They stay open. Year after year. Through good times… and through moments that test everything. 🏢 Right here in our community, we have businesses that have been serving for decades. Not just selling something… But showing up. Standing strong. And building something that can’t be faked… Trust. You see it in their reviews. You hear it in the way people talk about them. You feel it when you walk through their doors. 🥋 I’ve been part of that journey myself. Many of you know me from Donato Karate Center… what is now Donato’s Action Karate Mount Laurel. We’ve been here a long time. Long enough to go through three world events that challenged everything. And in those moments… like so many of these local businesses… we had to make a decision: Do we close… or do we stay open and serve? We chose to stay. Not because it was easy… but because people needed something steady. Something real. 💡 That’s what this is about. The Big Ask Card is our way of shining a light on those businesses. The ones who didn’t disappear. The ones who kept going. The ones who are still here… still serving. Not just businesses… People. People supporting their families. People employing others. People doing their best, day in and day out. 🌱 And I also want to say this… There are businesses in our community that are just getting started. Maybe a year in… maybe a couple of years in… Working hard. Figuring things out. Earning those first reviews… one customer at a time. That’s not easy. If you’ve ever built something from the ground up… you know. The long days. The uncertainty. The question of “is this going to work?” 🙏 To those businesses… We see you. We respect the work you’re putting in. And we want to encourage you to keep going. Because every strong business that’s been here for decades… Started exactly where you are right now. 🤝 That’s why the Big Ask Card is about both. The established… and the rising. The ones who have built trust over time… and the ones who are building it right now.

There’s something I’ve been feeling more and more these past few weeks. And I want to say it clearly. I’m focusing my work on men. Men 40 and older… Men figuring things out… Men carrying responsibilities… Men who’ve taken some hits… Men who are still standing—and maybe wondering, what now? Now listen… I speak with everyone. I connect with women, with moms, with grandmothers—and I always will. There’s deep respect there. But there’s something calling me right now to step in and stand alongside men. Not above them. Not preaching to them. But walking with them. Why This Matters to Me I’ll be 65 years old on May 9th. That number… it does something to a man. It makes you look back. It makes you take inventory. It makes you ask… what have I learned… and who can I help with it? Over the last several years, I’ve been doing that work. I wrote my book, Living Strong: The Power of Defining Moments. I built out my Living Strong Methodology. I put it into practice—not just in theory, but in real life… through challenges, through setbacks, through growth. And I wrote my Living Strong Manifesto—something simple, direct, and real… something I’m now giving away because it’s meant to be used, not just held onto. Because here’s the truth… What good is experience… if you don’t pass it on? What I’m Seeing Right Now I’ve been talking to a lot of men lately. Different ages. Different backgrounds. Some in their 20s. Many in their 40s, 50s, 60s. And what I’m seeing is this… Men are thinking. Men are searching. Men are carrying more than they talk about. But a lot of them… don’t have a place to go with it. No judgment. No pressure. Just real conversation… real direction… real practice. That’s where I come in. What I’m Committing To I’m making myself available. I’m committing to sharing: - Simple, practical ways to Live Strong every day - Mindset shifts that actually work in real life - A daily practice, not just motivation - Lessons from my journey—what worked, what didn’t, what matters

There’s something powerful about starting fresh… not from scratch—but from experience. That’s exactly what I did on April 1st when I launched my YouTube channel, The Living Strong Method. And I’ll tell you straight… I didn’t go into this trying to be flashy, trendy, or chasing algorithms. I went in with one thing in mind: Speak to the man who’s lived a little. The man who’s taken some hits… The man who’s had some wins… The man who’s still standing—but maybe asking himself, “What’s next for me now?” And something interesting started happening right away. The Shorts—those quick, straight-to-the-point messages—started connecting. Not with everybody… but with the right ones. Men 40 and older. Men who don’t need motivation screamed at them… They need truth spoken to them. Men who aren’t looking to “start over”… They’re looking to **build from where they are**. That’s who this channel is for. This isn’t about hype. This isn’t about perfection. This is about Living Strong in real time. It’s about learning how to think better… move better… respond better… and live with a sense of direction and purpose—no matter what season you’re in. What I’m sharing on this channel comes from years of living, not theory. From the streets of the Bronx… to stages around the world… to the mats… to being a father… and now… as a grandfather. Every lesson has been earned. And now I’m putting it into simple, direct messages that you can take with you into your day. So if you’re a man… 40, 50, 60 and beyond… And you’re not done… You’re not finished… You’re not interested in slowing down—you’re interested in leveling up… I’m talking to you. Check out The Living Strong Method. Watch a video or two. Take what hits. Leave what doesn’t. And if something connects with you… I’d like to hear it. Because this isn’t just about me talking. This is about us… men who are still in the fight, still in the game, and still choosing to live strong.

I want to share something with you. At this stage in my life, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about where I can be most useful… and where my experience can truly make a difference. I’ve lived through a lot. Challenges. Setbacks. Growth. Defining moments. And what I’ve come to understand is this: Most men don’t need more information. They need clarity. They need structure. They need a way forward. So I’m opening up a small number of opportunities to work more directly with men 45+ through: 1:1 Living Strong Mentorship (4-week reset) Speaking and workshops for men’s groups and organizations A small group Living Strong Circle This is for men who know they’re not done… but understand it’s time to move differently. If that speaks to you, or if you know someone in your life who could benefit from this… Reach out to me directly. We’ll start with a conversation and take it from there. Living Strong.

Next Sunday on the Living Strong Radio Show, I sit down with someone very special — my wife, @Renee Chambers-Liciaga Renee grew up surrounded by music. Her father, Roland Chambers, worked with the legendary Philadelphia International Records, and her mother was part of the iconic group The Orlons. From those roots, Renee built her own journey in the performing arts — including Starlight Express and now rehearsing for Jelly’s Last Jam at Bristol Riverside Theatre. In this conversation, we talk about music, theater, resilience, and what it really means to stand up for what you believe in. This short clip is just a preview. The full interview drops next Sunday on the Living Strong Radio Show. Will be released for public on Sunday 3/22/26 here: https://youtu.be/3TgJ0mCMriQ