An inside look

and there’s no turning back now. 😉 Yesterday, I posted the first blog, hit send on the email, and then… held my breath. It looks like a handful of you are intrigued and have decided to join me on this journey. That feels really good. I’m also filled with gratitude for the people in my life who have always been there as I call myself to what’s next. Their emails and texts remind me that we are never truly alone, and it inspires me to be even more transparent as I invite you to do the same.

“Man, you’d think by now I’d be beyond this, John.” I was on a call with my life coach, trying to shake off a weight I couldn’t quite name.“What… you mean being human?” he asked.“No, the fear, the self-doubt, and overwhelm I woke up to this morning,” I replied.Just yesterday, Mario and I solidified a collaboration that could take Magpai to multi-seven figures in the coming years. It was a huge leap, and while exciting, it brought with it the familiar weight of uncertainty.

I believe everyone has a story. Not just the ones we share over dinner or the ones that make us look strong and successful. I’m talking about the stories that are messy and complicated—the ones that carry regret, confusion, even a little shame. These stories have weight. They challenge us to honor our humanness, find the lessons in the struggle, and perhaps most importantly, recognize the strength that carried us through.