Louis J Fernandez

A motivational speech is great. We are entertained for a bit, and walk away with a pep in our step. Within a week everyone is back to their old habits and few can remember anything that was said a few months later.

I don't want to do that, and I don't want that to be your experience. Yeah, we'll have fun and there will be cool stories, but you and I will work together to develop an action plan for your organization with tasks they can execute which will develop good habits and change cultures.

I know, seems lofty, and I'd be skeptical at first too, but these tasks are pretty simple. Some of them are as easy as thanking someone every day, or not describing the current generation in negative terms. You and I will work together to set some goals and establish tasks that are simple, repeatable, and will leave a lasting impact.

As I stood watching the news reports of two towers getting hit by planes, I decided I had to do something. College just didn't seem as purposeful anymore...until I joined the ROTC program.

Less than a year after graduating, I was in Afghanistan along the Pakistan border. The enemy presence was fierce and firefights happened often, involved large numbers, and regularly lasted hours. I learned pretty quickly about leadership, motivating teams, and being prepared.

I remember in 2003 thinking that I was going to miss the war, instead I spent over 2 years in combat between (phone number hidden)8.

After the military, I went to work for John Deere, leading assembly lines, marketing products, and bringing new products to market. Leveraging my military leadership, I was educated on the inner workings of a fortune 100 and got my first taste of P&L responsibilities.

Combining my military and civilian experience, I wrote a leadership book designed to be a mini-class that develops habits and teaches lessons titled "Keep On Leading". I also started a podcast and a youtube channel both titled "Built with Grit" to highlight the effort business owners go through to create every single product and service we enjoy.

Finally, I'm a business owner myself. Our company helps other organizations reduce their costs by analyzing bills, finding errors, and negotiating better pricing.