The Weight of Leadership: Small-business CEOs bear a weight that doesn't disappear with a successful quarter. It's the weight of decisions that ripple through teams, customers, and cash flow—decisions made under pressure without a playbook. I've lived that burden, not as a theoretical exercise, but as someone who has stood in the back room after board meetings, watching the numbers and waiting for the call that could keep the lights on. The tension isn't abstract; it's real and personal.

Leadership Lessons: What I've learned, through countless quiet moments and a few loud ones, is that leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about understanding the risk you're willing to carry, the people you're protecting, and the decisions you're willing to own.

Authority Forged in Crisis During a hurricane, as the winds threatened our building, I witnessed my team step into action with urgency and practicality. We secured critical assets and communicated effectively, proving that leadership in crisis is about protecting people and providing a path through uncertainty. This experience earned me the nickname "the book," as I began to see leadership as a living manual, written in real-time through the stories and routines we create.

Values Codified into Systems My son's baby book, with its notes on curiosity, kindness, and courage, reminded me that values aren't just ideals; they're patterns to observe, measure, and reinforce daily. This insight reshaped how I built teams and programs, integrating values into everyday practices, ensuring they guide behavior long after leadership changes.

Grit You Can Scale Earning my GED wasn't about glory; it was about proving that perseverance compounds. Grit isn't a one-time moment but a capability you can cultivate and scale across an organization. This belief led me to create programs that teach teams to own risk, anticipate failures, and recover quickly, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Every Voice Matters A ride-share driver once taught me the power of listening, revealing hidden risks and opportunities. Leadership isn't about throne room confidence; it's about listening deeply and translating insights into action. By valuing every voice, leaders convert diverse perspectives into better decisions.

Professional Journey: From Help Desk to Systems Engineer, I learned how unmanaged risk leads to system failures and human suffering. I built programs to prevent outages, empower risk ownership, and scale capabilities across teams. I taught, mentored, and founded ElMaeXtro to extend that leadership to more leaders navigating uncertainty. My journey marries technical discipline with people-focused leadership, recognizing that risk isn't just a number but a lived experience.

Like SMB CEOs, I've adapted quickly, carried risk personally, and led through uncertainty.

Building a lasting company requires values visible in daily decisions, not just mission statements.

Grit is a repeatable capability you can train and scale across teams to sustain performance.

Listening is a competitive advantage that translates voices into outcomes.

Stakes, Risk, and Outcomes: I've seen projects stall and trust erode when risk leadership is absent. Conversely, when risk is visible and decisions are decisive, companies grow more resilient, with faster decision cycles and a culture that learns from every outcome. ElMaeXtro is about making risk visible so leaders can act with confidence, speed, and compassion.

I understand the weight of decisions that affect others, which is why I founded ElMaeXtro: to help CEOs see risk clearly, act decisively, and lead with unwavering confidence. When you're at the helm, it's about people, purpose, and the future you're building. If you're ready to lead through uncertainty with clarity and courage, I'm here to help you get there.