yeah yeah what about it
yeah yeah what about it and he goes well son sometimes in life
and he goes well son sometimes in life
and he goes well son sometimes in life you need to be pushed beyond your
you need to be pushed beyond your
you need to be pushed beyond your comfort zone to succeed yeah so I sure
comfort zone to succeed yeah so I sure
comfort zone to succeed yeah so I sure you probably guess what happened next
you probably guess what happened next
you probably guess what happened next right so a few minutes later and about
right so a few minutes later and about
right so a few minutes later and about 60 seconds of hang time I released the
60 seconds of hang time I released the
60 seconds of hang time I released the world’s largest cannonball for a
world’s largest cannonball for a
world’s largest cannonball for a ten-year-old guess what my reward was
ten-year-old guess what my reward was
ten-year-old guess what my reward was anyway today I’m happily married and I
anyway today I’m happily married and I
anyway today I’m happily married and I have two sons under two years old and
have two sons under two years old and
have two sons under two years old and unfortunately I won’t be able to bring
unfortunately I won’t be able to bring
unfortunately I won’t be able to bring them to a high dive board because it’s
them to a high dive board because it’s
them to a high dive board because it’s conspicuously gone missing oh it danced
conspicuously gone missing oh it danced
conspicuously gone missing oh it danced on the slide here so that aside I wanted
on the slide here so that aside I wanted
on the slide here so that aside I wanted to speak to you guys about something
to speak to you guys about something
to speak to you guys about something that I think could be really helpful for
that I think could be really helpful for
that I think could be really helpful for you
you
you for your family for your community and I
for your family for your community and I
for your family for your community and I want to share a very powerful experience
want to share a very powerful experience
want to share a very powerful experience that I had when I was with my brothers
that I had when I was with my brothers
that I had when I was with my brothers when I was younger this is something
when I was younger this is something
when I was younger this is something that helped to mold me into the man that
that helped to mold me into the man that
that helped to mold me into the man that I am today and taught me an incredible
I am today and taught me an incredible
I am today and taught me an incredible life lesson that I’m here to share with
life lesson that I’m here to share with
life lesson that I’m here to share with you this morning
you this morning
you this morning my two younger brothers here he’s our
my two younger brothers here he’s our
my two younger brothers here he’s our ryan and chris they are two of my best
ryan and chris they are two of my best
ryan and chris they are two of my best friends today I’m very proud to say that
friends today I’m very proud to say that
friends today I’m very proud to say that I’m extremely grateful for the time that
I’m extremely grateful for the time that
I’m extremely grateful for the time that I had growing up with them and the
I had growing up with them and the
I had growing up with them and the experiences that I shared with them and
experiences that I shared with them and
experiences that I shared with them and this is a quick photo of us which was
this is a quick photo of us which was
this is a quick photo of us which was taken not too long after color
taken not too long after color
taken not too long after color photography became popular and also back
photography became popular and also back
photography became popular and also back when I had hair I’m 35 now by the way so
when I had hair I’m 35 now by the way so
when I had hair I’m 35 now by the way so a couple of guys are smiling I think he
a couple of guys are smiling I think he
a couple of guys are smiling I think he put the pieces together this is me and
put the pieces together this is me and
put the pieces together this is me and my Boy Scout uniform as this troop 97
my Boy Scout uniform as this troop 97
my Boy Scout uniform as this troop 97 off Long Island I was in the Boy Scouts
off Long Island I was in the Boy Scouts
off Long Island I was in the Boy Scouts I spent around 15 years long years with
I spent around 15 years long years with
I spent around 15 years long years with fun years in a fantastic troop
fun years in a fantastic troop
fun years in a fantastic troop environment but being in the Boy Scouts
environment but being in the Boy Scouts
environment but being in the Boy Scouts is not the lesson that I wanted to share
is not the lesson that I wanted to share
is not the lesson that I wanted to share with you today
with you today
with you today it’s what the Boy Scouts taught me and
it’s what the Boy Scouts taught me and
it’s what the Boy Scouts taught me and this is what I’m hoping that you can
this is what I’m hoping that you can
this is what I’m hoping that you can leave this talk thinking about so you
leave this talk thinking about so you
leave this talk thinking about so you see I learned that being challenged
see I learned that being challenged
see I learned that being challenged beyond my comfort zone was actually just
beyond my comfort zone was actually just
beyond my comfort zone was actually just the beginning of becoming a stronger
the beginning of becoming a stronger
the beginning of becoming a stronger person my real strength that I learned
person my real strength that I learned
person my real strength that I learned later in life was learning how to give
later in life was learning how to give
later in life was learning how to give back now I’m sure that all of you have
back now I’m sure that all of you have
back now I’m sure that all of you have had a challenging experience at some
had a challenging experience at some
had a challenging experience at some point in your life and for some of you
point in your life and for some of you
point in your life and for some of you that may have been a challenge that you
that may have been a challenge that you
that may have been a challenge that you didn’t see coming at the time come to
didn’t see coming at the time come to
didn’t see coming at the time come to think what I probably should have seen
think what I probably should have seen
think what I probably should have seen that high die Ford had been there for a
that high die Ford had been there for a
that high die Ford had been there for a while
while
while anyways so before we go any further I
anyways so before we go any further I
anyways so before we go any further I did mention this talk was about you so I
did mention this talk was about you so I
did mention this talk was about you so I wanted to take some of the time that we
wanted to take some of the time that we
wanted to take some of the time that we have together here to think back to a
have together here to think back to a
have together here to think back to a time in your life when you were truly
time in your life when you were truly
time in your life when you were truly and deeply challenged with something so
and deeply challenged with something so
and deeply challenged with something so let’s go ahead and think about it for a
let’s go ahead and think about it for a
let’s go ahead and think about it for a moment they will take ten seconds or so
moment they will take ten seconds or so
moment they will take ten seconds or so and I want you to just dig back and
and I want you to just dig back and
and I want you to just dig back and think back to yourself what was one of
think back to yourself what was one of
think back to yourself what was one of your biggest life challenges
okay did anybody say I got up without my
okay did anybody say I got up without my alarm this morning that many oh sweet
alarm this morning that many oh sweet
alarm this morning that many oh sweet it’s more than I expected Congrats
it’s more than I expected Congrats
it’s more than I expected Congrats alright well for everybody else chances
alright well for everybody else chances
alright well for everybody else chances are excellent that whatever experience
are excellent that whatever experience
are excellent that whatever experience you had there made you stronger today
you had there made you stronger today
you had there made you stronger today and in fact you’re probably stronger
and in fact you’re probably stronger
and in fact you’re probably stronger than most people you meet who didn’t
than most people you meet who didn’t
than most people you meet who didn’t have that same experience so here’s my
have that same experience so here’s my
have that same experience so here’s my fundamental thought to you how can you
fundamental thought to you how can you
fundamental thought to you how can you use that experience to make yourself
use that experience to make yourself
use that experience to make yourself your community and your future
your community and your future
your community and your future safer stronger and healthier for me it
safer stronger and healthier for me it
safer stronger and healthier for me it was becoming an Eagle Scout that was
was becoming an Eagle Scout that was
was becoming an Eagle Scout that was that all-encompassing challenge I can’t
that all-encompassing challenge I can’t
that all-encompassing challenge I can’t tell you how many camping trips we went
tell you how many camping trips we went
tell you how many camping trips we went on troop meetings and nights at home on
on troop meetings and nights at home on
on troop meetings and nights at home on merit badge work between when I first
merit badge work between when I first
merit badge work between when I first started as the lowest-ranking we blow
started as the lowest-ranking we blow
started as the lowest-ranking we blow Scout to finally achieving Eagle but I
Scout to finally achieving Eagle but I
Scout to finally achieving Eagle but I can tell you that it taught me an
can tell you that it taught me an
can tell you that it taught me an incredible life lesson on leadership
incredible life lesson on leadership
incredible life lesson on leadership dedication to a cause and perseverance
dedication to a cause and perseverance
dedication to a cause and perseverance under duress
under duress
under duress so my 18th birthday when I was
so my 18th birthday when I was
so my 18th birthday when I was unofficially ejected from the Boy Scouts
unofficially ejected from the Boy Scouts
unofficially ejected from the Boy Scouts I entered this strange phase of young
I entered this strange phase of young
I entered this strange phase of young adulthood where I was no longer
adulthood where I was no longer
adulthood where I was no longer technically a Boy Scout but I was still
technically a Boy Scout but I was still
