Stories in Motion
A monthly reflection on business, life, and the lessons gathered along the way.
What No Inheritance Can Buy
She was a teenager when she climbed into her cousin's truck and rode 3,000 miles to São Paulo. No plan. No safety net. Just a young girl leaving her home state behind, betting that anywhere had to be better than where she came from. A Childhood Built on Grit My mother...
Rush Rush and Wait
The wheels barely touched the ground. The plane was still rolling. Still fast, still loud, the engines throwing everything into reverse to slow us down. And somewhere behind me: click. Somebody's seatbelt. First one off. Then another. Then five more. By the time we're...
Nineteen Years of Tuesdays
Before we put the World Cup on a shelf for the next four years, I want to bring you back to one scene. Monday, June 15. Cape Verde against Spain—the opening match of their group. Nobody scored. Nobody won. And the Cape Verde goalkeeper, Vozinha, is face down on the...
I Got Fired for Doing a Good Job
I always wanted to have my own business. Since I was a kid. But the fear of trading security for "maybe" always spoke louder. Then, one day, life decided for me… I was working full time as a truck driver. Good pay. Health insurance. Three weeks vacation. Stable. Safe....
Born With an Advantage Is a Disadvantage
I was born Brazilian. that came with a jersey I never asked for. Nobody sits you down and teaches you to love soccer. When you arrive home the first time from the hospital, there is a jersey already waiting for you in the crib. By the time you're five, you know the...
Universal Language: There Is Always Room for One More
In celebration of the 250th Anniversary of The United States, I want to share a real experience—one that says more about this country's spirit than any speech could. Happy birthday, America! The Universal Language in Tampa Last month, I watched Pitbull perform in...
Human Touch in Customer Service: Why Friction Kills
I had a large drapery installation in Orlando this week. I knew it was going to take at least two days to complete. Usually in a situation like this, I don't reserve a hotel in advance. I'm old school. I prefer to drive around first, see what's nearby: restaurants,...
Nobody Tells You How To Change a Diaper Either
When you step into fatherhood for the first time, you have no idea how to change a diaper. You take a deep breath, make a few faces, and somehow the job gets done. Eventually. Then your kid starts growing, while you feed them. Not just food, but education, wisdom, and...
Three Years In Motion
Three years ago this weekend, we packed up Boston and moved to Tampa. Memorial Day weekend, 2023. Courage. A wife. A U-Haul trailer. A few boxes of "we'll figure it out when we get there." And the kind of nervous excitement that only shows up when you've made a...
The Carrot, The Egg… and the Part Nobody Talks About
You’ve probably heard this fable. A carrot, an egg, and coffee beans all go into boiling water. The carrot starts hard and becomes soft. The egg starts fragile and becomes hard inside. The coffee… changes the water entirely. And then comes the question: Which one are...
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Doing everything right… and still feeling stuck?
Yeah—I’ve been there.
No fluff. Just real stories.
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