THE CHAMPIONSHIP FATHER: PRIORITIZING PRESENCE OVER PERFECTION

I want to talk specifically to the fathers out there. I had a wild kind of misconception as to what being a father was to an extent. In my mind, it was entertaining them, it was doing things with them, it was playing games and doing legos and jumping in the pool and just constantly being there, needing to entertain my children. I want to do those things, but I realized I traveled a lot then I was home for a while, almost a year. Then I did a little bit of travel and I realized my role as a father is just to be present. My role is to be available. My role is to be positive. My role is to bring trust and confidence by just being there and being the best version of myself.

And I know that sounds … even saying it out loud kind of sounds kind of corny, but for you, it is just a matter of readjusting your perspective of what it means to be the championship version of yourself as a father, being available, being around, being confident, being excited, being happy, bringing positivity is almost more important.

The Evolving Role of Fathers: From Provider to Example

I watched something the other day. It might have been a Jordan Peterson interview where they were talking about the role of a father and the role of a father is to be the provider and the protector to a certain point in life. And then once your children become adults, it’s your job to be the example. Then set the standard of what it looks like to be an adult male or just an adult in general. I only have sons, so I use that more specifically, but being an adult.

As a father, your job, it is to be present. It is to set the standard, be the example, but even more so as your children become adults and your role in that equation is not to be there every minute, is not still to guide every decision, is not there to catch them when they fall; it’s really just to be there as an example of what it looks like to operate at a high level in life. And I think some parents get it wrong. I think some parents are just available when they feel like it. I think some parents are just in the room, but maybe they’re allowing their negativity, they’re allowing their depression, they’re allowing their anxiety, they’re allowing their bad life decisions to pour over into their children.

Even just being a zombie to your phone or to your tablet or to the television is not a great way. And I’m not judging anybody who does these things. I’m not saying you’re a terrible parent. I’m just asking you to adjust as a father, what do you believe your role is and then execute it to its best potential. I’m not the sit-down-and-do-Legos-with-the-boys guy. I do sometimes, but it’s not where I thrive. I thrive with them by just being present, helping them understand how to operate as young men, helping them see what their potential is, discussing real-life situations and problems with them.

Being Present: Drawing Inspiration from a Spiritual Perspective

I’m not the baby talk. I’ve never been the baby talk guy, but I really adjusted my perception as to what my role and expectation was. And I realized for me, it’s actually the same way that I operate as a child of God. When I’m spending time with God, if I sit there with expectations for him to entertain me, then it never actually goes as well as when I’m just sitting there just in his presence, just allowing him to breathe his confidence into me, allowing him to breathe what he sees for me into me and really just being in his presence is some of the best time I spend with guys. It’s not actively praying, it’s not actively conversating, it’s not actively worshiping.

Sometimes just sitting there and allowing myself to be calm in his presence is some of the best time I spend. And I realized I kind of do that with God, but I don’t do that as much with my children where I’m just allowing myself to be there, to be present, to be happy, to smile.

I’ll tell you right now, everybody who’s building a business for their family, but coming home in a terrible mood or not really pouring into them the way they could be. You’re not doing it for the right reasons. If your business is pulling away from your job as a father, then I suggest you readjust your priorities because the business might go, the business might fail, the business might thrive. You might have all the money in the world, but if you don’t have your family alongside with you doing that, it won’t be worth it. And I don’t think I speak just for myself in that sense. I think if every one of you, if I said, “Hey, choose your business or your children. For real, the only thing you have tomorrow is your business or your children, which one would you choose?”

Most of you would say your children. So stop showing up only for your business tomorrow. Start right now. Start prioritizing differently. Start adjusting your energy. Start making sure that you leave enough in the tank to come home and be present, to be happy, to be smiling and to be somebody worth living up to as your children, because they’re going to live up to the standard you set, whether you’re intentional with it or not. So why not being more intentional, why not just be present?

The Transformative Power of Being Present as a Father

And maybe I’m wrong. Maybe my job is to play the Legos and get into involved with what they’re into, but I don’t think so. I think some of the biggest impact I make on my family and my children is just being present, being powerful, being confident, being happy. So if you can’t do those things for your family right now, I would say to you, look at your priorities and adjust and go impress yourself, go impress your spouse, go impress your children with what you’re capable of when you put your energy in the right buckets first because I want you to win. I want you to win fast. I want you to win often, not just in business, but in life.

So go make that decision today. Go decide as a father, I’m going to become more present today. Not in the floor, maybe playing with them, but I’m going to sit there and I’m going to smile and I’m going to be positive influence on them through my actions, through my tone, through my body language. And you might be surprised the impact you make. So get out there, went fast, went off this week as a father, and see how you feel going into next weekend.

