Picture this: I'm on stage at Seattle's Museum of Pop Culture, serving as emcee for the Northwest Mountain MSDC's Leadership & Advocacy Awards. A board member begins reading the description for the John A. Gilmore Award—given to an MBE who exemplifies activism through strong advocacy for fellow minority businesses. Then she says my name, and I look down to realize I'm literally holding my own award, thinking I was about to give it to someone else. That moment of surprise became the perfect metaphor for my approach to leadership: always ready to lift others up, even when recognition comes my way. Join me as I reflect on an unconventional journey from biology grad to agency owner, the power of servant leadership, and what it really means to advocate for fellow MBEs.