Entrepreneurial Roots: Learning from My Father and Grandfather's Legacy

Growing up, I was lucky to have a family that valued entrepreneurship and hard work. My father, Donn Clendenon Jr., was a successful serial entrepreneur who led companies in a variety of industries, including sports and entertainment, non-profit, real estate, and gaming. His career was marked by a string of successful ventures, from World Gaming Corporation to I-Sun Networks and V3 Networks, and most recently, Heatwave Interactive.

But my entrepreneurial roots go even deeper than my father. My grandfather, Donn Clendenon Sr., was a famous baseball player who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Expos, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals. He was the World Series MVP in 1969 and played an important role in the Mets' victory that year. But his legacy extends beyond the baseball field. He was also a successful businessman who owned a car dealership and other businesses.

Growing up, I learned a lot from both my father and grandfather about the importance of hard work, determination, and building a legacy. I saw firsthand how their entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to take risks paid off in big ways. But it wasn't just about making money or achieving success. It was about creating something that would last beyond their own lifetimes.

For my father, that meant lending his entrepreneurial skills to non-profit organizations like The King Center in Atlanta, where he served as the acting COO and helped develop a self-sustaining operating strategy. For me, it means using my skills in real estate photography and digital marketing to help others build their own legacies through successful real estate ventures.

To me, legacy is about more than just leaving behind a financial inheritance or a successful business. It's about creating something that has a lasting impact on the world and the people around you. It's about building something that others can build on and grow beyond what you ever thought possible.

So, as I continue to build my own career and business, I'm mindful of the lessons I learned from my father and grandfather. I'm reminded that success is not just about making money, but about creating something that will endure for generations to come. And I'm proud to be a part of a family that values hard work, determination, and the power of entrepreneurship to create something truly remarkable.