Ladder Holders

 

Description

There are two approaches to helping others — throwing the rope down or holding the ladder up. Both methods involve helping others, but one requires a different level of effort and risk. The difference is, uplifting others comes from the heart. Continue reading to learn about Ladder Holders who have lifted Deion Wells-Ross on his journey to founding the DWR business:

 

When it comes to leading and helping others, too many people put themselves on pedestals and possess a throw the rope down mentality. This method is ineffective because more people can climb a ladder compared to climbing a rope. This approach deploys soft helping such as social media posts, sharing spare time, or voicing opinions. Throwing the rope down is the easiest route to fulfilling a responsibility; checking a box. As the graphic implies, it is a hands-off approach to helping others.

 

 

The higher-level approach to uplifting others is holding the ladder up for people regardless of their socioeconomic status, race, or walk of life. This form of helping others involves a hands-on approach and acts of love. This top-tier form of assisting begins in the heart. The world needs more Ladder Holders who lift with their hearts like the four men that held the ladder up for Deion on his upward journey.

 

 

Joe is the epitome of an altruistic Ladder Holder who is devoted to uplifting others. Currently, he is employed at a Foundation in Nebraska and holds a role that focuses on education, career policy, and practice improvement strategies. As a former high school basketball coach, he poured his heart and soul into his players. Fortunately, Deion was one of those players that sprouted from his outpour during the 2010-2011 basketball season. He holds a special place in Deion’s heart as the first person to believe in him as a young man. Joe strongly believed Deion had the potential to accomplish great things as a human being long before Deion thought he could make a varsity basketball team. One day these two had a private discussion centered around confidence and belief. Here is the message Joe wrote to Deion at the end of his sophomore basketball season from 2010-2011 that he still cherishes dearly:

“Deion, I hope you remember the one-on-one discussion we had about halfway through the year when I told you I think you are one of the greatest kids I have had the opportunity to work with. I also told you that you need to believe it. I have seen your confidence in yourself grow, and that has made you a better player. But I was also talking to you about you being a great young man. That means in school and society. You are one of the most talented athletically and academically gifted kids I know. It’s up to you to prove it. I can’t wait to see you succeed”.

It has been years since Joe wrote this message, and Deion is still uncertain why someone would believe he had the potential to become successful when he did not believe it himself. This was written at a point in Deion’s life when confidence did not exist. Deion vulnerably admits, he still does not know what Joe saw in him as a young man, but his words have boosted him on this journey.

Fast-forwarding eleven years later, Deion is now building the first social entrepreneurial-focused blogging and speaking business/brand. This certainly would not be possible without Joe holding the ladder up early on in Deion’s life. As time continues, expect to see many more seeds that Joe has watered flourish. He truly invests in people and holds the ladder up by being hands-on. Deion anticipates from knowing Mr. DiCostanzo, it is safe to assume he will be a lifelong Ladder Holder.

 

Thank you for believing in me, Coach D! You were the first person to hold the ladder up for me in my life. More importantly, thank you for providing humans unconditional support and being a Ladder Holder. Your scope reaches far beyond me.

– Deion Wells-Ross

 

Mike Swartz 

Deion says without dispute, Mike saved and changed his life by holding my ladder up. In October of 2015, Mike was a random guy that gave Deion his business card at the Fremont, NE YMCA. Mike is known in this area as the “Shot Doc” because he is an expert in the jump shot. The words Deion vividly remembers from the Shot Doc the first day they met are, “Call me if you want to put in some work and elevate your game”.

Well, two months later, in December, a single business card changed Deion’s life. He was in despair after quitting the basketball team that December without a backup plan because he did not see eye to eye with the coaching staff. In desperation, he called Mr. Swartz, who became a mentor, personal coach, and Ladder Holder.

He took it upon himself to treat Deion like a son. From January to August 2016, Mike trained and developed Deion at 5:30 am five days per week at zero cost. Mr. Swartz’s only request was for Deion to give it his all and maximize the potential he saw.

This is a prime example of holding the ladder up for someone with selfless behavior. Mike’s satisfaction genuinely came from helping someone else reach new heights.

It is because of Mike’s willingness to extend his love far beyond basketball Deion survived a turbulent 8 months searching for himself and a school to attend.

When his car broke down, and Deion faced financial difficulties, Mike provided him a bike and helped fix his car. After a long day of exercising, he supplied Deion with groceries to make sure his protein intake was sufficient. When Deion hit rock bottom because every effort to find a school was left unanswered, Mike recommended Nebraska Wesleyan University. Conclusively, anytime Deion thought he reached a ceiling, Mike shoved the ladder higher.

One of Deion’s favorite sayings from this Ladder Holder is, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. This statement, combined with Mike’s love and unconditional support, completely changed Deion’s life. Mr. Wells-Ross recognizes that Mike’s efforts, energy, and love groomed him to succeed at Nebraska Wesleyan.

