If there’s one thing I’ve learned early in my journey, it’s this: no one builds alone.

I’ve been fortunate — truly blessed — to have had mentors who not only guided me but shaped how I see the world, business, leadership, and service. Looking back, one of the greatest turning points came through my involvement with the Fresno State University Entrepreneurship Program, which created a space for aspiring entrepreneurs like myself to be paired with seasoned leaders in the Central Valley.

At the time, I didn’t fully realize how impactful that opportunity would become.

THE FIRST BLUEPRINT

The first mentor I am blessed to have is my father. I would write about his contributions, however he deserves his own blog post or probably several due to his comprehensive impact. So I’ll be touching on the mentorship program and my time at University. My first assigned mentor was Claude Laval III — a man whose wisdom wasn’t just in what he said, but how he lived. During that season, I was reading voraciously. Books far beyond my assigned coursework; because I was hungry to understand how the real world of business worked at scale. Having someone like Claude to ask questions, cross-reference ideas, and ground theory in lived experience was invaluable.

It wasn’t always the big lessons that stuck. It was the little things — the passing remarks, the intentional pauses, the decisions he made when no one was watching, that began to shape how I understood stewardship, leadership, and community service.

MANY DOORS, ONE SPIRIT

Claude wasn’t the only one who poured into me. Tom Jones. Bill Lyles. Terance Frazier. Neal Stanley and many others opened their doors, their time, and their minds to me and to countless other students. They didn’t just mentor… they modeled.

They offered us access to how they think.
They showed us what influence with impact really looks like.
They helped us understand how to shape communities, not just businesses.

More than anything, they showed that they cared — not just about what we could build, but about who we would become while building it.

BEYOND THE BOOKS

Books are powerful. I’ve read hundreds — from biographies to business strategy, and they’ve given me frameworks, inspiration, and insight.

But mentorship? That gave me perspective.

It allowed me to see the valleys between the highlights. To understand the emotional weight of responsibility. To learn what it really means to lead when the outcomes are uncertain. To witness the reality that the path of an entrepreneur isn’t linear — it’s layered, dynamic, and deeply personal.

That kind of wisdom can’t be Googled.
It has to be lived — or received through someone who already has.

GRATEFUL FOR THE FOUNDATION

As I continue to build, I carry their words, their habits, and their insights with me.
I’ve learned that mentorship isn’t just about guidance — it’s about impartation.
It’s about passing down mindsets that outlast markets.

To the mentors who poured into me — thank you.
You didn’t just shape my path… you helped define the kind of leader I strive to become.

— Early Boykins III