In this episode of The Value Race Podcast, I open up about a powerful lesson I recently revisited with my mentor, Arthur Hughes (who’s still serving a life sentence in Florida).

You’ve probably heard the advice: “Don’t look back, only focus on the future.” But here’s the truth: that’s not just bad advice, it’s unbiblical.

The last two years in business have been some of the hardest I’ve faced. After six years of steady growth: landing the city job, launching Redemption Auto Sales, marrying my wife, scaling to 20 cars a month—I hit a wall. Team members left, momentum stalled, and doubt crept in.

That’s when Arthur reminded me of something deeply Biblical: God commanded the Israelites to build monuments (physical reminders of His faithfulness) so future generations could look back and remember.

Looking back at my own story, I went from a prison cell with one pair of beat-up shoes and 3,650 days to count, to building businesses, building a marriage, and living free. The monuments are everywhere, if I choose to see them.

Here’s what I share in this episode:

• Why your hardest seasons may be preparation for your next breakthrough
• How “grinding” seasons shape your leadership and character
• Why gratitude for where you’ve been gives you strength for where you’re going
• How to identify the “monuments” in your own life

Whether you’re starting out in your parents’ house, pushing through a career pivot, or scaling a business, this episode will remind you not to forget where you came from, and why that matters for where you’re headed.

The Value Race Podcast: Where the journey is the destination, and the person who adds the most value wins.

Let’s get honest for a sec.
I’m not here to play at life, and if you are, well, that’s your business. But around here? We burn hot. We talk about accountability, but for real, not just on a motivational poster. This is about sweating, swearing, building, and sometimes falling flat on your backside… then getting up and doing it again.

Yeah, I’ve missed shots. Messed up deals. Upset a client (or three). That stuff stings, but let’s not pretend we don’t all have our fair share of “I should’ve done better.” If you say you don’t, you’re lying… or worse, comfortable.

I can’t stomach mediocrity. If you’re not sick to your stomach thinking about wasted potential, we’re not the same species. I lose sleep over every car not sold, every relationship that could’ve been tighter. My company? It’s my blood, my sweat, my freakin’ soul. I want it running like a franchise, polished, but with enough grit to remind you there’s a real human behind it.

Let’s get heavier:
Not everyone can keep up. Family, friends, doesn’t matter. If you’re not built for this race? Either catch up, or step aside. I hope you come along, I really do… but I refuse to slow down so someone else can coast. There’s no guilt in leaving people behind if they weren’t made for the climb.

I’ve laid it all on the line. Body, mind, money, time. My team? They’re either with me at this insane, “LFG” level… or they’ll figure out quick that this train moves fast and doesn’t care who gets squeamish.

Truth bomb:
If you’re thinking, “Sheesh, this guy’s intense”, good. Because half-stepping won’t cut it. You want average? Plenty of places for that. Here, we don’t do lukewarm. And if you’re watching from the sidelines? At least admit it to yourself.

So, here’s the simple ask:
Burn bright, commit, or don’t bother. And if you mess up? Own it, laugh at it, flip it into the next opportunity and keep it moving. That’s the only way I know.

Cheers to the unfiltered, the hungry, the ones allergic to average.
Welcome to the real Value Race. You in?

What if I told you that everything you've been taught about believing and seeing is backwards?

In this episode, I want to shoot it straight with you about something that's been revolving through my mind. You know how most people say "I'll believe it when I see it"? Well, I've learned that's actually the opposite of how success really works.

Here's what I've discovered: When we believe something so truly in our hearts, we become willing to dedicate any amount of time, energy, and effort to building the future success of our lives. But here's the key - you must believe it so you can see it, because when you truly believe what you can produce, that belief will drive you to do the necessary work, even in the face of challenges, stress, anxiety, adversity, and losses.

If you don't believe it first, it becomes impossible to do the work foryears and decades at a time to ultimately see that result. This mindset shift isn't just about positive thinking - it's about the foundation that drives entrepreneurial action and long-term vision.

I share some personal experiences and insights from my own journey, touching on patience in entrepreneurship, building systems for future success, and the commitment required to achieve the results you're after. This is about more than just business - it's about using our gifts, not burying our talents, and serving others through the value we create.

Ready to flip your mindset and start believing so you can see?

Look... I counted every single day.

3,650 days behind bars. Yeah, I'm that guy who literally counted down a DECADE of his life in a Florida prison.

But here's the thing that'll blow your mind...

Those weren't stolen years. They were GIVEN years.

