Every man has a story.

Mine began when I was 11 years old, and I decided to get a job.

Each morning, with ink-smudged hands, I delivered 65 newspapers door-to-door. I worked seven days a week, 365 days a year, for over seven straight years.

The experience taught me that a productive day always begins at 5:00 a.m., that the customer is always right, and that self-regulation is a superpower.

I earned a degree in human resources, then began my career as a researcher in the field of education and training.

In the years that followed, and earning a doctorate along the way, I amassed enough experience and confidence to go it alone as a soloprenuer.

A lot has changed since my first job.

But my mindset remains just as it was when I was an 11-year-old, rummaging through the bushes, searching for a newspaper that missed its mark.

“You’ll get better, Jeff,” I told myself then.

And I did.

What’s your story?