How to Own Working From Home

Once there was a wiry, rambunctious, inquisitive little boy who longed to do well in all his endeavors, big and small. But he kept falling short because he was incapable of keeping a single thought in his head for longer than a fleeting moment. Hyper and disorganized, he was the quintessential ADHD poster child. Also an overcomer, that little boy managed to find a way to completely turn things around for himself. He went to college, graduated with honors, ran six successful businesses, and eventually became an accomplished corporate trainer, speaker, author, and business coach. Based on his own experience figuring out how to make it in a focus-driven world with an attention deficit, Chris based his success on a simple philosophy: Before you teach, you must first do. By "do," he meant getting hands-on and neck-deep. By his late 20s, he was a General Manager of a respected leadership school, working with organizations like Capital One, Altria, and Merck. On the surface, he ran the company. But he was forever under the watchful eyes of four extremely capable mentors: A 30-year veteran HR director for the corporate giant Bell Atlantic (now Verizon), a 25-year master level trainer for the AMA (American Management Association), a former military officer with a Ph.D. in teaching theory and notable expertise in the field of adult learning, and a life coach who was also a certified mediator. Under their tutelage, Chris spent 10 years learning the ropes and applying them first-hand. Then, he decided it was time to venture out and start his own firm. Were you expecting success straight out the gate? Think again! By year two, Chris had already faced multiple operational snags that had cost him tens of thousands of dollars. Then, the recession hit. He lost most of his clients and was eventually forced to fold his business. Demoralized and despondent, he found himself working for a few not-so-great-fit organizations just to pay the bills. On top of it all, he survived a life-threatening accident only to discover his health was in decline. Things pretty much sucked for a while. Leveraging his own inner grit and the help of a new mentor, Chris spent several years clawing his way back onto his feet, becoming a voracious reader and mastering a new set of skills along the way. In time, he and his mentor decided to start a company together. They named it RefuseOrdinary, LLC, and soon began teaching integrity-based sales strategies and productivity principles to firms and organizations across the US. The new business also gave Chris a chance to make an important, aligned choice to go completely remote and become a full-time WFH entrepreneur and dad. With a new sense of drive and purpose and finally surrounded by like-minded professionals, Chris' accomplishments began to mount. He helped launch several other successful business ventures and even wound up in SUCCESS Magazine (along with his awesome wife) in 2016. Now, he spends his time working with clients remotely, volunteering at his local Chamber of Commerce, helping his daughter distance-learn, and speaking (virtually, of course) at various venues and colleges. Aside from building businesses and skyrocketing sales, what does Chris really enjoy? Hiking, mountain biking, camping, skiing, you name it-as long as it's outside and with his family, he's in. But he knows the cherished moments spent fishing with his daughter, on a quiet dock along a riverbank with "Granddad" silently smiling his approval, are what really make it all worthwhile.