From humble beginnings in rural Oklahoma to a life on adventure around the globe, Jimmy’s unique blend of storytelling and insight is a sought after resource for teams and organizations looking to challenge their people to dream bigger.
Jimmy grew up a scrawny asthmatic kid from an impoverished and uneducated blue collar family. Despite being frequently bullied and constantly underestimated, Jimmy was able to rise above his difficult beginnings to earn multiple degrees, become a college professor, and found a non-profit that does relief work in more than a dozen nations on five continents and recently started a school for 250 refugee children on the border of India and Nepal.
Jimmy seeks to live each day with a positive attitude and a willingness to challenge himself. Though he had never even completed a 5k, Jimmy took on the challenge to become a marathon runner and now he is well on his way toward his goal of running a half or full marathon in every state. In 2021, Jimmy completed a full distance Ironman triathlon and his next marathon in Tucson, Arizona will check off his 29th state.
Jimmy also founded a business called Discipletrek which takes people on faith-based adventures around the globe. Discipletrek has taken teams deep into the Himalayas, to the summits of numerous mountains in the USA, and even to the roof of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. Jimmy’s next big adventure is to climb Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America, and tallest mountain in the world outside of the Himalayas.
Jimmy is a gifted communicator, and he has criss-crossed the globe giving more than 1,500 hope-filled talks in more than 55 countries to audiences of all sizes, ranging from intimate gatherings in corporate boardrooms in Europe to packed auditoriums of thousands in Southeast Asia and all points in between across Africa, South America, and the United States. Jimmy utilizes his unique humor and story telling ability to inspire audiences with energetic and compelling talks that are deeply relevant to every day life and business.