I know, I know... sounds crazy coming from someone who lost everything, right? But stick with me here because this episode is about the third lesson that changed my entire damn life: Faith in God's Plan.

And before you roll your eyes thinking this is some "everything happens for a reason" BS... it's not.

This is about me realizing I was trying to control EVERYTHING (spoiler alert: didn't work) and what happened when I finally surrendered.

We're talking about:

- Why I had to lose control to find my purpose

- The moment forgiveness hit me like a freight train (and I mean EVERYTHING got forgiven)

- How I built my business by buying "Easy Financing" signs... when I didn't even HAVE a financing license yet (yeah, that happened)

Chesco always says: "You do what's possible, God does the impossible."

Turns out he was right.

Whether you're drowning in your business, your relationships are a mess, or you just feel like life is happening TO you instead of FOR you...

this one's gonna hit different.

Because sometimes your biggest breakdown becomes your biggest breakthrough.

And sometimes prison becomes your greatest gift.

(Trust me, I'm as surprised as you are about that last part.)

Let's talk about it.

Most entrepreneurs hit a wall when their hustle stops producing results. Drawing from a challenging season of team changes and system failures, Kyle reveals the hidden truth about business growing pains: what feels like failure is often the signal you're ready for your next evolution. Discover why outgrowing your ability to muscle through problems is actually a sign of success, how to spot the glimmers of hope that point you forward, and when it's time to shift from energy-driven leadership to data-driven operations. Essential listening for business owners ready to build sustainable success beyond their personal capacity.

Progress feels invisible when you're grinding through the hardest parts of building something meaningful. Drawing from his second lesson learned during 10 years of incarceration, Kyle reveals why the most significant growth happens when you can't see it - and why that uncomfortable feeling is actually proof you're moving forward. Discover why there's no such thing as overnight success, how discomfort signals real change is happening, and practical steps for maintaining faith in your process when results feel distant. Essential for anyone questioning whether their daily efforts are actually working.

Look... I'm gonna be real with you.

This year has been rough.

You know that feeling when you're building momentum... eight years of grinding, everything clicking, staff trained up, leads flowing, property deals happening...

And then it all just... stops.

Staff left. Marriage got rocky. Leads dried up. Property deals stalled.

It's like watching everything you built start falling apart piece by piece.

And yeah, we lost money. $17K one month, another $10-15K the next.

(That's not supposed to happen when you've been at this for eight years.)

Here's what nobody tells you about momentum...

Sometimes it just disappears.

Not because you're doing anything wrong. But because growth gets messy.

When you're spending $40-50K a month in overhead, every mistake costs you. You need 20 cars at $2,500 profit each just to break even.

Miss a few sales? You're in the red.

But here's the thing...

When your bucket has holes, you don't sit there frustrated about the leaking water.

You find the holes. And you plug them.

One at a time.

Even when it feels like you're playing whack-a-mole.

This episode is for every entrepreneur who's felt like their momentum just... vanished.

Time to find those holes and get back to work.

Look, I'm gonna be real with you...

This year has been straight up BRUTAL. Like, wake-up-and-question-everything brutal.

I'm talking about those mornings when you stare at your bank account and think, "What am I even doing?"

You know what I'm talking about. That gut-punch feeling when you're working harder than you've EVER worked... and your revenue looks like it's going backwards.

Yeah. That's been my 2025.

And here's the thing nobody tells you about entrepreneurship (because they're too busy posting their highlight reels on LinkedIn)...

Sometimes you're gonna feel like you're losing your mind.

Every obstacle you overcome? There's another one RIGHT behind it like some sick joke.

I wrote in my journal: "It feels like we're fighting for every single inch."

Every. Single. Inch.

But here's what I figured out (and why I'm sharing this messy truth with you)...

What if this ISN'T failure?

What if this is exactly what growth looks like when you're about to break through to the next level?

I mean, think about it. Joshua felt completely unqualified to lead Israel. God literally had to tell him "Don't be afraid" THREE TIMES in one chapter.

Why? Because Joshua was scared out of his mind.

Sound familiar?

Here's the raw truth: When you're investing more to make less... when every win feels hard-fought... when you're questioning if you even know what you're doing...

You might be exactly where you need to be.

Not where you WANT to be. Where you NEED to be.

And if you're in that place right now (fighting for every inch, wondering if you've lost your mind, staring at numbers that don't make sense)...

You're not alone.

You're not failing.

You might just be in the storm before the breakthrough.