 

I am forever indebted to your grace and ladder holding. I promise to pay it forward to future generations by maximizing my potential to help others the same way you help me. Thanks, Mike.

– Deion

 

Dale Wellman

After 8 months of relentless work and immense pressure, in August of 2016, Deion found himself at Nebraska Wesleyan University pacing outside of Coach Wellman’s office, consumed by pure nervousness and uncertainty. Deion lifelong dreams depended on one final effort to join Dale’s team.

Somehow after frantic contemplation, Deion mustard up the courage to boldly walked into Coach Wellman’s office unknown, uninvited, and unannounced to inquire about joining NWU’s basketball. After a long conversation and a couple of suspenseful days, Deion committed to this university weeks before school and basketball conditioning started.

In hindsight, Deion is not clear on why a coach would risk allowing a random kid who walked into his office to join the team weeks before the season launch. Especially after receiving skepticism about Deion’s knee injury and skill level from former coaches.

For whatever reason, Dale was compelled enough to take a risk that turned into the opportunity of a lifetime for both men. In 2018, the same team Deion “bullied” his way onto won the DIII National Championship as an unranked team. This is an incredible testimony of Dale writing his name in the history books by holding the ladder up for Deion.

The greatest lesson to learn from this situation is to always complete a self-assessment and use your judgment when taking risks. After considering all of the factors, Dale had no sound reasons to allow Deion to join a newly founded team. This was a risky move because Deion could have been a cancerous player or injury-prone. Although he was a redshirt junior in college, he had never played a season of varsity basketball.

Deion believes it was visible to Coach Wellman that he was hungry, mature, driven, and willing to do anything for an opportunity. These factors brought a different element to the table for a freshman-loaded team preparing to take the court together for the first time.

The moral is, the world needs more people who are willing to take risks by offering opportunities. If you hold the ladder up for someone and they fall short of maximizing the opportunity, you are still providing a chance they would have never come across in the grand scheme of things.

Unbeknown to Dale and Deion at the time, one opportunity would create a ripple effect for generations to come. This opportunity ignited infectious Atomic Energy.

Thank you, Coach Wellman, for taking a risk on me and changing my life forever. The DWR business would not exist without my success under your wings of leadership. Winning a national champion was the launching pad for Dreams Welcoming Reality. We are always in support of you. Love you, coach! (screaming team motto).

LEADING = LOVING

While exercising his leadership, he has not been afraid to make loving moves by adjusting the height of Deion’s ladder. As their relationship has progressed, Mark agreed to be Deion’s mentor for a class in the MBA program at NWU. This agreement has only strengthened our relationship as we have been meeting biweekly since February of 2021. Mark has listened, loved, counseled, and supported Deion unconditionally through countless situations and conversations.

During one of their conversations, fate struck, and legacies were born — Deion opened up by sharing with Mark he had in-depth entrepreneurial plans and believed he could change the world. As a big dreamer, Deion believes it with his entire being and felt the only barrier he faced was he did not have the opportunity or resources. At the time, Deion was miserably trapped in the Corporate Cage and did not have the resources readily available to launch any entrepreneurial endeavors. After learning this, Mark’s instincts and loving heart were triggered.

Weeks after this conversation, Deion shared the master plans for the financial conglomerate composed of six businesses with Mark. Presently, he is the only other human (outside of Deion’s significant other) in the world that has seen the plans at their length. The starting point of the financial conglomerate was launching the DWR business.

After thoughtful dialogue with his wife, they decided to launch Deion’s ladder higher by jumpstarting the DWR business. Deion recalls sitting in emotional awe as he watched Mark write him a check to fund his first business. He instantly knew this was a moment that would influence many lives.

Like winning a national championship, Deion cannot express the feelings of being the recipient of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Mark is a ladder holder that loved and believed in Deion dreams enough to invest in his vision with no strings attached. He graciously created the opportunity that Deion longed for. The ladder could not be held any higher. The Walz’s are responsible for fueling the beginning of the DWR business.

The most notable comment that Mr. Walz has made during this process is that despite the difficulty and complexity of the master plans, everything is centered around uplifting other people. DWR exists to hold the ladder up for as many people as possible.

I would not be the man or leader I am today without your fathership and continued support. Thank you for setting the pace as a Ladder Holder. As we have discussed many times, the mission is to pay it forward. Love you guys.

– DWR

Anyone can become a Ladder Holder by leveraging your given abilities, strengths, resources, and love to uplift people. The DWR brand and future business endeavors would not exist without these individuals’ heart-inspired actions to hold the ladder up for Deion Wells-Ross. The world needs more Ladder Holders. We are all equal.