We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marvin Guelce a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Marvin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

My parents, given the resources and skills they had access to, did just about everything right. Both of my parents came to the Use in the mid 80’s from Haiti, with almost nothing, little to no understanding of the english language, and a whole lot of blind faith.

And like many families with a similar story, my parents found their first homes in low-income areas in Brooklyn, New York. For the first 11-ish years of my life, i watched the two of them work endlessly to create a better life for myself and my two younger brothers. Eventually, they were able to purchase their first home in a safer neighborhood; however, they never stopped working and creating more opportunity for our family.

And despite the incredibly long hours they worked, they still managed to take us to baseball practice, help us with our homework, attend parent-teacher conferences, and attend our school performances. It’s so clear that they only ever had one goal, one purpose. And while life as an immigrant in the US presents new challenges every day, they never diverted from the plan.

The thing they did right was be excellent models for my brothers and I.

Marvin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In the most purest form, the thing that I’ve always been called to do is bring people together with the purpose of broadening and deepening their physical, mental, and social well-being.

How I’ve been able to do it is through sport, fitness, and social experiences. I discovered that I could be good at this work while working as a leader, organizing my universities Intramural programs. In that work I got to experience first-hand how impactful it is to take a break and just play. And when you can do that with your peers, the results ripple into a more connected community.

In my career, I’ve owned and led businesses in the same work – from adult sports leagues (think adult kickball and flag football) to co-founding a fitness app that connects gym/studio members inside and outside of the studio four walls.

The problem I’ve tried to solve in my career is “how do I make friends as an adult”. Truly, the answers are the same as when you were younger; however, adults are no longer forced into those environments. Adults need to take a bit of action and I’ve tried to be the person who could offer the opportunity when they’re ready to take that action.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I’ve earned my reputation within my market but always putting others first. I’ll often tell people that I can be “the number 1” on a team if I need to be – and i’ll be good at it. When it comes to being “the number 2”, I might be one of the best to ever do it.

I am the most lit up when I am can support the success of another person. That goes for my staff, external partners, and customers. I’ll never claim to know it all, but I will find the person who does. And when I find them, I’m more than willing to give them their flowers.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

This one is easy for me. If someone believes that they’ve earned the right to manage and lead others, they must understand that their job is to serve – not to be served. If you have a team, and you aren’t always thinking about them, their personal/professional goals, and their experience at work then you’re doing a disservice to them and to your business/org.

The high morale will come when your team can confidently say that they are equipped to be successful and that their leader sincerely cares about them.

Contact Info:

• Website: lnk.bio/marvn
• Instagram: @marvn._ (https://www.instagram.com/marvn._/)
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvinguelce/

Image Credits
Photography: Connor Barber @Cbarb5