My path is far from traditional. I always thought I wanted to be a lawyer. I studied hard, graduated at the top of my class, received a full ride to a fantastic college, and moved on to one of the top law schools in the country. Same story as a million others, right? But then life intervened, and in the blink of an eye I met my wife, we started a family, and her career took off like a rocket. I made the choice to be the stay at home parent, setting my ambitions to the side temporarily to support hers. Working at high end restaurants in the evenings allowed me to be at home during the day with the kids and still be able to provide financial support. If you’ve ever worked in the restaurant industry, though, you know it’s like being trapped in quicksand- it’s hard to climb out when you get used to the short hours and great money. And look, It did allow me to master a lot of skills. I became an insanely good salesman, communicator, and problem solver. I really loved the hospitality aspect of what I was doing- interacting with guests, anticipating their needs, and finding a way to make them feel like they had the best dining experience of their lives. I’m the back of my mind, however, i knew it lacked they type of purpose and future that you need in a career to feel real fulfillment. Luckily, life is intervening once again. First the pandemic caused me to step out of the restaurant and reevaluate. At the same time, my children are preparing to leave for college and I realized that it’s the perfect opportunity for me to take a chance and follow the dreams I had coming out of school. Law school might not be in the cards anymore, but I want a career full of purpose and promise. I want a career where I’m not just interacting with people but helping them work through problems in a life affecting way. Where each day brings new challenges and when I lay my head down at the end of it I can feel like I really made some small difference in someone’s life. Where things that I have in abundance, like work ethic and passion and generosity and intelligence are actually rewarded. So while my 20s and 30s may have been spent in a different way than a lot of other men, it doesn’t diminish the skills and value I would bring to an employer. I’m confident that someone will see this clearly and offer me the opportunity to provide a better life for my family while feeling proud of what I do for a living.