Never in a million years did I think I would become a successful business owner.
I used to be the black sheep of my family.
driving everyone nuts with my behavior.
As a teenager, I would drive my parents' car very fast.
I hung out with some kids who liked to do bad things in the neighborhood.
My parents didn't know all the bad things I was doing.
I would pull the wool over my parents' eyes, saying I was staying after school when I was really meeting up with my friends.
I went behind my parents' backs quite often.
But one day, I was caught red-handed.
I was at my friend Tony's house while his parents were out of town.
We were drinking alcohol and listening to loud music.
I got in an argument with him and, in the heat of the moment, I shoved him and he fell down the stairs.
Normally, I wouldn't hurt a fly.
But I had drunk too much and I was out of control.
I felt bad about what I had done.
Tony was badly injured.
I had to call my parents to take us to the hospital.
I made a fool of myself when my parents came to the door and I still had a drink in my hand.
My mother was as pale as a ghost when she saw me.
My parents took Tony to the hospital, but they told me that I was out of line.
I realized that all that glitters is not gold, and I had been acting foolishly.
I told my parents I was sorry, but actions speak louder than words.
They didn't trust me after that day.
I wasn't allowed to use the car or go to my friends' houses for a long time.
Over my dead body, my dad would say to me when I wanted to take the car.
So I soon became a couch potato.
I wasn't interested in school and I refused to do my schoolwork.
My grades were always bad because I was lazy.
Once in a blue moon, I would do my homework, but most of the time I thought there was no point.
Instead, I wanted to be in a rock band.
I learned to play the guitar by ear, and I thought I was really good.
I was using music to distract me from my failures.
That same school year, I had a teacher, Mr. Andrews, who challenged me.
His style of teaching caught my eye from the very beginning.
We were all eyes and ears while he was teaching.
The classroom was as quiet as a mouse.
He told me I was good at reading and writing.
The sky's the limit.
You just have to believe in yourself.
Work on yourself every day, and good things will happen.
He challenged me to think outside the box, giving me challenging material and helping me to make up my mind about it.
Practice makes perfect.
Even when I felt I had bitten off more than I could chew, he encouraged me that I could do it.
Soon I became a very good student.
Everyone was surprised, including me.
Sometimes I still missed the mark, but that only encouraged me to try harder.
I began to do everything by the book.
I listened to my parents and never stayed out too late.
I realized education is very important because it can open so many doors.
I ended high school on a high note and was able to go to a good college.
Later, when I was finishing college, I got a great idea for a business.
I created a special program for high schools to train kids who are unmotivated.
I wanted to help the teenagers break their bad habits and create better ones.
Some of the kids in this program are starting from scratch and can't read very well.
Some kids seem scared of their own shadow, too afraid to ask their teachers for help.
I have seen these kids go from being nervous to acting as cruel as a cucumber.
My business has really taken off the last couple of years since I graduated.
I can barely keep track of how many schools my program is being used in.
It is possible to turn over a new leaf and change your life for the better.
I'm glad I learned the lessons I did, because they brought me down to earth.
Thanks for watching.
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