By Robo | www.roboaces.com

Let’s rewind the tape, shall we?

Picture it: York, Pennsylvania, years ago. The first Outback Steakhouse rolls into town like a culinary thunderstorm—and I was there for the madness. Long hours. Training marathons. Chaotic dinner rushes that had us sweating like we were backstage at a rock concert. And through it all? Liz. One of the real ones. We opened that place together. Hustled side by side. Built something from scratch with nothing but grit, grease, and a “no worries” attitude.

We became family in the fire. The kind of bond that time and distance can’t touch.

But as life often does, it threw us both in different directions. I chased dreams in other states, other industries, other lives. We lost touch for a while. Until social media started doing what it does best—reconnecting us with people who knew us before we were tired, before we were jaded, before life hit us with roundhouse kicks to the face.

That’s when Liz popped back up.

At first, it was innocent. Sharing pics of her family, celebrating life. But then things started to shift. She was building something. A business. A life on her terms. And over five years ago, she reached out and said something that stuck:

"You were always ambitious, fearless, and magnetic. You could build this into something massive. I see it in you."

I heard her. But I didn’t really hear her.

I had a million excuses. I was busy. I had too much on my plate. I was waiting for the “big opportunity”—not realizing it was literally knocking at my digital door.

So I brushed her off. Year after year.

And in the meantime, I watched her. Building. Traveling. Spending time with her family. Walking across stages, collecting awards. Doing the damn thing. Living a life I used to imagine for myself.

Me? I was back in the trenches. Restaurant gigs. Warehouse work. Uber rides. Truck deliveries. You name it, I did it. A constant grind to stay afloat, but never quite getting ahead.

🌴 Welcome to Florida… and Isolation

When I moved to Florida, I thought I’d find peace. Palm trees. Beaches. Maybe a little clarity.

What I got was the loneliest year of my life.

Uber became my full-time gig. I had fleeting conversations with strangers—great talks, real laughs—but they always ended the same: they disappeared back to their vacations, and I was left alone in the car with a new fare and a lingering emptiness.

Building a local tribe? Impossible.
Living in an RV park? Revolving door of people just passing through.
Meaningful connections? Scarce.
Familiarity? Gone.

Let’s just say the only consistent thing in my life was the lack of consistency. And over time, that loneliness got louder. Like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, I felt like a man stranded on an island, except instead of talking to a volleyball, I was having deep conversations with my steering wheel and clinging to memories of home.

And let’s not sugarcoat it—I lost a relationship with someone I still care about deeply. That hurt in ways I wasn’t prepared for. I also missed my kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, siblings—the people who make life feel rich. I’m a family guy through and through, and suddenly, I was missing holidays, missed milestones, and memories I wasn’t there to help create.

The ache was deep. Constant.

It all hit at once: the isolation, the loss, the lack of money, the wasted year, and the overwhelming weight of not recognizing the guy in the mirror anymore.

⚡️ Then Came the Spark

Enter Liz. Again.

With her same unshakable faith in me.
With her same fire.
This time, she didn’t just nudge. She kicked me in the ass—in the most loving way possible.

“You ready now? Because this thing isn’t going to build itself. And you’re meant for more.”

And this time? I finally listened.

I said YES.
And I meant it.

🔥 Rebuilding With Purpose

Yeah, I jumped in years ago. Dabbled. Let life distract me. Put it on the back burner. Hell, it practically fell off the stove. But now? Now I’m back. With intention. With purpose. With FIRE.

This isn’t just a side hustle. This is my rebuild. My chance to finally take control of my life—not just for me, but for the people I love.

I want to travel again. I want to show up for the people who matter. I want to pay for dinners, plan trips, give back, surprise my family, and build a business that leaves a legacy. I want to live again—not just exist.

“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” – J.K. Rowling

Liz saw that foundation in me before I did. She reminded me of who I really am—of who I was before the world wore me down.

And now? I’m coming back stronger.
With every call, every post, every conversation—I’m building. I’m climbing.

🙏 To Liz—With Respect, Gratitude, and a Future High-Five

To say I appreciate Liz doesn’t cut it.

She’s more than a friend. She’s a lighthouse. She never gave up on me, even when I gave up on myself. She saw a spark and refused to let it die. I cannot WAIT for the day I walk across that stage, take that award, and give her the biggest, most meaningful high-five ever delivered.

“Sometimes the people around you won’t understand your journey. They don’t need to. It’s not for them.” – Joubert Botha“Surround yourself with people who see your value and remind you of it.” – Unknown

🚀 So… What Now?

Forget the polite tapping at the door of opportunity. I'm kicking that damn thing off its hinges.

Now, I BUILD. Brick by bloody brick if I have to.

I GROW. Like a damn weed through cracked concrete, unyielding and determined.

I RISE. Not with a gentle float, but clawing my way back to the surface, gasping for the air I deserve.

This home-based business? It ain't some cute little side hustle. It's the goddamn engine of my resurgence. It's the blueprint for rewiring a life that went sideways. It's the path back to feeling like a whole damn human again.

Because the silence of that lost year screamed one truth into my soul: I'm not done. Not by a long shot.

You know what echoes in the quiet moments now? Not regret, but resolve.

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now." – That ain't just a proverb; it's a goddamn mandate. The past is dust. The future? It's raw clay in my hands.

"It’s never too late to be what you might have been." – George Eliot knew the score. That whisper of potential that's been nagging at me? It's not fading. It's a fire being stoked.

And to you, out there in the shadows, feeling the weight of what could have been, what should have been, what the hell happened—listen close. I see the fight in your eyes, even if it's buried under layers of doubt and disappointment. I've been down in that dark, lonely hole. And I'm telling you, with every fiber of my being: the story ain't over. The ink ain't dry.

The road ahead? Yeah, it's gonna be a goddamn climb. There will be stumbles, there will be setbacks that feel like a punch to the gut. But this time? I'm not backing down. This time, the grit is ingrained. This time, the fire in my belly is hotter than a Florida asphalt in August. This road isn't paved with promises; it's forged with sweat, determination, and a refusal to let the past dictate the future. It's mine. And I'm driving it like I stole it.

Stay tuned? Hell no. Strap yourselves in.

RoboAce isn’t done? You haven't seen ANYTHING yet.

He’s not just getting started. He’s exploding onto the scene like a damn supernova.

👊 Final Thought:

"Always leave a place better than you found it."

And after the storm I've weathered, the wreckage I've stared down? That "place" that needs the most goddamn improvement… is me.

#Let’sGo – No polite hashtags here. This is a goddamn battle cry.

#HomeBasedComeback – This ain't a suggestion; it's a declaration.

#YearOfTheRebuild – Tear it down to the studs and build it back stronger.

#RoboAceRise – Watch it happen.

#ThankYouLiz – You lit the fuse. Now stand back.

#TravelEatConnectGrow – The pillars of a life worth living. Reclaiming them all.

#NeverTooLate – Bury that lie six feet under.

#CastAwayNoMore – I'm building my own damn island.

#StageGoals – Not just a dream; a goddamn promise.

#HealingInProgress – Forged in fire.

#GrindToShine – The only way out is through.

#LegacyMoves – This ain't just about me anymore