There is a specific kind of silence that precedes a breakthrough. It is not the absence of noise, but the presence of harmony. For most of my life, I have walked paths that weren’t paths at all—just dense, unyielding thickets where I had to carve every inch of progress by hand. I’ve grown used to the dim light of the deep woods. But today, as the sun began to pierce the canopy, the revelation was twofold: the path is finally becoming clear, and for the first time, I am not holding the machete alone.

Today things felt harmonious, as if God hummed in the same key as my heart. Everything is coming together. The path I’ve been led toward is revealing itself with increasing clarity. Like so many chapters of my life, this path is not “beaten.” It is not the standard trek on a well-traveled trail. This journey begins in the heart of the timber, where dense trees stand between me and my destination. But it is different this time. This time, I have my family beside me as we step into the treeline.

Throughout my entrepreneurial life, I have been a trailblazer—a pioneer of sorts. I am naturally drawn to go where others won’t, attracted to the hardest challenges and the most unlikely situations. My natural rebellion leads me away from the paved roads of safety. I tend to move toward uncertainty, but I do so with an unwavering certainty in my soul.

Over the years, I’ve done this many times. Most folks think I’m crazy at first. They cannot see what I see, so they ask: Why that way? Why risk so much for something invisible? Those who know me best used to shrug and say, “That’s just Marh.” My father, even when he doesn’t fully understand the destination, tells me, “They can’t stop you.” I believe him. That has always been my way: to go, and go, and go.

I have been married since I was a teenager. My cougar wife (a whole eleven months older) has been the constant in my life. We have spent more of our lives together than apart. She has always been a believer in me. She may not always trust the map or understand the terrain where I’m taking us, but she trusts my ability to get us there. When it comes to our future, she shows no fear. She bets on me with her time, money, and her faith, providing the stability that allows me to stay focused and moving forward.

Historically, her support has been that of the ultimate partner in arms. She would prepare my rations, polish my shield, sharpen my sword, and send me off with a kiss, knowing I would return. She didn’t need to go to war with me; she held down the home, gave our children a foundation, and ensured our world kept spinning while I was on “tour.” That belief was all I ever needed. It was enough to make me attempt feats that others labeled “crazy,” especially considering where I come from.

On the other end, my children were either too young or not yet born when I began my earlier journeys. Each child’s birth—with the exception of my eldest son, who simply changed my entire life—marked the beginning of a new entrepreneurial chapter. The younger two didn’t just change my life; they changed my grind.

Most of these pioneering journeys were solo efforts, save for the time spent with my best business partner, Lafe. He and I share an affinity for the unknown; we enjoy the grit required to learn new things. But outside of that partnership, I was a lone scout. I pressed forward with my ancestors at my back, doing the research, the organizing, and the pitching alone until the mountain finally moved. Not every journey reached the peak I envisioned—some fell short, others went well beyond—but they all provided the wisdom that structured my character, my faith, and my love for living.

Once a path was beaten, I’d bring others along. Many times, the work required me to pioneer in public. To do so is a unique challenge; it invites undue expectations and criticism from the sidelines. But that is the price of sharing your light in a world that often prefers the dark.

We all carry a light, but many hide it to avoid the attention. They forget that a light does not shine for itself. It is a beacon for those caught in the storms of life, a signal that there is a safe haven of hope nearby.

Today, as my middle son joined us in building our digital products company, I overheard him talking with his brother. They were speaking about how good it felt to collaborate with people who shared their goals and abilities. They were happy. It brought a profound joy to my heart. The trees were beginning to clear for them. The vision I had when I started this company was showing its first sprouted leaves.

The journey this time starts with all of us. My children and their mother have gathered their rations and their gear to follow me into the woods. We move toward a destination that is clear in my mind and starting to crystallize in theirs. Our collective lights will guide us home. The trail we blaze will provide a path for others to get there as well, as they follow the light we exude.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

— Matthew 5:16

I don’t want to do great things for my own glory. Anyone who truly knows me understands that ain’t me. I want to achieve amazing feats so that when people ask “How?”, I can answer: “God.” If people see the work, I want them to see the One who made it possible.

I have learned over my time, that God’s glory is in the Story.

As we begin this new journey, I am certain we will accomplish what many would find unbelievable. Not because of who we are, but because of whose we are.

Inshallah.