technically a Boy Scout but I was still too young to have a boy of my own in the
too young to have a boy of my own in the
too young to have a boy of my own in the troop so some folks that I talked to you
troop so some folks that I talked to you
troop so some folks that I talked to you referred to this as growing up after
referred to this as growing up after
referred to this as growing up after spending the next four and a half years
spending the next four and a half years
spending the next four and a half years studying information technology in
studying information technology in
studying information technology in beautiful upstate Troy New York I was
beautiful upstate Troy New York I was
beautiful upstate Troy New York I was fortunate enough to work at a number of
fortunate enough to work at a number of
fortunate enough to work at a number of Fortune 500 companies before starting
Fortune 500 companies before starting
Fortune 500 companies before starting work on one which is now one of the most
work on one which is now one of the most
work on one which is now one of the most well respected IT advisory companies in
well respected IT advisory companies in
well respected IT advisory companies in New York City I started my company with
New York City I started my company with
New York City I started my company with one objective in mind helping other
one objective in mind helping other
one objective in mind helping other people achieve their goals and along the
people achieve their goals and along the
people achieve their goals and along the way I was exposed to formidable
way I was exposed to formidable
way I was exposed to formidable challenges I found that most people who
challenges I found that most people who
challenges I found that most people who had taken the time to help me as a boy
had taken the time to help me as a boy
had taken the time to help me as a boy they those thoughts went through my mind
they those thoughts went through my mind
they those thoughts went through my mind as I experienced these challenging
as I experienced these challenging
as I experienced these challenging situations and I won’t bore you too much
situations and I won’t bore you too much
situations and I won’t bore you too much with my work on in that regard but I
with my work on in that regard but I
with my work on in that regard but I will tell you that it buttoned up one
will tell you that it buttoned up one
will tell you that it buttoned up one thing pretty tightly for us and that was
thing pretty tightly for us and that was
thing pretty tightly for us and that was our ability to deliver on our
our ability to deliver on our
our ability to deliver on our commitments I believe that my word is my
commitments I believe that my word is my
commitments I believe that my word is my bond and my company is an extension of
bond and my company is an extension of
bond and my company is an extension of that so it’s something that I take very
that so it’s something that I take very
that so it’s something that I take very seriously so some time ago while I was
seriously so some time ago while I was
seriously so some time ago while I was walking to a local burger joint takes
walking to a local burger joint takes
walking to a local burger joint takes him take out I got a call from someone
him take out I got a call from someone
him take out I got a call from someone who claimed to be from the Boy Scouts
who claimed to be from the Boy Scouts
who claimed to be from the Boy Scouts inviting me to an Executive breakfast
inviting me to an Executive breakfast
inviting me to an Executive breakfast the following morning now like you guys
the following morning now like you guys
the following morning now like you guys I regularly get emails from people
I regularly get emails from people
I regularly get emails from people trying to send me you know get me to
trying to send me you know get me to
trying to send me you know get me to send money to other countries and buy
send money to other countries and buy
send money to other countries and buy products and land that don’t exist so
products and land that don’t exist so
products and land that don’t exist so you know at first I was
you know at first I was
you know at first I was we’ll caught off guard and turned out it
we’ll caught off guard and turned out it
we’ll caught off guard and turned out it was fully legit and I was actually very
was fully legit and I was actually very
was fully legit and I was actually very humbled to be invited back into the
humbled to be invited back into the
humbled to be invited back into the scouting organization and I’m still not
scouting organization and I’m still not
scouting organization and I’m still not sure how they found me but either way
sure how they found me but either way
sure how they found me but either way they wanted my help running a fundraiser
they wanted my help running a fundraiser
they wanted my help running a fundraiser the following year so this is actually
the following year so this is actually
the following year so this is actually the moment where the lightbulb went off
the moment where the lightbulb went off
the moment where the lightbulb went off for me right this was that that moment
for me right this was that that moment
for me right this was that that moment in my life I realized that I had been
in my life I realized that I had been
in my life I realized that I had been training for years to make our company
