It’s 5pm, Friday, April 1, 2016, the end of a long week as an intern. I’m pulling into the garage of the house my wife and I just bought. She’s 9 months pregnant with our first child.
It’s 2 months before graduation, and the thought of finally making money to cover our mortgage propelled me forward.
I get a call from my graduate school, and it doesn’t sound good. Long story, short, something happened in the clinic, and I’m out of the program.
I appealed the decision, and before returning, I chose to withdraw, and go full time into relationship and coaching, which had been a hobby for 9 years. Yes, I was good at solving everyone else’s problems, but it was time for me to do what I was born to do: coach driven go-getters who needed clarity, strategy, and accountability.
When I was 8 months old, I was given my first life lesson: Your confidence, worthiness, and value are created internally, not based upon circumstances and others opinions of you.
How does an 8 month old learn that lesson? Well, through 25 years of therapy (that barely worked), and several years of high-quality coaching (which has been life-changing).
At 8 months old, my dad walked out on my mom. For the rest of my childhood, I wanted one thing: for my parents to be reunited. But the personal lesson was profound. It said: Why did he stay for 3 years after my brother was born but left after I was?
If I’m not enough for my dad to stay, what’s wrong with me? Am I enough? Am I love-able?
I responded like any kid does: living life in reactive mode.
I felt powerless, rejected, not in control of my own life.
If I couldn’t have control over my own family, if I couldn’t trust them, I needed to learn how to quickly tell who I can trust, who to connect with, and how to cut the cord of others’ expectations, to free me to step into explore and achieve what is possible in my life.
I become highly independent, because it’s less scary than being vulnerable and open to get hurt yet again. Well, being an independent, out of the box thinker, who can tell who is in it for themselves vs who can be trusted, didn’t exactly sit well with traditional schooling, and it led to being kicked out of kindergarten. Grade school and childhood were a rollercoaster of rejection, emotional struggle, and therapy that was mediocre at best. Every few years I had to switch schools, and I faced rejection at every turn.
I was the kid no one thought would “make it” (But I’ve learned that it’s the ones you don’t bet on, who surprise you- because they have hidden potential!)
I was done being rejected and dejected….
I had enough of giving up on myself and my life wasn’t working for me. I knew things had to change to make life work, no one else was going to do that for me. I didn’t have the emotional vocabulary to tell you this as a 14 year old, but I was half-depressed, my family situation had been deteriorating for years, and now I left the religious school system, went to public school, and for the first time in my life, began to question everything in my life, and discover my true identity and personality. In the heart of these difficult years, I learned invaluable life lessons about love, friendships, and my own talents.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but what I learned during these years would go on to be some of the most impactful content and insights for my clients and audiences for years to come.
When I realized that success was in my own hands, no one would make me successful, except for the man in the mirror, I started thriving in school.
At 17, I started my first business as a personal trainer. As my clients got results and referred family and friends, that business developed into a health and wellness business.
At 20, I had been working for 6 years in the food services/restaurant industry, and used my connections and relationships to hand pick a team of waitstaff for private events. I started a second business wait staffing- hiring and managing employees who were twice my age, serving drinks. I was too young to drink because I was only 20! I didn’t know it would work out, but I saw the need, and said I’ll never know if I don’t try.
By the age of 20, my first business was making good money, and I started a second one. I was finally able to rise above the feeling of powerlessness, of feeling insignificant. I began to feel happy, fulfilled, content. It was incredible.
It was year 5 of a 3 year doctorate program.
I thought getting a doctorate in physical therapy would set me up for financial security-Deep down I was unhappy, unexcited. I was just trying to “get through it,” suppressing what I truly wanted, but too scared to really go for it.Except for one person, no one in my immediate family ran a business.
My family always valued “having a job.” Little did I know that I never wanted a job, I wanted a calling, a successful business, and the lifestyle and personal freedoms that would come with that. Yet deep down I didn’t even realize it, but that was actually someone else’s dream. I knew I didn’t want to practice, I wanted to own.
THAT LED ME TO THE MOMENT THAT CHANGED MY LIFE AT 5pm on Friday, April 1, 2016.
I got exactly what I needed even though I didn’t want it.
In addition to Isaac’s degree and graduate and entrepreneur background, he holds a coaching certification from Robbins-Madanes Institute, training from Tony Robbins and Cloe Madanes, 1 on 1 training from one of the top coaches in Tony Robbins inner circle, 1 on 1 mentorship and live training from Jack Canfield, the co-founder of the Chicken Soup for the Soul Series, World leaders in personal development, business strategy, marketing and sales training, and team building.
He is regularly getting training and expert coaching in marketing, business, and personal development coaching, and transmits what he learns into tangible, transformative steps for his coaching clients and audience.
And that was the beginning of the journey of turning my passion into a business. I realized I wanted to help people OWN their problems, take charge of their lives, and break through their own barriers to achieve success. I wanted to be there for people who were going through the same things I went through and help them come out stronger on the other side. This realization drove me.
I wanted to do for my community what Tony Robbins did for me. By my community, I mean my religious community, and the wider community of business owners and entrepreneurs. I wanted to be able to help people rise above their challenges and become more than they ever thought was possible.
I help creative marketers and service-based business owners who are feeling ‘stuck’ take things to the next level – and BEYOND.
“I’m done wasting time and money trying to figure this out on my own. I need a partner and guide”
“I’m ready to take my business to the next level. But… where do I find the clients??”
“I know we need to focus on scaling, but my team is SO busy and we are “dropping balls!” Help!