The DeLorean rolls down the street, chrome glinting, wheels whispering over the pavement - an artifact from another time, yet here it is, a bridge between nostalgia and wisdom. Its door wings open, impossibly cinematic, and there he is: Professor Patrick Henry. No movie script here, just real life and real lessons that set me - and so many others - on a path to a brighter, bolder future.

His teachings, like a compass, still point me forward:

Networking and relationships are the most powerful wealth in life.
“Collect fifty business cards,” he said in our first entrepreneurship class, “but each card must hold a story—a connection made, not just a name gathered.”

The answer is no, until you ask.
Interview CEOs? As undergrads? But each “yes” I earned taught me something deeper - people want to help those who dare to ask.

Always know your exit strategy.
I resisted this one. Dreams aren’t built with exits in mind. I envisioned my startup as infinite, as unending. But what I didn’t yet understand was that an exit strategy isn’t about giving up - it’s about evolving.

I graduated from USC Marshall School of Business in 2005. In 2012, I had the honor of seeing Professor Patrick Henry again when I was inducted into the Hall of Fame. And yesterday, I spoke with him on a call. Hearing his voice again, I was reminded: great mentors never stop showing up - not just in our lives, but in the lessons they leave behind.

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