“You’ve got to do things you’ve never done before, to go places you’ve never been.”
I’ve had to learn that lesson over and over again over the course of my life, but it’s always held true: I can’t achieve my dreams without changing my direction.
I was born in Texas and grew up near Dallas in an ordinary, middle-class family. I was a good student and cheerleader. My dad was a high school football referee. I was on my way to great things.
Everything changed when, at 15 years old, I tried methamphetamine for the first time.
You can guess what happened next. I got kicked off the cheerleading squad. I nearly flunked out of school. College? Not a chance. Instead, I was selling drugs and partying like every day was my last.
I quit meth in my early 20s, but my dependence on other substances continued to direct my life.
I somehow talked my way into not one but two television news jobs, both without a college degree or much experience. I invented a self-tanning product and designed an app. I held two U.S. patents. I got married, and divorced. I made friends with a billionaire, lived like a millionaire, and spent myself into poverty.
It’s a story I’ve shared many times, in the hopes of helping others who are on their own recovery journeys.
Helping people has become a defining principle of my life, but even that noble cause came with its own set of hazards. For a long time, I was a people-pleaser, doing everything I could to make those around me happy. Their happiness came at the expense of my own, and I buried my sorrow with drugs and booze.
In 2016, while still dependent on alcohol, I created Cornbread Hustle, a staffing agency for second chances. Nearly a decade later, it’s still going strong.
But it wasn’t until 2018 — a year after police arrested me for drunk driving — that I finally surrendered to my alcohol dependency and got help through a 12-step program that I was finally able to take my business, and myself, to new heights.
Turning away from substances and toward my faith in God has kept me going ever since. It’s gotten me through truly difficult times, like the loss of my father, becoming a caregiver to my grandmother, struggles with my business, and other challenges.
Today, I am a devoted Christian, a CEO, a thought leader, a writer, a speaker, and an advocate for everyone who needs a second chance, whether it’s after substance use or incarceration.
I’m excited to take you along for the ride!
Let’s Get Connected!
I regularly post reels and photos on Instagram, with a mix of inspirational content and fun moments from everyday life.
TikTok
TikTok is where I like to have fun, sharing random thoughts, roller skating antics, and funny videos with my grandmother!