Men of Legacy changes the old school thinking that fathers and sons cannot have sustainable, joyous relationships built on accountability, emotion, and commitment to each other. We break down barriers between fathers and sons across generations and cultures, creating strong binding relationships, all while emphasizing the importance of key bonding moments, which ultimately reinforces the father and son relationship positively.
I have faced doubt, rejection, failure, and fear in my lifetime. I am often attributed to such words as tenacious, passionate, resilient, inspiring and successful. I am a true entrepreneur who has experienced tremendous obstacles, faced down fear and persevered through some of the most uncomfortable moments of my life. These moments have ironically all been my greatest gifts. They have taught me the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity, pushed me to lean into fear during the most uncomfortable moments and forced me to rise to the occasion not only to survive in business but in life; to ultimately thrive.
I am the second oldest child in my family. I grew up without my father and never felt like I had a mentor. Becoming a young man, I yearned for a role model; one that I could learn and growth from, authentically. Searching for this, I only came face to face with toxic masculinity and guidance from punishment. This behavior, learned and watched from my own father, was what I thought I should be and do as a man.
Throughout my teen and young adult years, I watched my family slowly crumble.My father struggled with addiction, and my mother heald up the family as best as she could. I began to internalize fear and pain, not knowing what do with the weight of all that was happening around me. I struggled, I pushed down emotions, and I walked through the world with an arrogance and toxicity that took me 20 years to undo and put down.
I feared not being enough. I feared of not being able to do more and I feared the unknown. And yet, as a youg man, I knew I had to persevere. I had to provide, to be a man. At 19, I began working in a marketing company and committed myself to my work. I embarked on my first business venture. With an endless desire to grow, learn, and pursue success, I started a business from my bedroom in my parent’s house. I got a loan for $5,000 and transpired this business venture into a billion dollar company. This was no easy feat. I worked hard, learned from my mistakes, and made sacrifices along the way. At 20, I was promoted to a Junior Sales position and was learning how to navigate work and life from all of my mistakes.
I have spent my career taking on new challenges and business ventures while also acting as a mentor to many aspiring business owners and company executives who are striving to propel their ventures and expand their successes. One of my greatest accomplishments in business, however, is found in the pivotal role I played as an original Co-Founder of Digital Media Solutions (DMS). My expertise in marketing and business development helped DMS become the award winning, leading global martech company it is today. This company is on a path of continued growth and success because of my perseverance and commitment.
During my career, I was often labeled as aggressive and assertive, which in the early days of my professional carrer were all too true. Nothing good was coming out of my attitude or behavior, internally and externally. The ways in which I was perceived and the ways in which I excelled were not healthy
In my lifetime I have traveled an intricate journey into young adulthood. Experiences both positive and negative, have shaped me into the person I am today, and I am grateful for them all. One of the earliest memories that shaped me as the young man I am today happened when I was 5 years old. I remember my parents doing the best that they possibly could at the time, but being unhappy with each other and eventually telling me they were separating. At 5, as you can imagine, the hurt that I felt, compounded with my young age, was difficult to navigate. However, in my life I have always persisted, even in the most difficult of times. I witnessed my dad move out and live on his own, navigated how to see my parents who were once a complete unit dissolve into two individual people who didn’t communicate well at the time, all while wondering how I could continue to be empathetic and process their split. The weight of the separation had a tremendous effect on me and my relationship with both of my parents and was one that pushed me at a young age to be present in my feelings, my thoughts, and my actions.
Growing up with a sibling who has a disability that they cannot control is both enriching and challenging. My younger brother has autism. People with autism have delayed language skills, delayed movement skills, delayed cognitive or learning skills, hyperactive and impulsive and/or inattentive behaviors, epilepsy or seizure disorders, unusual eating and sleeping habits, and unusual moods with emotional reactions. As a sibling, I sought to bond with my brother, like all siblings do. Bonding, showing love and emotion to my brother was a journey that required patience, growth, and education. I had to learn that I had to meet my brother where he was at and that he wasn’t able to meet me where I was, and that that was ok. I learned and eventually began to love his love for things: roller coasters, video games, puzzles. These are all things that bring him joy, and ultimately bring me joy in the moments I spend with him. This journey made me grow up quickly; I had to navigate my brother with adult-like thinking and cognitive responses. I quickly learned and gained irreplaceable life experiences which turned me into a strong, independent, and caring adult who means the true meaning of family, love, hard work, and most of all, patience.
In life, there are moments that shape who we are and these experiences have deep impacts on our personhood and growth. Throughout my life I have witnessed addiction, bullying, and unhealthy relationships. Experience of alcoholism with one of my closest family members, my Papi (grandfather), gave me lots of perspective on life and on addiction. Although my papi suffered from PTSD, an Army vet, and was a functioning alcoholic, the side effects, realities, and experiences of his addictions did impact my life. When he passed away, eight years ago, I reflected on what addiction and PTSD can do to a person, what he was able to give me as a child and young adult, and the impacts, both positive and negative, of his addiction.
Life experiences shape us, give us moments of solace, of gratitude, and of reflection. All points of growth and evolution.
Parents Seperation
Growing Up with Autistic Brother
Learning how to process
Navigating Boyhood & Bullying
Learning about healthy relationship
Realizing effects of addiction and PTSD
Reconnecting with my father
Launcing Men of Legacy
Start your legacy with us, believe in yourself and grow.
Strengthening father-son relationships: Men of Legacy aims to change the old-school thinking that fathers and sons cannot have sustainable, joyous relationships built on accountability, emotion, and commitment to each other. By breaking down barriers between fathers and sons across generations and cultures, Men of Legacy helps create strong binding relationships, ultimately reinforcing the father and son relationship positively.
Personal growth: Men of Legacy offers an experience of deep conversations within oneself and uncomfortable conversations together as a father and son, to promote growth and unity. Through meditation, individual and group discussions, personal stories and revelations, important time together, bonding activities and family centered meals, Men of Legacy helps participants to understand each other more and experience real-life emotion, realizing it is okay to show love, emotional connections, and vulnerability.
Expert Guidance: The Men of Legacy podcast, speaking engagements, and group sessions are all formatted to the location, venue, and audience at hand. Men of Legacy covers important topics and group activities to help fathers and sons grow their bond, build stronger relationships, instill better trust in both sons and fathers, break down barriers, and grow out of comfort zones. The program is led by a dynamic father and son team, Louie Ruelas and Louie Ruelas, Jr., who have a lifetime of experiences that have shaped them into strong, independent, and caring adults who know the true meaning of family, love, hard work, and most of all, patience.
Start your legacy with us, believe in yourself and grow.