training for years to make our company
training for years to make our company profitable to to make profit for myself
profitable to to make profit for myself
profitable to to make profit for myself to be able to hone these skills to
to be able to hone these skills to
to be able to hone these skills to become stronger at this and I now here I
become stronger at this and I now here I
become stronger at this and I now here I finally had an opportunity to do the
finally had an opportunity to do the
finally had an opportunity to do the same thing for an organization that had
same thing for an organization that had
same thing for an organization that had helped me so much in my life and to date
helped me so much in my life and to date
helped me so much in my life and to date we’ve been very successful helping the
we’ve been very successful helping the
we’ve been very successful helping the Boy Scouts in that regard and we remain
Boy Scouts in that regard and we remain
Boy Scouts in that regard and we remain committed and active and running fun and
committed and active and running fun and
committed and active and running fun and profitable events for them and it’s
profitable events for them and it’s
profitable events for them and it’s something that gives me a really deep
something that gives me a really deep
something that gives me a really deep personal sense of satisfaction so I
personal sense of satisfaction so I
personal sense of satisfaction so I believe that we have a moral obligation
believe that we have a moral obligation
believe that we have a moral obligation to use our strengths to help those who
to use our strengths to help those who
to use our strengths to help those who need help or those who kind of help
need help or those who kind of help
need help or those who kind of help themselves
themselves
themselves I also believe that it’s important to
I also believe that it’s important to
I also believe that it’s important to keep yourself strong so you can find new
keep yourself strong so you can find new
keep yourself strong so you can find new opportunities and ways to help people
opportunities and ways to help people
opportunities and ways to help people that you may not be capable of today so
that you may not be capable of today so
that you may not be capable of today so let’s go back to your challenging
let’s go back to your challenging
let’s go back to your challenging experience for a minute how can you use
experience for a minute how can you use
experience for a minute how can you use your experience to help strengthen
your experience to help strengthen
your experience to help strengthen others as an act of charity all right
others as an act of charity all right
others as an act of charity all right this is my main question – one day you
this is my main question – one day you
this is my main question – one day you may be on the receiving end of this
may be on the receiving end of this
may be on the receiving end of this right you might find yourself weak may
right you might find yourself weak may
right you might find yourself weak may be weaker than you’d like to admit so
be weaker than you’d like to admit so
be weaker than you’d like to admit so when one hundred other people come to
when one hundred other people come to
when one hundred other people come to you when you’re not as strong as you are
you when you’re not as strong as you are
you when you’re not as strong as you are today and they say please let me help
today and they say please let me help
today and they say please let me help you this is my charitable act today how
you this is my charitable act today how
you this is my charitable act today how will you feel and what if you knew that
will you feel and what if you knew that
will you feel and what if you knew that you were in some small way responsible
you were in some small way responsible
you were in some small way responsible for helping them get to the place where
for helping them get to the place where
for helping them get to the place where they could even ask you that question
they could even ask you that question
they could even ask you that question how would you feel then so this is what
how would you feel then so this is what
how would you feel then so this is what I call the charitable feedback loop you
I call the charitable feedback loop you
I call the charitable feedback loop you guys know all this already the slides of
guys know all this already the slides of
guys know all this already the slides of this this is the model that I wanted to
this this is the model that I wanted to
this this is the model that I wanted to share with you today you use your skills
share with you today you use your skills
share with you today you use your skills to help influence and support others
to help influence and support others
to help influence and support others others are influenced and supported and
others are influenced and supported and
others are influenced and supported and then learn new skills to build
then learn new skills to build
then learn new skills to build confidence so similarly to the way that
confidence so similarly to the way that
confidence so similarly to the way that we
we
we this with the Scouts running profitable
this with the Scouts running profitable
this with the Scouts running profitable projects turning that back around again
projects turning that back around again
projects turning that back around again getting the leadership skills from being
