Mike Haldane

My life started out like any other typical American kid. I was born in 1967. I am the oldest of two sons. My brother is five years younger than I am. We grew up in southern California, close to Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland. We were just a few miles from the beach, yet we were surrounded by strawberry fields, dairy farms and orange groves. We lived a very middle-class life in a very working-class neighborhood.

At ten years old, I hardly understood what cancer was. But on that day, cancer changed my life forever. The image is burned into my memory every bit as much as the day I got married and the births of my two sons. Within three words, I knew what my dad was going to say and to this day I cannot describe with words, the distraught I felt. My mom was the center of my world, so the realization of her being gone was just too much to comprehend.

Over time, I learned to cope, persevere and find happiness again. Those lessons have to a large extent, informed my perspectives in life and in business. Experiences like this help you to understand the importance of moving ahead, even when roadblocks are thrown your way. Being able to do so has blessed me with my own family and a fulfilling career.

Sometimes in business, things don’t always go the way we plan, but standing tall, remaining confident, reassessing the situation and moving forward with momentum will always win the day.