Growing up in Saint Paul, Minnesota, I learned early on that structure, consistency, and community make all the difference—whether you’re in a locker room or a boardroom. My journey from the football field to founding Pinnacle Health Group has been defined by one central theme: culture. The kind of culture that builds teams, not just businesses. The kind of culture that wins championships—on and off the field.
What Sports Taught Me About Culture
Sports were my first classroom. I played football, basketball, and baseball as a kid. In college, I won championships on the rugby team and have boxed most of my life. These experiences taught me that you can have all the talent in the world, but if the locker room is divided, you’re not going anywhere. Great teams don’t happen by accident. They’re built with purpose, with shared values, and with leaders who understand how to bring people together.
In every successful team I’ve been part of, there was a sense of trust and mutual accountability. Players didn’t just show up for themselves—they showed up for each other. That’s the same mindset I bring into business. When I started Pinnacle Health Group, I knew we weren’t just going to sell a product or a service—we were going to build a culture of ownership, clarity, and momentum. That foundation had to be intentional.
Culture Is Built, Not Bought
A lot of companies throw around buzzwords like “collaboration” or “transparency,” but culture isn’t something you slap on a wall. It’s something you live every day. As a founder, I’ve learned that culture starts with how you show up. Are you consistent? Do you follow through? Do you treat people with respect, especially when nobody’s watching? Those things are noticed, and they spread.
We built our culture by first defining what we value. For us, that means accountability, performance, and personal growth. It means encouraging people to speak up, make decisions, and take responsibility. It also means we celebrate wins—big or small—and we learn from losses without pointing fingers. That kind of environment doesn’t just happen. It requires leaders to lead by example, to invest in people, and to make the tough calls that keep the culture clean.
The Coach’s Mentality in Business
One of the best decisions I made early in my entrepreneurial journey was thinking of myself more like a coach than a boss. Coaches don’t just bark orders—they teach, support, and challenge their team to get better. A good coach knows what motivates each player and helps them develop in a way that serves the bigger goal.
In my company, I try to do the same. We hire for character as much as skill. We run performance reviews like game film sessions—honest, specific, and focused on improvement, not blame. We create training systems that help people grow into their roles. Most of all, we foster a sense of purpose. When people know their work matters, they’re more likely to give everything they’ve got.
Culture Isn’t Always Comfortable
One thing I learned from boxing: if you want growth, get comfortable being uncomfortable. That applies to culture too. A strong culture isn’t about keeping everyone happy all the time. It’s about setting standards and holding people to them. It’s about giving feedback, even when it’s hard. It’s about having difficult conversations to protect what you’re building.
There have been moments in my career where I had to make tough personnel decisions to preserve the integrity of our culture. That’s never easy, especially when you care about people. But I’ve learned that allowing the wrong attitude to linger is a risk I can’t afford. You have to protect your culture like you’d protect your end zone—it’s that important.
Translating Wins into Business Momentum
The best part of building a great culture is watching it take on a life of its own. When people feel aligned and supported, they start making plays without being told. They lead themselves. They hold each other accountable. They innovate. That’s when you know your culture is working—not when everything runs perfectly, but when people rise to meet challenges without waiting for permission.
At Pinnacle Health Group, our culture has helped us scale without losing our edge. We’ve been able to bring new people into the organization and have them quickly adopt the mindset we’ve built from day one. We move fast because we trust each other. We stay grounded because we remember what got us here. And we push forward because we believe we’re building something that matters.
Final Thoughts: The Locker Room and the Boardroom
Looking back, I owe a lot to sports—not just for the discipline or the physical grit, but for the lessons in leadership and team dynamics. Business and sports aren’t so different. Both demand vision, execution, and heart. Both reward those who prepare, who adapt, and who stay humble enough to keep learning.
If you’re building a business, remember this: your culture is your competitive edge. It’s what keeps people motivated when things get hard. It’s what allows teams to trust one another, challenge one another, and ultimately win together. Don’t just build a business. Build a locker room. Build a culture that people are proud to be part of—and the results will follow.