The placard on the office door read, “Granda Greetings” and this was my second entrepreneurial quest after walking away from the entertainment business. The 110 square foot office at the San Jose International Airport was more of my home than a place of business. I was 26 years old and I had lost everything, my job, my car, and a place to live. All I had left was a bible, a bicycle, a pager, a pay phone, and 1000 copies of a poster titled; “To The dreamer.” That inspirational poster was my only product written during one of the most gut-wrenching disappointing times in my life. Later after being rejected by a major motivational poster distributor and with only two accounts in San Fransisco selling an average of three posters a month Granda Greetings failed as quickly as it began. I wasn’t discouraged because, I still had my faith and belief that all things are possible. Then I had a bright idea of how I could make a lot of money! Please do not ever make a decision based solely on money or you may find yourself in the Bering Sea of Alaska on fishing boat sicker than dog, catching nothing but devilish looks from modern day pirates because you’re not moving fast enough! The only thing I earned on that ship was the free education that taught me, I am definitely not a fisherman. “Alaska Warrior” was the name of the ship and while standing on the dock fixated on the word “Warrior” something converged in my heart as that vessel drifted off to sea again without me. I had spent my last $800 to get to Alaska and ended up dead broke again. During these 13 years of my life, I would often find myself competing in 10k Mud Run competitions on military bases in the Boots and Utility gear division. I was one of the rare civilians running in the front of the pack with some Marines, a few Army Rangers, and the occasional Navy Seal. Any opportunity, I got to be on a military base whether it was an airshow, mud run, or a community event open to the public you could find me there. It was there amongst other competitive and patriotic individuals that just felt like the right place for me. September 11th 2001 (911) was the day the Twin Towers fell in New York after a terrorist attack. It also was the day, I started Stone Soldiers my own natural stone restoration business. For six years, I successfully owned and operated this small business, but something was still missing in my life. Boots and cargo pants were my uniform for work and to compete in mud runs while real American soldiers were suiting up for battle in Afghanistan fighting in defense of our freedom. In 2007, it appeared my ship had just come in by means of the Army raising the enlistment age to 42. I had always been passionate, patriotic, and athletic so this was my opportunity to live a life with purpose; therefore, at 39 years of age, I joined the Army National Guard as an Infantryman and later qualified to become a Special Forces Candidate with the 19th Special Forces Group. That seed of potential had just sprung forth!