The Audacity to Try: A Memoir

By the age of 15, Sean was an established Baltimore drug dealer, working directly for "The Wire's" notorious character, Nathan 'Bodie' Barksdale. That same year, at the age of 17, he was shot and later sentenced to a ten-year prison sentence for a host of drug and gun-related charges. Released from prison in late '86, Sean was faced with a decision. Accept one of the many offers to join a drug ring or walk the straight and narrow. As tempting as the fast life was, Sean decided to walk the straight and narrow. Without having a clear goal or directions, Sean was driven by his faith in God, unwavering support from his family and close friends and a little audacity. He not only got a job, Sean would align himself with the right people at the right time and propel himself into a successful career as a website expert.Though he would answer "yes" to the biased question "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" Sean would not relent. He would face the question dead on and challenge his potential employers with an indirect question. "Are you more interested in my past or the value I offer which contributes to the growth of your company?" He quickly learned that he was just as believable business as he was on the streets. He would use the art of believability as one of his tools as he climbed upward in his career. Armed with just a GED he earned in prison, Sean would spend the next twenty years proving not only that one's past doesn't necessarily define his future but one can turn his life around regardless of his past. Sean would transform himself in such as way that not even the seasoned CEO would recognize a single trait of his former life. Companies such as Lockheed Martin and Corvis and other tech firms would agree. Each would hire Sean as tech leads even prior to receiving required security clearance. Just two weeks into his employment with Lockheed Martin, Sean was selected from amongst a group of ten as team lead. He was the only non-degree holder in amongst the candidates. In his third year with the company, Sean was awarded Lockheed Martin's highest honor, The President's Award for his performance on contract while at The EPA.In 2003, Sean joined a multi-million dollar marketing just outside of Baltimore where he started the web department servicing clients like Perdue Farms and Butterball Turkey. He grew the department from less than 125 thousand dollars per year to over 1.5 million per year. Nine years later, Sean would become a minority party in the firm, leading all web initiatives. Though Sean never dreamed of attaining such success, he never allowed his past to dictate his future. He was an agent of change and approached each and every opportunity with openly and adopted a "you must tell me no" demeanor. The Audacity to Try is a tale of hope, drive, dedication, hard work and possibility. It captures the essence of the human struggle through the lens of a boy who had a deprived upbringing shrowded in drugs and violence but never surrendered to a judges premonition of doom. This book motivates and inspires even the best amongst us to dream big and work to achieve the unachievable.