There is no one I admire more than my Dad.
A lesson in what matters
There’s a lot of noise these days.
Founders humblebragging about 4 a.m. alarms. Skipping meals. Missing family vacations like it’s some kind of badge of honor.
Like the more you grind, the more legit you are. As if being constantly on, constantly sacrificing, is the only path to success.
And even worse, they’re trying to convince their employees of this too.
Somewhere along the way, we started celebrating burnout and calling it ambition.
But the people I admire and who I’ve learned the most from? They don’t operate like that.
And there is no one I admire more than my Dad.
He led a life that is deeply rooted, steady, and intentional.
No flexing. No noise. Just showing up every single day for what mattered most.
He didn’t just manage to raise nine kids along with my mom. He also built an incredibly successful career - respected, trusted, and damn good at what he did.
But here’s the thing: that was never the headline. The real story was in what and how he prioritized. How he made it clear through his time, his choices, his presence that family came first.
He coached our sports teams.
Every summer, he’d pack us up for our annual two-week trip to Rondeau Park.
He made Christmas magical every single year—lights, traditions, the whole deal.
And through it all, he was present. No phone, no laptop.
We never felt like we came second to work.
It wasn’t about grand gestures. It was about presence. Simple routines that became the backdrop of our family story.
Investing time, energy, and love into the things that actually shape a family.
Into memories that stick. Values that last.
He taught me that the work that truly matters in life isn’t what happens when you’re grinding away at your job. It’s what happens when you focus on the things that actually count - family, love, relationships.
Success isn’t about being the last one to log off.
It’s about building something real that lasts long after the laptop’s closed.
That’s what he taught me.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad.