Hello to all of you that have stumbled across this page. First and foremost I’d like to thank you for beginning to read my first post about The Art of a Gentleman. This is the beginning of a journey and story I am looking forward to telling and sharing with you in the upcoming weeks, months, and years.

The concept of The Art of a Gentleman is really simple and comes down to one thing, respect. During these posts I will be discussing respect for yourself, respect for others, respect for women, and the art form that is all of the above. I have found throughout my life that the art of being a gentleman has opened many doors for myself; professionally, romantically, day-to-day, and beyond. It has helped me land a seat at many tables and empowered me to speak (with integrity and respect) once there.

I’ll start at the beginning with my father. My father was, and still is, a gentleman in how he presents himself and treats others from all walks of life in all arenas. He imposed that wisdom to me while I grew up and helped to shape me into the man I became and am today. When I was younger, I learned that I was different from many of my peers - in how I dressed, in the way I handled myself, and in the manner that I addressed and spoke to others. It became clear to me then, and more so apparent over the years, that the art of a gentleman is a special form of heirloom, one that I was lucky enough to have passed down to me. Now that I have experienced this wisdom, I feel a responsibility to share it with others.

When I entered the workforce many years ago, my first boss told me that, “if you want people to take you seriously, you have to present yourself in a serious manner. You can be very bright but if you don’t present yourself properly, people won’t always hear you. If however, you do present yourself properly in a serious manner, not only will they hear you, but they will feel good about what they are hearing.”