Why I Wrote Small Beginnings

I recently read an article in Community College Daily where a college president shared lessons learned after five years of leading an institution. His reflections were insightful, vulnerable, and clearly aimed at emerging leaders navigating similar paths. What struck me most was recognizing in those pages the very essence of why I wrote Small Beginnings.

During a time period in which I was facing both personal and professional challenges, I began periodic journaling. The process brought a new clarity to my journey. One particular entry helped me to recognize that I was living the life my wife and I had envisioned together over two decades earlier. That realization shifted everything. I began examining the challenges I had overcome throughout my career, recognizing that each obstacle had been instrumental in preparing me for the position I held at that time.

In that moment, I made a deliberate choice: to tell my story in a way that might serve others. Not as self-promotion, but as a companion to emerging leaders who will inevitably face their own challenges.

What Small Beginnings Offers

The book chronicles my leadership journey to becoming a college president, beginning with my formative years in a small, close-knit town and a small country church. It introduces readers to the mentors who shaped my path and explores the initiatives I was fortunate to lead—experiences that ultimately laid the foundation for my opportunity to lead a campus.

The second half captures the planning and establishment of what I call The Community Campus. Here, I share an authentic account: our achievements alongside the missteps I made as a new leader. This is not a how-to manual for starting a college. Rather, it is a companion for anyone stepping into a new role or undertaking a new endeavor.

A Legacy of Service

Most importantly, this book acknowledges a simple truth: I have more working years behind me than ahead. Having studied and admired many leaders throughout my career, I feel the need to share my experiences—the successes and the failures—in hopes of guiding the next generation. While I still have time remaining, my desire is that the remainder of my journey serves others, particularly younger leaders discovering their own purposes.

Small Beginnings uses aliases throughout, intentionally. While careful readers may recognize many references, the focus remains on the lessons themselves, not on particular people or institutions. My hope is that readers find inspiration and solace in recognizing that their experiences, challenges, and encounters all serve a purpose. They are preparing you for what lies ahead.