This time three years ago, I had virtually nothing in terms of material possessions. No car, no savings, no real furniture, and just a handful of clothes. My home was barely inhabitable from my time away. To make matters worse, my credit score was in the low 500s, and my reputation was ruined. Probably 90% of the people I had considered friends or family had turned their backs on me.

There were some very dark nights.

I could have chosen to focus on all of those negatives and wallowed in self pity, and most likely, no one would have blamed me for just giving up. But if you know me at all, you should know that I don’t quit easily. Instead of the negatives, I turned my focus to the things I did have: that 10% who remained by my side, my recovered health from that God awful neurological illness that had nearly crippled me, my resolve to rebuild my life and rebuild my relationship with my kids.

For the first couple of months, I focused on cleaning my home and searching for a job. Because of the circumstances, no one wanted to hire me. Even shitty janitorial type openings were denied to me. My first real break came when two of my dearest friends gave me an old car that had sat undriven for a couple of years. I cannot tell you how profoundly this simple act of charity impacted my life. I will always be grateful for their love and generosity. My father helped me get the car running, and suddenly I had a modicum of independence back.

The second big break came when a different friend helped me secure a part-time online job. The pay was pretty good for the work involved, but the real boon was that the lady who hired me was so impressed by my work ethic that she recommended me to friends who were looking for a groundskeeper/handyman for their property. That may not sound like a glamorous job, but that work became the foundation for the businesses I would begin.

That’s all for now.