Ready To Meet?

Fill Out the Form & Book Your Free Consultation

Adam McChesney
Coach

Adam McChesney is a serial entrepreneur based in St. Louis, MO. Originally a medical device sales rep, he transitioned into entrepreneurship full-time in the midst of the pandemic in July 2020.Since going out on his own, Adam has leveraged his skillset of personal branding & digital marketing to grow multiple companies at this point.He is the Founder of Builders of Authority, and Co-Owner at Auto Glass Repair of STL.Formerly, Adam was the VP of Growth and Partner at Hite Digital, a digital marketing agency that Adam helped grow to a 2x INC 5000 award winner. Adam was named Hite Digital Franchise of the Year in both 2021 & 2022.After building a multiple 7-figure agency with personal branding, Adam decided to launch Builders of Authority, which offers group coaching & 1-1 consulting for entrepreneurs and businesses looking to take their personal branding to the next level. Builders of Authority LIVE are Adam’s in person events where he brings in world-class speakers to teach and educate attendees on how to become THE authority in their industries.He is the host of the Builders of Authority Podcast, and has been a guest on over 200 podcasts himself.After 2.5 years of being a WinRate Consulting client, Adam came on as a Business Coach in January 2024.Adam is married to his wife Delaney, and they have 1 child, a boy named Murphy along with a dog, Georgie.

Doug Mitchell
Coach

Doug Mitchell is an accomplished entrepreneur and sales strategist with over 15 years of experience in building high-performing sales teams. His significant achievements include transforming Argenta Field Solutions into a robust organization that earned $35 million over 13 years. He launches products for AT&T, DirecTV and even his own Solar Brand. In 2022, he founded BGST Consulting, which leverages his extensive experience to help businesses enhance their sales strategies through the CODOC philosophy—Compensation, Opportunity, Development, Operations, and Culture. Doug also hosts the “Building Great Sales Teams” podcast, a resource-rich platform with over 300 episodes that offers insights from Doug and other industry leaders. More recently Doug join the well aligned WinRate team to coach and consult their clients to Win Fast and Win Often! A devoted Christian, husband, and father of three, Doug leans on his faith and wife when facing adversity.

Mia Vecchio
Event Manager - Hall of Fame | Executive Assistant to Mike

Mia has been with the WinRate Team since December 2022! She loves throwing events and and has 8 years’ experience in customer service which makes her role as Director of Hall of Fame the most fulfilling fit.

Mia was born and raised in Connecticut and is now living in Greenville, SC. She loves the beach, she loves the mountains and loves spending time with her dogs Henry and Obie. She looks forward to making an impact alongside her WinRate Team! 

Mallory Matthewson
Operations Asst. | Onboarding

Mallory assists with the WinRate Team’s backend operations. She is new to the coaching world, but brings a fresh perspective with over 12 years’ experience in Customer Relations. From Pest Control to Logistics, and Manufacturing to Finance, she has worked in various fields across the board but has a true heart for the customer experience. She has a Business Management degree, but with her experience in multiple industries, she’s able to relate to all customers on a personal level.

Originally from the Foothills of the NC mountains, she now resides outside of Charlotte, NC with her husband and their two daughters (Abby and Allie). She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending intentional time with her family.

Lindsey Kandrack
Chief Operations Officer

Lindsey assists with the WinRate team’s backend operations, she brings over 15 years’ experience of business and entrepreneurship.

From selling environmental control products in corporate America, to owning her own mattress and furniture business, to managing operations to 50+ dealers within the furniture and case goods industry. She has a marketing degree in her back pocket but her experience of working in and with small businesses she can easily relate to entrepreneurs having to wear many “hats!” Lindsey has been with WinRate and Mike and since 2019!

Originally from Syracuse, NY with a stretch in Pittsburgh, PA she currently resides just outside Charlotte, NC with her husband Keith and two children Kasey and Quinn. She loves the outdoors, and you may find her coaching or competitively exercising in her spare time ;-)

Tiffany Claudio
Chief of Staff | Director of Events

Hi, I’m Tiffany Claudio and you guessed it, I’m Mrs. WinRate herself. I joined WinRate full time in May of 2021 to help Mike and Lindsey (aka my sister wife) with the day to day administrative activities, in addition to event planning.

I come from a corporate career in Agile IT environments. There I coached teams on how to strategically plan out their annual goals, by breaking them out into smaller more manageable deliverables. I also helped identify and develop metrics to ensure the teams stayed on track with their objectives and understood if/when they needed to pivot.

