Episode 7 – All In: The Year We Almost Lost It All

The first year of owning a small business almost bankrupted us.

We lost over $100,000 in cash. A consulting firm took us to the bank for $60,000 and delivered nothing of value. Clients didn’t pay.
A wealthy homeowner withheld $25,000 just because they could.
We paid liabilities that weren’t even legally ours just to protect our reputation.

Jennifer and I seriously prayed about shutting the doors.

Instead… we took out a personal loan and gave it to the business.

That moment changed everything.

In this episode of Living Eyes Open: My Story, I share what it looked like to go all in when the numbers didn’t make sense — when fear was loud, when cash flow was thin, and when the pressure of being a husband, father, and business owner felt overwhelming.

We even did a prayer walk around our office building — just like the Israelites around Jericho in the Book of Joshua — not praying for walls to fall, but praying for the Lord’s victory in our business.

This is the story of:
• Faith under financial fire
• Learning to work with your spouse
• Redefining success
• Coaching over 300 baseball games while building a company
• Choosing long-term vision over short-term fear

If you’re an entrepreneur, small business owner, or someone in a season where quitting feels easier than continuing — this episode is for you.

Sometimes the year that almost breaks you is the year that builds you.

The views and experiences shared in this episode are based solely on my personal perspective and recollection of events.