To say the very least, at the young age of 17, I have lived what many would consider a very interesting life. Whether it was the year spent on a tour bus with Hootie and the Blowfish or my work experience in the music business industry, I have been blessed with numerous unforgettable opportunities. I believe it is these opportunities, which speak of my hard working and dedicated nature, that have made me the person I am today; a unique and driven individual. Even from a very young age, I have been an aspiring entrepreneur. I have always had a business oriented mind that developed and acted upon many of my ideas, ranging from starting a homemade amenities business to buying used cell phone in bulk and reselling them individually. While many may see my pursuits as a way to make a profit, making a profit was not my only goal. Instead, I pursued these activities because such activities intrigued me. I realized that my interests were very different than other children my age when I did not share the same level of interest in playing video games or legos, but I was more interested in creating my own businesses. Unfortunately, my deviation from the 'normal' path of childhood play caused me to be labeled as 'odd' and therefore treated differently by many of my peers from elementary school forward. While I was attending Calvary Baptist Day School, a very nice private Christian school in my town, I was bullied on a daily basis, which ranged from being spit on to being kicked and verbally attacked. After discussing the issue with the school administration, who was dealing with complaints from many other parents, my parents decided that at the end of the school year they would begin homeschooling, an option that we had been discussing for quite some time. This was a very difficult time in my life, but looking back on it now, it was a major turning point that set the stage for shaping me into the person I have become. When my family began homeschooling the following year, my little sister chose Tae-Kwon-Do as her physical education activity. I never had anything against Tae-Kwon-Do, but I had no interest in choosing it as my Physical Education credit. However, the manager of the Tae-Kwon-Do school had different plans for me and did not let me leave without signing up for a free trial. As it turns out, that day began a five-year journey that led me to a more confident, responsible, and goal oriented individual. The discipline that I learned through being a volunteer instructor every Friday, testing for different belt levels, attending training three times a week, and reaching the goals I set has had a great impact on my life and has led me to become a hard working and focused individual, which can be seen in my academic endeavors, as well as my work experience. As I previously stated I have always been a driven individual, but as I reflect on the past few years of my life I realize that being a student and instructor of Tae-Kwon-Do has given me an opportunity to grow and develop my character. Not only did Tae-Kwon-Do teach me to persevere and push myself to the limit in the classroom, it taught me the importance of responsibility and leadership, two of the most important qualities in the business field. These qualities have enabled me to succeed in both the classroom and the business field, which can be seen in my grades as well as my business ventures, including opening the sales department at Special Event Services, opening the graphics department at that same company, managing a band, assistant producer for Masterworks School of the Arts and even becoming the Chief Operations Officer for Show Seats, a company specializing in field seating. Additionally, my hard work and dedication to my father's company, Special Event Services, has enabled me to be a part of history on multiple occasions, including Billy Graham's last crusade in New York, Billy Joel's "Last Play At Shea", Joel Osteen first stadium event at the new Yankee Stadium, and I have had the privilege to work with many others including Joyce Meyer, Cece Winnans, the Country Music Association at the CMA Music fest, Joe Bonamassa, Darius Rucker, Zac Brown Band, and many others. I know that I have been blessed with these opportunities, and I am very eager to see what God has in store for me next. Through trusting in God, I have come to realize that everything in my life has happened for a reason and I am very thankful that I have Him guiding me and setting my path. He has enabled me to grow into a determined, hard working, responsible and focused young adult in all aspects of my life, and I know that these characteristics will continue to develop throughout my life. James Michael Brammer 166 High Hills Dr. Mooresville, NC 28117 9/9/1992 Training Schedule Document