getting the leadership skills from being
getting the leadership skills from being able to grow into that to then loop that
able to grow into that to then loop that
able to grow into that to then loop that back around into giving back to the same
back around into giving back to the same
back around into giving back to the same organization that helped train me to be
organization that helped train me to be
organization that helped train me to be in that position this is what I’m
in that position this is what I’m
in that position this is what I’m challenging you to think about with your
challenging you to think about with your
challenging you to think about with your life right your donation doesn’t have to
life right your donation doesn’t have to
life right your donation doesn’t have to be monetary those are great but think
be monetary those are great but think
be monetary those are great but think about the experience that you have so
about the experience that you have so
about the experience that you have so you see even if you remain at the peak
you see even if you remain at the peak
you see even if you remain at the peak of your strength for your entire life
of your strength for your entire life
of your strength for your entire life giving a little bit of your strength to
giving a little bit of your strength to
giving a little bit of your strength to people who would otherwise find a
people who would otherwise find a
people who would otherwise find a challenging creates ripples of change
challenging creates ripples of change
challenging creates ripples of change positive and meaningful change that
positive and meaningful change that
positive and meaningful change that cannot be pulled back you will truly
cannot be pulled back you will truly
cannot be pulled back you will truly make the world a better place than you
make the world a better place than you
make the world a better place than you had before so let’s move on to the last
had before so let’s move on to the last
had before so let’s move on to the last part here the scouts taught me a lesson
part here the scouts taught me a lesson
part here the scouts taught me a lesson that I needed to start a company that
that I needed to start a company that
that I needed to start a company that gave me the skills that I needed to
gave me the skills that I needed to
gave me the skills that I needed to successfully run projects that then gave
successfully run projects that then gave
successfully run projects that then gave me the foundation I needed to run
me the foundation I needed to run
me the foundation I needed to run successful fundraising events to help
successful fundraising events to help
successful fundraising events to help the scouts train new Boy Scouts that’s
the scouts train new Boy Scouts that’s
the scouts train new Boy Scouts that’s my charitable feedback loop so I want
my charitable feedback loop so I want
my charitable feedback loop so I want you to take your personal experience
you to take your personal experience
you to take your personal experience today and think about how you can do
today and think about how you can do
today and think about how you can do something similar and I’ll leave you
something similar and I’ll leave you
something similar and I’ll leave you with one final thought my grandfather
with one final thought my grandfather
with one final thought my grandfather had a life perspective that he passed on
had a life perspective that he passed on
had a life perspective that he passed on to his son who passed it on to me so
to his son who passed it on to me so
to his son who passed it on to me so from my grandfather’s heart and mind to
from my grandfather’s heart and mind to
from my grandfather’s heart and mind to my father’s and now to mine I’ll tell
my father’s and now to mine I’ll tell
my father’s and now to mine I’ll tell you the definition of success is the
you the definition of success is the
you the definition of success is the positive impact you have in the lives of
positive impact you have in the lives of
positive impact you have in the lives of others this is what I believe and this
others this is what I believe and this
others this is what I believe and this is why I’m here
is why I’m here
is why I’m here if every one of you or even one of you
if every one of you or even one of you
if every one of you or even one of you leaves today and finds a way for you to
leaves today and finds a way for you to
leaves today and finds a way for you to use your strengths to help others then I
use your strengths to help others then I
use your strengths to help others then I will have succeeded in my time spent
will have succeeded in my time spent
will have succeeded in my time spent here today so in closing I’ll leave you
here today so in closing I’ll leave you
here today so in closing I’ll leave you with this one final thought think to
with this one final thought think to
with this one final thought think to yourself today and for the rest of your
yourself today and for the rest of your
yourself today and for the rest of your lives how can I use what comes naturally
lives how can I use what comes naturally
lives how can I use what comes naturally and easily to me to help those who
and easily to me to help those who
and easily to me to help those who cannot easily help themselves
cannot easily help themselves
cannot easily help themselves you
you
you [Applause]
”
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