Originally from Roanoke, VA with a short stint at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, I now reside just outside Charlotte, NC with the one and only Mike Claudio and our two boys, MJ & Everett.

Lyle Nearby
Coach

With 30 years of experience in sales/customer service, Lyle decided to leave the corporate world and open AdvantaClean of Monroe in 2010. Lyle and his family live in Union County and are very involved in the local community. He has coached Tee Ball, Coach Pitch baseball and soccer. Lyle is a board member of the American Red Cross of Union County, a board member for A Champion’s Shoes, involved in the Union County Chamber, and supports various local charities.

Les Brannen
Coach

Les is an entrepreneur that is the CEO of Mountain High Mulch. After spending 20 years in the corporate world as director of operations he had a burning desire to open his own business and lead from the front.

He has a strong background in leadership, culture building, and overall customer experience. His company has been featured on Netflix Instant Dream Home, and continues to be recognized for outstanding community leadership and business growth within his community.

Les lives in Marietta, GA with his wife Jen and together have 3 children Skyla(20), August (17), and Jude (14). He is very passionate about physical fitness, mental clarity and developing business owners with a servant leadership mentality.

Nate Griffin
Coach

Nate Griffin is an entrepreneur with background in finance and business management. Over the last 10 years, he has built successful companies. One of which is now a multi-million dollar design build construction company. He has been around the construction industry his entire life.

Nate has a passion for helping people change their relationship to money through their business and finances. With a thorough understanding of cash flow, finance, and investing, Nate wants to share his experience to help others move into the CEO role of their own companies and lives.

Nate lives in Wilkesboro, NC with his wife, Lydia. He loves the outdoors, wakeboarding, cool cars, and great coffee.

Sam Kaufman
Director of Revenue | Coach

 Sam Kaufman is an entrepreneur, leader, husband and father of 2.  He is a firm believer that we must never stop building ourselves in our businesses, homes, and self.

Sam started out as a sole proprietor cabinet installer in a van and grew to 7 figures in under 3 years. He has operated businesses in multiple cities and is an avid core value implementer, standard operating procedure creator, and team builder. That cabinet installation business became a kitchen and bath remodeling business, a design company, and a retail flooring store in under 6 years.

Sam is passionate about growth and improvement. A natural leader he is deeply passionate about helping other business owners become the BEST versions of themselves and sees a better future for the home services industry.

Clifton Muckenfuss
Director of Coaching | Coach

Clifton Muckenfuss is an Entrepreneur with an extensive background in Sales, Marketing and Leadership. He has Co-Founded several successful service based companies, one being a multi-million dollar Home Improvement Company. 

With a passion for people, Clifton is hyper focused on Client Experience, and his companies have won numerous awards for Service Excellence. He / his companies have been featured in Inc. Magazine, Qualified Remodeler, and Remodeling Magazine.

Clifton now works with Contractors and Service-based businesses in the areas of Sales, Training and Marketing to help them implement systems and processes to create Customers for Life and “own a business” instead of a “job.”

Mike Claudio
CEO & Coach

I have spent the last 17 years not just selling products and services but learning how to go out and actually develop business, create routines and consistency, develop discipline, and make a bigger impact on those around me then just money!

My sales and management career started in retail with Verizon Wireless before working in their enterprise business to business sales team. During my time in Corporate America, I was given some of the best training in the world and really developed an obsession-like energy for consistency, communication and the client experience.

While my formal training is in the corporate setting, I’ve always been pulled towards smaller companies where I could work with entrepreneurs to help them bring big changes to grow their business. I was a great salesman, but I found my love and passion for the people, processes and services of the construction industry. When I was given the opportunity work with a residential general contracting business in Charlotte, I jumped at the idea of using my experiences and training to help create a sales and client management system specific for this market.

I have proven my system and processes to Identify, Target, Qualify and Acquire clients works. With a heavy focus on communication, follow-through, and follow-up I believe any company can increase sales and profits and I want to be the one to help you do that!

I brought massive success to companies I worked for but want to help more business owners get out of the daily grind and develop a business that worked for them instead of wearing them out. Since starting WinRate Consulting I have helped hundreds of paying clients and 10’s of thousands of business owners through my free online content on my podcast and YouTube channel.

I have been on dozens of stages and spoken in front of thousands of people to get the message across that YOU can be different and YOU can dream bigger and YOU can make it come to life! At this point I am 100% confident I can help any size business improve, I can help any owner or leader create better habits and a more disciplined life, and I can change the culture of a company into a place people want to work instead of constant frustrations and lack of buy in!

Skip to content