Leadership is not a title — it is a daily practice. Across three very different career chapters, I have seen the same core principles produce results in locker rooms, on battlefields, and in boardrooms. The settings change, but the fundamentals do not.
Setting the Standard in the SEC
As team captain of the University of Georgia Bulldogs, I learned that leadership starts with accountability. In the SEC, talent is everywhere. What separates winning programs from the rest is culture — and culture is set by the standards that leaders enforce every single day. That meant being the first one in the weight room, the last one off the practice field, and the person who had the difficult conversations when a teammate was not meeting the standard. Nobody follows a leader who exempts himself from the work. That principle has stayed with me through every transition in my career.
The NFL: Performing Under Pressure
Being drafted by the Miami Dolphins was a dream realized, but the NFL quickly teaches you that making the roster is just the beginning. At the professional level, every player is talented. The differentiator is preparation, consistency, and the ability to perform when the pressure is highest. I watched elite leaders in the Dolphins organization — coaches and veteran players — who created environments where high performance was the expectation, not the exception. They did this through clarity of communication, trust, and a relentless focus on the process rather than outcomes. These are the same qualities I look for in business leaders today.
The Army: Leading When It Matters Most
Nothing clarifies your understanding of leadership like being responsible for the lives and welfare of soldiers. As an infantry officer, I learned that leadership is about service. It is about putting the needs of your team ahead of your own comfort. The Army teaches you to plan meticulously, communicate clearly, make decisions under uncertainty, and — critically — to trust your people and delegate effectively. These lessons are directly transferable to any organization, whether it is a platoon, a deal team, or a portfolio company.
What Business Can Learn
In the finance world, I see organizations succeed when they operate with the same principles that drive winning teams and effective military units: clear mission, defined roles, mutual trust, and a shared commitment to the outcome. The best investment teams I have worked with operate like well-led squads — they communicate openly, hold each other accountable, and make disciplined decisions under pressure. The environments are different, but the leadership principles are universal.
The Constant
Whether you are calling plays in the huddle, briefing an operations order, or presenting a deal to a committee, the foundation is the same: know your people, know your mission, prepare relentlessly, and lead from the front. That is the thread that connects every chapter of my career, and it is the philosophy I bring to every team and organization I join.