March 22, 2025
My journey from hourly employee to co-founder of Storage Scholars taught me one fundamental lesson: if you want ownership tomorrow, act like an owner today.
Here’s how adopting an ownership mindset before having actual equity transformed my career path.
Learning From My Father’s Example
My approach to work was shaped by my father’s influence.
He was an incredible worker with an entrepreneurial spirit – though he never scaled his businesses, just maintained self-employment.
What set him apart was his extreme attention to detail. He made self-proclaimed perfectionists look amateur. When I washed cars as a 12-year-old, he would inspect under the bumpers for bugs.
He taught me to appreciate craftsmanship and pour love into my work, always aiming to create “wow” moments for others.
Unlike many entrepreneurs, I wasn’t drawn to business because I disliked school. I actually enjoyed academics, maintained close to a 4.0 GPA, and worked hard in my classes.
But I applied that same dedication to everything I pursued – including my first job at Storage Scholars.
All-In From Day One
When I joined as a mover, I committed fully to proving my value. I believed in Sam’s vision when others didn’t.
While fellow students mocked his venture, I saw something special in his charisma and determination. I decided to support him by becoming the best mover possible. This meant grueling days during moving periods.
With just a handful of workers to move 150 students, we’d work on campus the entire day, then spend the rest of the night packing away the storage at a warehouse an hour away.
I didn’t approach the job with an hourly worker mentality.
I treated every task as if this business was already mine, taking pride in our service and pushing beyond normal expectations.
Becoming Indispensable
Over the next four years, I steadily built on that initial trust. My first goal was to essentially clone Sam’s abilities – I called him daily to absorb his knowledge and replicate his skills.
Once I demonstrated I could handle his responsibilities, he began offering me new challenges.
“I’ve never done this next step, either. Want to try it?”
This created a division of labor that benefited the business. Sam could focus on certain areas while I developed others.
The key was showing that I cared just as deeply about outcomes as he did, even without an ownership stake.
This made him realize something important…
“This guy cares about the business just as much as I do, and it’s not even his.”
Treating It Like Mine Before It Was
If there’s one lesson from my experience, it’s this: treat the business like it’s yours before you get it.
It’s a form of foreshadowing your future role. From day one, I approached Storage Scholars with owner-level dedication.
I didn’t clock out mentally when my shift was over; even after working all night, I’d still tackle tasks at 4-5 AM as needed. This wasn’t calculated career advancement.
I couldn’t articulate exactly why I cared so deeply, except that I truly believed in what we were building.
The Commitment That Changed Everything
By senior year, I made a decisive move. I told Sam, I’ve decided I don’t want to be a doctor.
I want to do this full-time. I don’t know if you’re ready for a co-founder, but I’m all in whether you’re ready or not.
To demonstrate this commitment, I switched from biochemistry to biology, allowing me to graduate a semester early and dedicate myself to the business sooner.
I made my expectations clear: I hope you give me equity because that’s the only reason I’m doing this – but regardless, I’m all in.
The pandemic became our ultimate proving ground.
Working a hundred consecutive days without breaks, we completely rebuilt our business model to accommodate students who had left campus suddenly.
This intense shared experience convinced Sam it was time.
“You should be my business partner. I trust you completely. Let’s do this together.”
Conclusion
My path to co-founder wasn’t due to exceptional skills or brilliant ideas.
It came from consistently approaching a job with owner-level care and commitment. By treating the business as if it were already mine, I helped create the future I envisioned.
If you aspire to ownership or leadership, don’t wait for the title to act accordingly. Show through your actions, decisions, and dedication that you already think like an owner.
When you care about outcomes as deeply as the actual owner does, you become more than an employee – you become indispensable.
And when that happens, actual ownership often follows.