1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

The most challenging thing as a leader is to have patience. People and cultures take time to develop and can't be forced. People come from different perspectives, which then impact the company culture. A leader has to build trust over time to align the company culture.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

Sports impacted my life from an early age. I was always the captain of the team and learned how to motivate and rally individuals and the team. I played with 4 Hall of Fame players while playing in the NFL. I observed their different leadership styles. After football, I realized that the leadership aspect of sports and business were similar. I developed my own style when I started my first company and have honed my leadership skills ever since.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I am committed to a good night's sleep, going to bed early, and rising early. I always organize my day around projects I am working on and get updated on projects others on my team are working on. I make lists of what needs to be accomplished by priority. I make sure the list is worked through in a timely fashion.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

I do every job in the building to show my team that no job is too small for me as the CEO to do. The point is that a good team has members willing to do anything as needed. I don't want to hear someone say, "that is not my job". When my team sees my willingness to do anything, they are also willing to do anything.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Robert K. Greenleaf coined the term servant-leadership in the 1970s. There are a multitude of books by various authors that have expounded on the subject. The 10 principles of servant-leadership are listening, empathy, healing, self-awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community. Appling all of these principles centers around humility. I used to struggle with humility as an athlete. My wife might say I still do sometimes. But I know humility is key to gaining trust.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

You must continually learn. We used to learn, then set it and forget it. Now, the world is changing so fast, more rapidly than ever before. In order to survive you must commit to continually learn.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

When I was a high school football player, I received a few scholarships to some good schools but not the Notre Dames or the Georgias. The one knack against me was that I could not catch. So I went to Furman University. My freshman year I was flirting with a girl. She was wearing glasses.

I asked her if I could try on her glasses. I put them on and could not believe what I could see. I could see the leaves on the trees; I could see the veins on the leaves on the trees. I was a pretty vein guy, and I would always cheat on the eye exam so I would not have to wear glasses.

I got contact and started practicing again. Now I was able to catch the football because I could see it. Not only could I catch the football, but I was also great a catching the football and became the all-time leading receiver in Furman's history and an NFL wide receiver.

You see, we all are doing something that holds us back. Sometimes you know what it is and still need to take steps to resolve it. Other times you are aware of what it is and need to become more aware. Self-awareness is a critical skill for a leader.