I thought I did. An entrepreneur at heart and in practice, I always thought I would spend my professional life creating and managing successful companies.

But in December 2004, my wife and I learned that our then 4-year-old son had juvenile diabetes. The diagnosis was shocking. Our son, Joseph, had been out of sorts that fall, moody and grumpy, extremely hungry and thirsty, and he resumed bedwetting, something he’d long before overcome. We had expected a kidney infection to be the culprit—even just another “stage”—but never a life-altering and life-threatening condition.

Not long after his diagnosis, Joseph asked me whether he’d have to endure insulin shots for the rest of his life. (He gets at least four shots daily.) Sadly, the answer is “yes—until there’s a cure.” That’s when the light switched on for me. I knew that I could make a difference for my son, and millions of other children like him. I decided to pair my passion for my son’s health with my lifelong business ambition and write a book on leadership—and the profits would fund diabetes research.

“Leadership Within Reach” was written to provide a positive message about successful leaders today (there are many great stories to tell!) and to raise awareness and funds for diabetes research. As you read the book, I hope you reach the same conclusion that I did—that “leadership will make the difference” and help all of us reach our goals.