My Journey Under Willie's Mentorship

During my college years, I had the invaluable opportunity to work at a small store owned by my brother-in-law, Willie. This experience became a cornerstone in my personal and professional development, offering profound insights into leadership and responsibility.

Looking back, I see that Willie had a powerful leadership approach—one that many organizations today struggle to create. 

Here’s what he did that made all the difference: 

1️⃣ He Gave Me Confidence Through Trust 

He didn’t micromanage. 
He didn’t hover over my shoulder. 
He trusted me to make decisions—even if they were small. 

By giving me responsibility, he gave me confidence in my ability to contribute. 

Leadership takeaway  : Trust is a multiplier. If you give people confidence in their role, they take more ownership. 

2️⃣ He Made Me Feel Like My Work Mattered 

I wasn’t just stocking shelves or handling cash—I was part of the business’s success. 

He made me feel like every decision I made had an impact—so I started thinking like an owner, not just an employee. 

Leadership takeaway  : People take ownership when they understand the impact of their work. Show them how their role connects to success.  

3️⃣ He Pushed Me to Lead Before I Was Ready 

I wasn’t trying to be a leader—I was just trying to do my job. 

But he saw something in me before I saw it in myself. 

He let me make decisions. 

He asked for my opinion. 

He gave me responsibility beyond my comfort zone. 

And before I knew it, I was stepping into leadership naturally. 

Leadership takeaway : The best leaders don’t wait for people to be “ready” for leadership—they challenge them to rise into it. 

From Small Business to the Corporate World 

All of this—the lessons, the leadership, the experiences—happened while I was in college. 

Shortly after, I moved on to new pastures—the corporate world. 

And yet, when I stepped into my first corporate role, I realized something: 

The same leadership principles that made a small store successful were the same ones that drive billion-dollar organizations. 

Creating ownership culture leads to accountability. 

Empowering people with trust leads to confidence. 

Pushing people to lead before they are ready leads to stronger teams and better results. 

Those lessons weren’t just for small business.   They Were Universal.

Final Thought: Leadership is Not About Title—It’s About Ownership 

Willie may have been my brother-in-law. 

But he was also my first real business mentor. 

He didn’t give me a business class. 
He gave me a business to take ownership of. 

And through that, I learned what it means to: 

 Take responsibility for outcomes. 

Think strategically about business decisions. 

Step into leadership roles before I felt ready. 

Today, as I work with leaders, executives, and organizations, I see the same challenge over and over: 

How do we create ownership in our teams? 

How do we empower people to step up? 

How do we make work feel meaningful—not just transactional? 

The answer is not about giving people more rules or oversight. 

It’s about giving them confidence, trust, and the belief that they are part of something bigger. 

That’s what Willie gave me. 

And that’s what every leader should aim to give their teams. 

And just as I did with me, I’ll leave you with these questions:

Who is Giving You Ownership? Who Are You Giving it To? 

Success is not just about what we do—it’s about who we learn from. 

I had people like Willie, my parents, my sisters—who believed in me, challenged me, and gave me a chance to own my journey.
 

Who in your life has pushed you to think bigger, take ownership, and lead before you were ready? 

And more importantly—who are YOU doing that for today? 

Because leadership isn’t about the title on your email signature. 
It’s about how you make people feel about their own ability to lead.   

Take time to reflect and recognize the individuals who have profoundly improved your life, ensuring that their impact is acknowledged and the legacy they created appreciated.

I look forward to your feedback and comments.

Eric Adames | Lead Principal - Founder

Eric Adames | Lead Principal - Founder