Rick Hopper's story is a powerful reminder that where you start doesn't determine where you finish.

He spent two and a half years addicted to meth, lost everything, and hit rock bottom. After getting sober, he rebuilt his life one step at a time—starting with a job at Home Depot.

That fresh start eventually led him to build and sell two companies, appear on Shark Tank, and dedicate his time to helping entrepreneurs through Biz Owners Ed, a free 10-week program for Dallas-area business owners.

One of the most impactful moments in this conversation isn't about success—it's about what happened after his first big breakthrough, when every customer wanted their money back. His response to that challenge became one of the defining moments of his entrepreneurial journey.

In this episode of The Grit Mindset with Matt Rosen, Rick shares honest lessons about resilience, integrity, leadership, and the mindset required to overcome adversity.

Every entrepreneur has a moment when they wonder if they're going to make it.

For Brian Childers, it was staring at payroll on Wednesday... with no idea how he'd pay his employees on Friday.

He shares what got him through that moment, what he learned from building and selling his business, and why discipline—not motivation—is what keeps you moving forward.

Watch the full episode of The Grit Mindset on YouTube.

By the time Ashley Lowrance left for college, she'd lived in 11 houses.

Eleven new schools. Eleven rooms where everyone already knew each other. The daughter of an Air Force brigadier general and B-52 pilot, she learned to do one thing extremely well: walk in, observe, figure out what mattered to these people, and find her seat at the table.

Years later, with no sales experience and no network in Dallas, she asked a man for a shot in an industry she'd only ever been a client of. He turned her down — and warned her she was setting herself up for failure. He referred her to a founder named Gary Seaman, who believed in her on the spot.

Today she's president of that company.

In this episode of The Grit Mindset, Ashley shares why motivation can't be given to anyone, why she hires for passion over polish, and the mentorship advice she'd give that runs against everything you've heard: avoid the well-meaning critics.