I believe that every child to teen has an innate gift instilled in them before birth. For millions of these children they never get the opportunity to live their destiny or purpose. I feel this is because their parents, grandparents and even school teachers to sports coaches are all telling these young minds what they "can't" do rather than empowering them to what do what they were destine to do and be.

I was that kid. I was the underdog, the poor student, the nice kid, who will never amount to much. I struggled in school, only to learn at age 20, I needed glasses. I was the kid who was the class clown to avoid being asked to answer a real question. I lived in constant fear of being embarrassed in school and at home. I never knew where I fit.

Today, this is an all to common school day for countless kids, teens and even 20 to 24-year-olds trying to find their way in the world.

The underdog is a real social position for the modern teen. We see it everyday in 2022. At age 16, I took a chance to get away from the underdog life and try and live my dream. I moved to Georgia to live with my dad. I was scared and excited all at the same time. I want today's teens to find their way to their dream. 

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In 1984 while in high school, I began a long and successful career in film and TV industry. I worked my way up from a free production assistant to fulltime spot the crew for the 1990s police drama in the Heat of the Night at age 25 to later landing leadership positions on a TV shows and feature films. In 1998 I started FilmDogz and created an award winning film production company with my wife until 2010. I loved production and the part of helping others live up their full potential. TAKE ONE! No film school required is a film and TV industry employment book, without a film degree. My newest book due out in 2022 is Empowerment to Employment: A Leadership book for Parents in the digital age.  

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Since 2011, I have worked with well over 1000 young people ages 9 to 24. In 2013, my wife and I started Crazy8Freedom, Inc a non-profit combating teen suicide in Pasco County, Florida and the Tampa Bay area. In 2014 we closed Crazy8Freedom so I could take a position with a federal job and education program working with 18-to-24 year-old young adults to present. In 2017, I began working with high school teens ages 14 to 21 in the STAR program through Vocational Rehabilitation and the State of Florida. 

This population has taught me how to communicate with teens with an IEP/504 and a variety of mental/behavioral (needs). Over the years, I have found that the biggest barriers for nearly every young person is a lack of Parental Leadership in the home. This is by far what often leads this age group feeling lost, depressed, self-sabotaging, living with anxiety, fear of failure, and the feeling of not being good enough.

In my ten years experience this is a direct response to not having parental leadership in the home. All of this uncertainty leads to their questions of “Why am I not good enough?” “Why am I am not wanted?” to “How can I get a good job or future career with no place to live?” and “How I do I know at age 16-to-21, 23, 24 what I will want to do for next 30 or more years?” I also get many “what if?” questions from young people.

These negative feelings in the undeveloped mind are creating millions of young people to withdrawal into their personal shells. They are often afraid to talk to people of authority and/or try to new experiences. 

Today more and more young people are fearful of their future. This fear is killing their full potential and motivation to even try to move off the sofa let alone go to college, get a job or remove the gaming remote from their hands. This lack of motivation and drive is causing parents and grandparents to become frustrated and filled with concerns for their child’s future. Using my 7 Leaders Style Principals,  you can begin  to know the keys to communicate and empower your child to success! Lead You Teen Podcast in devoted to the Parent/Child Relationship with a focus on Parental Leadership. Contact me here at leadyourteen@gmail.com 

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Education and Employment 

Studied Psychology with a concentration on Adolescents ages 10 to 24 SNHU-2016

Florida Supreme Court Mediator- 2011 to 2013

Teen Mental Health First Aid USA- 2020

Mediator State of Florida Dist.6 (Florida Supreme Court)

FilmDogz 1998 to 2010 Film Production

2012 to 2014 Crazy 8 Freedom LLC Non profit for teen suicide prevention 

Federal Job Program 2014 to present. I work with 18-to-24 year olds. I place young adults into paid word experiences and direct hires. 

2017 Florida State Contractor for Vocational Rehabilitation: I teach 14 to 21 year olds Self-Advocacy and Job Readiness.