The Moment That Changed Everything
I spent over 20 years practicing real estate law. I had the degrees, the clients, and the respectable title. But one day, driving down Wise Road in Schaumburg, I had an epiphany so clear it felt like someone had spoken it aloud:
“Don’t be the machine. Build the machine.”
At the time, I was exhausted. Trading hours for dollars. Missing family vacations. Feeling like there were never enough hours in the day. That single thought cracked everything open. I didn’t know exactly what it meant, but I knew I couldn’t ignore it.
That moment set me on a new path—one that took me from law into building businesses, from working in real estate to building companies that powered internet transactions before most people even had high-speed internet. And eventually, it brought me back to the classroom—but this time, on the other side.
Building Grit through Entrepreneurship
Fast forward. After scaling and selling companies, I helped launch the McKenzie Foundation and later the GritGrant™. That partnership with Uncharted Learning introduced me to INCubatoredu students. And what I saw floored me.
Students facing unimaginable adversity—personal struggles that would stop most adults in their tracks—were showing up, persevering and rising above their situation to do great things. Their teachers would say, “We can’t believe it. We thought this student wouldn’t make it, and look at them now.”
That’s when the GritGrant was born: a way to recognize and reward not just success, but resilience. It’s not about perfect conditions. It’s about pushing forward when life feels impossible.
The Power of Teachers and Mentors
Here’s the truth: high school teachers changed my life.
- Coach Merv Miller taught me “it’s not the uniform, it’s the person inside the uniform.”
- Coach Cartwright repeated “don’t quit, don’t quit, don’t quit”—and he wasn’t just talking about wrestling.
- Peggy Scholten reminded her players, “expect more from yourself.”
- And Coach Redlener showed me what trust feels like—and how it can change someone forever.
Those lessons shaped me as much as any law degree or business deal. That’s why I believe so fiercely in the role educators and mentors play in programs like INCubatoredu. They’re not just teaching entrepreneurship. They’re teaching life.
More Than Startups
Here’s the thing: INCubatoredu isn’t only about launching companies. It’s about learning to face obstacles and keep going. It’s about building confidence, resilience, and self-belief.
That’s what the GritGrant recognizes. Students who remind us all to stop making excuses. To keep moving forward. To not quit—no matter what.
And sometimes, the cash prize or the crystal award is nice. But the real prize? It’s the mindset shift that says: I can do this. I am capable. I will not quit.
Your Role in the Journey
To teachers: thank you. You’re changing lives, often in ways you don’t get to see until years later.
To mentors and administrators: your belief makes all the difference.
To students: keep going. You don’t need perfect conditions to build something meaningful.
Because entrepreneurship education isn’t just about building businesses—it’s about building people who can build the future.
