About Me

I am focused on teaching personal leadership. What does that mean?

I help people who want to take responsibility for their life, break out of the corporate rut to take back control of their time, their money, and their life, by teaching them to see their career and their work as an entrepreneurial venture – teaching them they are a Company of One.

There are a ton of blogs and podcasts out there who tell you how to get rich quick, to go from working for the corporate world to working for yourself with passive income. But, let’s get real.

  • Most of us are going to continue working in the corporate world.
  • Passive income is NOT really passive. It takes hard work.

I think most realize these two points. So, instead of teaching people to just leave their day job, I am about maximizing the things we all want:

  • Control of our time – Personal freedom.
  • Control of our income – Stop being controlled only by my pay grade and 3% raises.
  • Control of our lives – In general, getting back to where you are in control instead of an arbitrary system.

All of these are possible no matter where you work. The issues is, who is leading you?

A Bit Of Background About Me

Christian – I am a later in life Christian after many years of fighting against the truth. Being saved by Christ is my life. It is not only what I believe, but it is also who I am. But, I totally understand some of you may not believe this. Trust me, I get it. I am not here to preach to you. I have many friends who are of many faiths (including some who claim they have no faith). But I wanted you to know where I come from in my view of life.

Entrepreneur – I am a persistent entrepreneur. I start things on my own. I also start things in my role at the university (my day job). Since being in high school, I have always found ways to generate cash by serving the needs of others.

Faculty – I am also a university faculty member at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). I teach in engineering, and I lead the executive graduate program in Information Engineering and Management (or as we call it: IEM).

Speaker – One of the things I enjoy most is speaking. Even as an introvert, speaking is where I am at my best, and feel the most comfortable. You can see about my speaking on my speaker page.

Author – I am the author of Resumes are Worthless: How to Find the Work You Love and Succeed. The book defines the idea of a Company of One and teaches the reader how to live as a company of one.

Blogger – This is my blog, and it is not associated with the university. Here I write and share about becoming a company of one. Or perhaps a better way to say it, I am trying to revive that entrepreneurial spirit in you! (I know it is in there!). In this blog, I share ideas about how to find success at work – whether you work for an entrepreneurial startup or for a large company. Topics range from the company of one model, success, motivation, how to be an entrepreneur, education in America, and how to find your calling. My goal is to help you to revive that entrepreneurial spirit within you and to put it to work to change the world. If you are looking to love your work again—then this blog is for you.

My Bio

My background is in electrical engineering. I went to work for BellSouth (AT&T) right out of engineering school at Auburn University. I spent 13 years in the telecom world with BellSouth, mostly working in operations and a group called Science and Technology where we did the research and planning for the future products and services.

When I started to work in the corporate world after engineering school, I found the work and the corporate world un-fulfilling – many times downright meaningless. (Can you say “Dilbert”?) While I liked the things I did at work, the environment left a lot to be desired.

Over a short time, I morphed from the excited engineer who was ready to change the world into a person who spent their day going to meetings for the sake of meetings and working to meet measurements that I had no idea how they mattered to the business.

I had to find sanity! What worked for me? Realizing that I was in fact in business for myself – or a company of one. My job was not to work for company X or Y and get paid while doing a job – but instead everything I was doing was about earning a living. Some of that living may come by way of a “job” – but I had to look at that job as just one of my sources of income and one set of customers I was serving. I found a way to get freedom – to get control of my own time and income. I hated showing up at 8 and leaving at 5 -or whenever. It just was not for me.

I also found freedom with money. Not that I am about being rich, but money can have a major impact on buying freedom! And, I found out to do these things and take control was EASIER than I had ever imagined.

But my ultimate freedom has come from knowing Jesus Christ. That freedom money cannot buy!

Many entrepreneurial ventures came before, during, and after those years. These ventures have included everything from video games, wireless communications, homeschool education, real estate, investments, and a few others. Investors have backed some, but mostly I prefer the bootstrap experience. Now I am with the university and the entrepreneurial ventures still come – sometimes too fast.

I am married to Lea and we have four children – two daughters and two sons. My daughters are grown, one married with a son. My sons are younger and still destroying the house (not that this ever stops). We live in Birmingham, Alabama. I am a member of Briarwood Presbyterian Church.

Now you know where I am coming from. So this blog is to share with you the things I teach in my entrepreneurship classes and the concepts I use in coaching. And of course, I will be sharing the new things I learn every day. A lot of what I learn comes from readers like you!

