Why did I get into business in the first place?
You may have your own reasons, but for me, this journey was something that started out of necessity and grew into a passion.
I was an athlete my whole life.
For 22 years, I was your typical “jock.”
I’ll admit, it helped with the ladies — but honestly, not much else.
Outside of sports, I felt like I had nothing real to offer the world.
Then, as a sophomore, I met a scout for the San Diego Padres.
He told me they wanted to draft me in the 21st round, which was insane.
My lifelong dream was finally within reach.
Then COVID hit. That dream, just like that, was gone.
This threw me into a bit of a crisis.
Suddenly, I had no path forward and no way to identify myself.
Everything I had wanted or worked for was out of my hands.
I realized that if I wanted control over my future, I’d need to create it for myself.
So, there I was, broke and desperate, but determined to figure it out.
I started taking low-paying copywriting jobs on Upwork, earning just $5-$10 an hour.
After hours of underpaid writing, I decided it was time for a real change.
I moved from sunny West Palm Beach to Fort Collins, Colorado, for a corporate job.
Let’s just say it wasn’t the best decision.
After three months of pushing paper, I realized I couldn’t take it anymore.
I started freelancing on the side, finding myself glued to the keyboard, writing everything from ads to websites, sales pages, and even magazine columns.
Eventually, my passion for marketing and writing got the attention of my manager.
They found out I hadn’t exactly been “showing up,” and just like that, I was out of a job.
So, I’m sitting there, newly fired, with just $700 cash, $12,000 in credit card debt, my cat, and 22 days until rent was due.
Out of that desperation — or maybe it was genius — I founded Adstra.
The Vision Behind Adstra
When I first started Adstra, I had a pretty simple vision: to be different.
So many agencies start up just to make money.
After working with 100+ companies, though, I saw that businesses need partners who genuinely care about their growth — not ones looking to make a quick buck.
That’s where Adstra stands apart.
We’re all in, 100%.
We don’t just drive leads; we build the brand.
We’re committed to long-term growth through value-based marketing, focused on impact, not just quick wins.
That approach is the foundation of Adstra’s work.
Lessons from Life as an Athlete
Being an athlete my whole life was full of hard lessons.
I failed more times than I could count, but what I learned from those failures is exactly what I apply in business today.
In sports, just like in marketing, failure isn’t the enemy.
It’s the pathway.
Every failure gets you closer to measurable outcomes. It’s all about failing fast and failing often — because the faster you fail, the quicker you can pivot and make real progress.
And there’s something else that foreshadowed my move to business:
Athletics are difficult and competitive.
You don’t get into this game because you shy away from tough, competitive things.
You get into it because you’re hungry for the challenge.
The Toughest Part of the Transition
The transition from sports to business wasn’t easy.
In fact, it was pretty brutal.
There was so much I didn’t know about managing a team, handling clients, keeping cash flow stable, innovating, and hiring.
Every step felt like I was learning the hard way, through trial and error.
But at some point, I hit rock bottom and had no other option.
It was either sink or swim.
That’s when I truly committed to building something real, something that would give me control over my own future.
Control Over Freedom and Independence
The “control” I’m after isn’t just about making my own hours.
It’s about the freedom to live life the way I want.
Creative freedom, financial freedom, freedom to travel, and the ability to make my own choices.
It’s about independence in every sense of the word. That’s the drive behind everything I do with Adstra.
How Adstra Helps Clients Grow
The first client I signed was a local business looking to increase their foot traffic.
We got them 431 qualified local leads for their department store, and their business has only grown since then.
That’s the kind of impact I want Adstra to make for every partner we work with.
To help clients grow, we use what we call our “AI Growth Funnel,” an AI-based growth infrastructure that we’ve been refining for the past three years.
Now it’s a proven system that generates outsized marketing results, consistently. So much so, that we even guarantee the result or we will refund you.
Advice for Entrepreneurs Going Through Tough Times
If there’s one piece of advice I’d give to anyone else trying to create control in their lives, it’s this: seek help from people who specialize in the problem you’re trying to solve.
You don’t need to go through every struggle alone, and you don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
Lean on the expertise of others who have been there.
A Free 30-Minute Session to Help You Succeed
If any of this resonates with you, I’m here to help.
I’m opening up 30-minute hot seats for anyone doing $20–30k or more per month in their business who wants some free marketing consulting.
We’ll tear down your business from the ground up and provide insights tailored to your specific situation.
Grab a free strategy session here.
This isn’t just a quick chat.
We’ll go deep.
By the end, you’ll have actionable steps to grow your business, whether that’s by doubling down on what’s working or trying a completely new approach.
I wish I’d had someone to talk to when I was just starting out.
Now, I want to be that person for others.
Final Thoughts
Wherever you are, whatever you’re working on, I’m rooting for you.
From my home in Barcelona to yours, I hope this story gives you some hope, some inspiration, and maybe even the push to take the next step in your journey.
