Vinny's Story: From Ohio to Paraguay

“If you start something, you finish it.”

It was one of the first values instilled in a boy who set out to live life exceptionally. No matter the setbacks. Vinny was born and raised in Ohio, but his story didn’t end there—it was just where it began. Today, he calls Paraguay home. This is the story of how he got there.

Early Years: Mindset & Wrestling

At five years old, Vinny’s parents signed him up for wrestling. He was always the underdog—but he worked harder than everyone else. By his sophomore year of high school, that dedication started to pay off.

“Wrestling means so much to me. My best friend—the buddy I grew up with—is the one I wrestled with all the time. He’s the reason I kept doing it. I loved the culture, and over time, it became a part of my life.”

By the end of his sophomore year, Vinny was defeating higher-ranked opponents. The next year, he took on Greco-Roman wrestling and went on to win State. Alongside wrestling, he played football, channeling the same discipline and mindset.

“I used to let people walk all over me, but something clicked my senior year. I stopped letting that happen—it was my time to shine. From that moment on, I was all in.”

Pushing Limits: Injuries

On the football field, Vinny set a record for the most tackles in a single game—and in that same game, he broke his thumb in the first quarter but kept playing. That same determination carried him through wrestling season.

He was projected to win a tournament, but a sprained ankle set him back. In the next one, while going for a single-leg, his opponent came down on top of him, and his leg bent backward. He couldn’t walk and had to forfeit the rest of the tournament.

Weeks on crutches and an MRI later, he learned he’d sprained his MCL and bruised the bone in his knee. He didn’t return until the qualifiers.

Recovery and Renewal: Finding Strength in Setback

During recovery, Vinny focused on his health. He started running, jump roping, and researching nutrition. After watching a documentary, he went vegan for six months and felt strong—but once he went to college, he chose not to maintain that diet.

A few weeks into college, he noticed a lump that kept growing. After tests, his doctor scheduled a biopsy, concerned it might be cancer.

“I was alone when I found out. I remember sitting on a bench on campus, calling my dad. That was the hardest part.”

Surgery came a few weeks later. Recovery was long and painful. He couldn’t lift or do any activity for months. When he tried to return too soon, he re-injured himself and had to stop all physical activity for nearly a year. Even now, he goes in for checkups every six months.

What could have broken him became a reminder of his strength and resilience.

College Years: Searching for Direction

Vinny grew his work ethic into college. He never pictured himself joining a fraternity, but a close friend invited him to check one out. It turned out to be different from what he expected—a group of guys who had fun but kept each other accountable, balancing social life with school.

By his second year, things shifted. The world had opened back up, and so did the party scene. Vinny let himself unwind—maybe too much. He stopped working when he went home, had no real job, and didn’t feel like he was moving forward.

The Turning Point: Finding Purpose Through Hustle

Then came spring break in Fort Lauderdale. A week of partying with friends turned into an unexpected moment of clarity.

“I got back home and just thought—what am I doing? I can’t keep floating like this. I need to do something that pushes me forward.”

For three straight days, Vinny sent out emails to every opportunity he could find. Eventually, one stuck—a door-to-door pest control job in North Carolina. It was a start.

That summer became a defining chapter. Under the heat, knocking on doors and facing rejection daily, Vinny realized something important about himself: he was a hustler. He could outwork anyone. And more than that, he could build something from nothing.

A New Direction: Life in Paraguay and Continuing the Hustle

After North Carolina, Vinny realized he had a talent for sales. Turning 20, he’d made $40K in 90 days, and it opened his eyes to what he could do with focus. He also discovered a love for Dodge Chargers, racing on the highway with friends he met knocking on doors. Determined to get one, he figured it out even after his parents cut him off financially—but the car taught him lessons about priorities. He picked up a bar-back job, then moved into life insurance sales—a turning point.

“That’s where I met my mentor. I started training MMA, taking nutrition seriously, and really going all in on work.”

He even put a bed in the office, sleeping there for months to fully embrace the grind. Vinny had long dreamed of leaving the country. With his brother and friend Max, he moved to Paraguay, continued building his sales career, and competed in MMA.

“I got kneed in the head and had to take months off to recover. It was tough, but I knew I had to heal right or I might not be the same.”

Today, Vinny works in sales, builds his own ventures, and connects with people from around the world. Every challenge has been fuel, every setback a lesson, and every step has shaped the life he’s determined to live.

“I realized I was a hustler. I could outwork anyone—and build something from nothing.”

Vinny’s journey shows that purpose isn’t given—you chase it, fight for it, and finish what you start. Hard work, resilience, and persistence have carried him from Ohio to Paraguay, and he continues to live exceptionally every day.