ADC-Photo-Web

Me with my wife Lea, daughters Cassidy and Catrina, two boys Daniel and David, Tim Cash (Cassidy’s husband), and Elliot Cash (grandson being held by his Aunt Catrina)

This Blog

I typically post weekly on Tuesday. Each post is the show notes for my Company of One podcast. I work to write the post content so that you can consume the content either by reading or listening. To make sure you don’t miss my newest posts, you can subscribe by e-mail. (See top right-hand side.)

Common Questions

  • Podcast/Radio Interview: If you are looking for me to be a guest on your podcast, radio show, or just an interview for print, please contact me directly via email.
  • Guest Posting: Wanting me to guest post for you or you to guest post for me. Please contact me via email with the relevant information.
  • Review your Book: Yes, given time, I am willing to review your book if you would like some feedback or opinions. I will provide reviews on Amazon if I really like what you have to say – but no guarantees.

Contact Me

You can contact me via e-mail or follow me on Twitter or Facebook.

 

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

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13 thoughts on “About Me

  1. Totally on point with you! What are the next steps to move forward to freedom. I am tried of being stuck. I would love to talk with you and learn more about what you have to offer.

    Thanks, Beverly, CSM, PMP, CTM

  2. Dale, love your blog. Its clear, easy to follow, interesting and to the point for busy folks like me. You are a true inspiration. I have not given up on searching for “my company of one” . I am going to give the “Read a book in 30 minutes” a try. I’ll let you know how that goes.Thanks!!

    Mairiz

  3. Dale
    Thanks for following me on twitter. I definitely can align myself with your blog and will be subscribing to the rss feed. I got to a point with my courses at UAB and let them go for lack of money and family time. I lack about 18 courses for my electrical engineering degree and about 8 to get a math degree. I intend to finish as soon as possible.

    I wonder if there are any mastermind groups of like minded people that I can become a part of around Birmingham. I would love to find people that we can at least meet and have a cup of coffee and talk about our online businesses and how to make them solid businesses.

    I completely agree with you about a company of one. I have heard Dave Ramsey talk some about this on his show. Dave Ramsey has proven to me that financial freedom is possible and well worth doing what it takes to make it happen.

    Sorry for the long reply. I have an idea you are a very busy man with your speaking. I stay busy with family and work myself, but maybe we can find a way to make contact at some point and talk business.

    In this day and age, a company of one has become necessary.

    Thanks

    Scott

  4. Scott – Love to connect. Here are some thoughts …

    1. Get the degree no matter what. While degrees are not the solution to everything, you are too close. You MIGHT get the math degree then see if you can parlay into the EE also!! A double win.

    2. Love to chat. I have no real secrets about MM groups – but would suggest you define your purpose and goals and find one or two other like minded people willing to commit and work with it. We do ours with Google+ community so we can share docs etc. I will say – it takes a little work and at times will feel like a waste. But just when you think it is toast – things really work. I cannot thank my MM team enough for all the encouragement and help they give me. It is worth real money.

    Shoot me an email at dcallahan@uab.edu and I will get you details on setting up some time to chat if you like.

  5. Hi Dale and thanks for following me on Twitter. I couldn’t wait to get onto your site to take a look and what can I say? Wow! I love your approach, it is very similar to my own and I love your honest and down-to-earth, yet inspiring and uplifting wording and explanations.

    I feel that what you are offering is different to the ‘typical’ ‘succeed in business solutions.’ I have struggled with time issues myself, especially with networking, and adore your straight forward and easily integrated style.

    Most people who come to me, do so for psychic advice as to what they can or should do to improve their chances of success in life and business, so I will surely be directly them on to you too to sample your offerings.

    May you, your family and the work you do be blessed and protected! Divine Blessings, Melanthe. xxx

  6. Dale,
    Thanks for reaching out to me on Platform University. As you probably could tell, I live about an hour from Birmingham, and provide services for podcasters.

    I LOVE your bio above… we have a lot of similarities in our lives. I’d love to be able to come down to Birmingham and meet up with you and other podcasters and online marketers on a regular basis. A friend in Mississippi and I are working toward starting a group named the SouthEastern Podcasters Association to grow the community of podcasters from the Southeast.

    I’m looking forward to listening to some of your podcasts in the very near future.

    Phillip Swindall
    The Show Notes Guy
    http://www.shownotesguy.com

  7. Hey Dale,
    As I read your posts and bio, I hear a lot of similarities to my own story. I’m also a university educator as my “day job” as you put it, but I’ve always been involved in lots of arenas. Also like you, Jesus Christ is my one sole focus and really, everything else I do comes down to advancing His Kingdom. 🙂 Nice to “meet” you and I hope we can continue to stay in touch as fellow bloggers as well as family in Christ.
    Blessings,
    Holly