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Above & Beyond: Where Excellence Meets Elevation
Above & Beyond: Where Excellence Meets Elevation

When Life Labels You a Failure… Build Anyway | The Eric Lopez Journey

21 May 2026 1:37:23 Jan Simon

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Eric Lopez shares his journey from growing up in small-town Illinois with an absent father to being raised by his mother, stepfather, and influential older brother, including a turbulent period living with his dad in California that led to drugs, quitting other sports for bowling, and eventually college bowling. After graduating from the University of Illinois, he was kicked out of MBA school and earned a felony after being arrested with marijuana, which pushed him into entrepreneurship when traditional jobs were unavailable. He built a logistics book of business, worked from home, and later sold it for $1.4 million due to rising fraud in trucking. He then pivoted into AI Agency USA, focusing on inbound/outbound AI voice systems for businesses, while also pursuing fulfillment through a baseball-focused podcast, The Pen, and emphasizing family, resilience, and legacy.

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