In this episode of Grit Machine DNA we chat with Tony Negron, a retired 26-year Air Force Pararescueman who has a passion for helping veterans find their purpose post-service and is the embodiment of faith, family and grit. 

He is a dedicated father and husband who is happily married to an incredible wife and has raised four incredible sons. How to balance family and business? Tony says you have to prioritize and make sacrifices. “You go in the direction where you decide you want to go.” 

In addition to serving as President of S.E.I. a New Hampshire-based Special Operations Force training company, he is also a board member for the Pararescue Foundation, and co-founder of another New Hampshire-based company Fusion Cell - which connects employers around the country with veteran workforce talent.  

This episode of Grit Machine DNA features Damon Patton, Esq.  Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Damon is my brother in Christ and a daily seeker of heavenly wisdom.
 
A lawyer in Washington DC, Damon is one of the most thoughtful men I know.  His perspective and his views have been shaped by his incredible upbringing and by his incessant reading of economists like Milton Friedman and Thomas Sowell. 

Becoming a lawyer and moving to Washington DC was not Damon’s original plan, but after facing a few obstacles and realizing what he wanted our of life, dedication and perseverance led him down this incredible path
 
In addition to being super intelligent, he is also a competitive amateur bodybuilder.  
 
Faith + family + grit = Damon!

This week’s Grit Machine DNA features Sergeant Major (retired) Kyle Lamb.  He needs no introduction. But in case you don’t know of him, here are a few things to know:

• Retired US Army & member of the most elite special forces unit in the Army
• Deployed multiple times to some of the most dangerous places in the world
• Husband, father, friend & brother in Christ
• Author of 2 books (my favorite: Leadership in the Shadows)
• Entrepreneur and CEO of Viking Tactics

We discussed his life, his purpose, leadership and how clearly understating your mission is crucial to being an effective leader at work and at home.

What would Kyle Lamb tell young kids today? “Write the book you want to read”.

1. Pride - be proud of who you are and where you're from and be prideful in everything you do
2. Passion - have grit, tenacity and determination to succeed at anything you do
3. Poise - always have an understanding of circumstances and have poise under pressure

On the latest episode of Grit Machine DNA I feature Stephen Archer, Fire Chief in Lynn, MA, who is a powerful force for good and one of the most humble people I have ever met. 

In addition to serving as the Fire Chief, he is a dedicated father and husband, lifelong Lynn resident and a true believer and follower of Jesus Christ. Faith drives Steve’s path every day and has prepared him for unexpected obstacles and challenges along the way.

Steve is a true example of a servant leader, influencing those around him in a positive direction to pursue the same goal. Having a common mission is priority to Steve’s definition of leadership.

Andrew, who overcame incredible challenges during his youth, is an example of what one can accomplish with empathy, leadership and by serving others.   His ability to stay positive regardless of the circumstances and turn the negative into a positive is uncanny and a learning lesson for everyone.

Of the many important lessons I have learned from him, I cherish this one: nobody should expect more from you then you expect from yourself.

Through Grit Machine DNA we interview everyday Americans who lead remarkable lives and serve as powerful examples of faith, family and grit. The goal of Grit Machine DNA is twofold…first to inspire all Americans to dream big, do more, become more and understand that great things happen when we assume personal responsibility. The second goal of the series is to introduce people to silent heroes everywhere -our neighbors, our teachers, first responders, coaches, fathers, mothers- who are doing powerful things without fanfare and whose lives offer us lessons and values we can all learn from.

Coach Dempsey was my high school football coach and continues to serve as my lifelong mentor.
 
Along with my father, Coach Dempsey taught me how to be accountable, how to serve others, how to lead from the front, how to live with integrity, how to stand up for what’s right and to never, ever back down especially if God is on your side.
 
Coach Dempsey is a man of few, but powerful words.  Although he coached me well over 30 years ago, I still adhere to many of the lessons he taught me about life on and off the football field.  He is one of the many angels God used to help shape me and guide me.  
 
One of the many incredible things about Coach Dempsey is that he helped hundreds of men and women like me go to college.  His legacy has impacted hundreds of people to this day and he is not done!
 
Coach Dempsey has a lot of memorable lessons that I still cherish, and I use them still to this day.  He even coined the phrase Grit Machine DNA when I was in high school to define the type of grit we were building.