I grew up in rural Illinois where hustle wasn't optional; it was the only path forward. Balancing three jobs while running 15 AP courses taught me something no classroom could: that resilience is a competitive advantage, and urgency is a skill. That relentlessness took me from Rockford to Y Combinator-backed startups, from a pressure washer to a $125K business, and from a kid who loved Illinois Basketball and Randy Travis to someone who genuinely believes the best companies are built by people who have something to prove.
My drive toward entrepreneurship has always been tied to a simple belief: the most powerful thing you can do is build something people need. Whether I'm running product analytics at a YC startup or optimizing job routes for a small business, I approach every problem the same way: with ownership, urgency, and a relentless focus on the numbers that actually matter.