This is Your Entrepreneurship Story of the Week:
Kentucky and Personal Reflections
My friends, today I’m writing to you from Kentucky, and I’m utterly exhausted. I’m here to visit my sister and her family. I’ve been up since 4:30 this morning trying to beat traffic, and I’ve been on the move ever since. I’ll probably grab a nap later.
Even through the fatigue, I keep coming back to something that’s been on my mind: how we grow through loss, change, and challenge. Last weekend the boys wrapped up their season with a few tough losses. It’s never easy, but moments like that remind us that growth doesn’t come from winning every time; it comes from who we become in the process.
Lately, I’ve been stepping into new ventures and taking on challenges that are stretching me. And I keep hearing this question from people: “How did you get there? How did you earn the businesses, the house, the cars, the investments?” But those are the wrong questions.
The right question is, “Who did I have to become to achieve those things?”
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had to face the reality that certain things I once hoped for, like parts of my lawsuit against Orange County, which I’ve been fighting for four years, may not unfold the way I wanted. But when I look back, I realize that what mattered most wasn’t the outcome but the transformation. Who I became in that time is far more valuable than anything I could have gained or lost.
People love to look at the shiny parts of success, but they rarely see the changes it takes inside. I was just talking with my sister about some health challenges she’s facing and how she wants to make changes in her life. I told her the same thing I tell my boys:
Who you’re becoming tomorrow depends on what you’re learning today.
Every choice you make is shaping the person you’ll need to be for what’s coming next. And when I think about it that way, even exhaustion feels like part of the lesson. It’s not about what I’ve built; it’s about who I’ve become to build it.
Next, this is your insider’s look at the latest in parenting and leadership!
Headlines:
Election Day 2025: Why Talking to Kids About Voting Builds Better Citizens
Experts say Election Day is the perfect time to show kids that voting is about participation. Families are finding creative ways to teach this, from preschoolers “voting” on dinner choices to teens researching real candidates. Studies show that when parents model civic engagement, by voting, volunteering, and talking about community issues, kids learn that their voices matter.
I don’t completely disagree with the idea. Sure, it’s valuable for kids to understand how voting works and why it works. But I also think we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves. Ask yourself this: how often in adult life do we really get to vote? In most jobs, in most situations, decisions are made by leaders. You might have input, but rarely a ballot. So, while teaching the mechanics of voting can be useful, it’s not the same as preparing our kids for real life.
In my house, I’ve got an eleven-year-old and an eight-year-old, and I don’t bring politics into our conversations much. The world is polarized enough. Kids need space to grow without being pulled to one side or the other. If we’re voting on dinner, pizza or barbecue, that’s one thing. They can see how choices work. But politics? That can wait.
I’ve talked to my boys about our presidents, past and present, and I make one thing clear: we respect the office, no matter who’s in it. They don’t need to take on my opinions or anyone else’s. What they need is to learn how to be respectful, responsible, and thoughtful citizens when their time comes.
There will be a day, maybe when they’re fourteen or fifteen, when they start paying attention and asking harder questions. That’s when I’ll bring more of that conversation into the mix. But for now, I want them to be kids, focused on school, sports, and growing into young men who can think for themselves.
I know other parents might approach this differently, and that’s okay. If you’ve found ways to teach civic responsibility at home that work for your family, I’d love to hear them. Maybe you’ve turned Election Day into a family lesson. Maybe it didn’t go as planned. Either way, your story might help someone else.
Because in the end, raising leaders starts with teaching respect for others, for authority, and for the responsibilities that come with our freedoms.
Next, this is your Alpha Parent of the Week:
‘My Hero’: 9-Year-Old Boy Saves His Father’s Life with Stem Cell Donation
This week’s Alpha story hit me hard. In Torrance, California, nine-year-old Stevie Mondek became the youngest stem cell donor in Cedars-Sinai history, saving his dad’s life. When his father, Nick, faced leukemia for the second time, Stevie didn’t hesitate. He stepped up without fear, telling reporters, “I wanted to help him get rid of his cancer, and I wasn’t nervous at all.”
Doctors successfully transplanted over six million of Stevie’s stem cells. Today, 99% of Nick’s body is made up of his own son’s healthy cells. Nick said it best: “It’s the honor of my life to not only be Stevie’s father, but to call him my hero.”
That line stopped me in my tracks. As a dad, it chokes me up just thinking about it. We spend our lives trying to be heroes for our kids, to protect them, provide for them, and give them the best life we can. And then something like this happens, and the roles reverse. The son becomes the hero.
When I read this story, I thought about my own boys. I see the way they look at me right now, with admiration, with belief, and I know I have to do everything I can to live up to that. There will come a day when they’ll challenge me, disagree with me, maybe even think I’m wrong about some things. But today, in their eyes, I’m still the hero. And that’s something every father has to guard carefully.
What moved me most about this story is what it says about legacy. That father clearly did something right: he raised a son brave enough to act when it mattered most. That’s what Raising Alphas is all about. The Raising Alphas Project is about raising young men who lead with courage, conviction, and heart.
Stevie’s story is like something out of a superhero movie. Who saves Iron Man when he’s down? Who steps in when the hero needs help? It’s the next generation, the ones watching us, learning from us, and waiting for their turn to stand tall.
This week, that hero was a 9-year-old boy.
Podcast Insight: Prospecting Secrets | Jon Mason
This week on the Raising Alphas Project, we’re joined once again by our friend Jon Mason, back by popular demand! Jon just released his new book, Prospecting Secrets, and we took some time to dive deeper into what it really takes to win in life and business.
We talked about balance, discipline, and how to structure your days using Jon’s “red, green, and yellow time” system, a simple framework for managing focus, rest, and growth. It’s all about learning how to prioritize what matters most while keeping your goals in sight.
If you’re looking for real talk, practical wisdom, and a few laughs along the way, this is one you don’t want to miss. You can watch the full episode at the link above.
Alpha Challenge of the Week
Every parent should be finding new ways to reach the next level, not just for themselves, but for their kids who are watching. We’ve talked a lot about becoming the person you need to be to achieve what you want in life, and that message never gets old.
So, here’s my challenge this week: ask yourself the right questions. Who do you need to become to reach your next goal? What barriers are standing in your way, and are you willing to climb over them or tear them down completely?
Everything we do shapes the example our kids will follow. The person you’re becoming today is the model they’ll grow into tomorrow. So be intentional. Lead with purpose. And keep becoming the kind of hero your kids already believe you are.
Ask an Alpha — We’ll Answer your Question on the Show
Do you have a parenting or leadership question you want some real talk on? Email us at admin@raisingalphasproject.com and put “Ask an Alpha” in the subject line.
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Thank you,
~ Chief Stephen Davis