My name is Paul, I have been working since the age of ten in my parent's grocery store, Vann's Grocery. Understand when I say I learned about self-leadership in my youth when I sacrificed not participating in after school activities for five years.

On the other side of my sacrifices came self-awareness, communicating with others, learning to work with customers who were adults, and working with vendors such as bread delivery, milk delivery, fresh fish, selling and delivering coal, and more.

Fast forward, I played football for my high school and was a member of the track and field team which added even more leadership skills in my toolkit. Team sports were a great way for me to learn how to work with others. I discovered followership, being teachable, being coachable, and leading.

After graduating from high school, I attended college and after two years I accepted an offer to attend an Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) basic camp and I learned even more about leadership, discipline, USAF history, survival training, and aviation. On the day I graduated from college, I received my bachelor's degree and I was commissioned a second lieutenant in the USAF.

I served over twenty-two years in the USAF and attended every leadership school they offered. Over the course of my military duty assignments, I led military and federal government employees and I managed resources such as the budget, multi-billion-dollar acquisition programs, and during the later part of my career, I worked in the legislative field for the USAF in the Pentagon and as a Capitol Hill Fellow. I retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Today I lead, Wealth Building Academy, LLC, a leadership consultancy that works with individuals to assist them in acquiring self-leadership skills and with organizations to help them reach their vision, mission, and goals by developing their employees through leadership core competency programs.

I'm an entrepreneur, leadership strategist, and coach, as well as the author of the book, Leadership Is Influence: A Three-Pronged Approach to Becoming a Leader of Influence.

Prompt to Discover more about my book: Leadership Is Influence

With over 25 years of experience partnering with corporations and small businesses, I specialize in building thriving organizations and developing high-performing employees. When you work with me, I’ll help you cultivate the essential leadership core competencies needed to retain top talent and drive your business toward its vision, mission, and goals.