ALL IN
Mike Somers is the son of a hardworking entrepreneur, who was a constant example of what it looked like to chase hard after your goals and make your own way. When Mike was around 12 years old there was a shift in the home when his dad came to know the Lord. He began to exemplify what it looked like to be intentional with your faith in all areas of life – work included, he was all in. Before long, his family followed suit, and faith became an integral part of the household.
It was during this time that Mike’s house became a beacon for all the neighborhood kids. Kids would show up, and Mike’s dad would order pizza, no questions asked. The more kids came, the more pizza he ordered. When Mike’s brother passed away, the kids still came, but they were grieving, searching for answers and understanding. That’s when Mike’s dad turned to the local pastor for some wise counsel. What started out as a cool place to hang out, turned in to a make-shift youth group.
As Mike moved from junior high and high school in to college, there was a shift in his faith life. He was out on his own for the first time, and began to drift away from not only faith, but also his academics. He spent a lot of time with friends and less and less time on his studies. The wake-up call came when his GPA took a big hit and it was the wake-up call his needed to get both areas of his life back on track.
He began taking entrepreneurial business classes, realizing that his brain and work ethic were geared towards this type of work. He began to excel. During one class, their professor gave the students the task of starting up a business with $100. Mike was one of very few people in the class who took this seriously, and started his very first business endeavor. A business that wound up being quite successful, and eventually purchased by a larger business. Once he had the taste of what it was like to be his own boss, he like his dad, jumped all in.
Mike has gone on to start and run several successful businesses, including Bloomington based Intern Rocket. He has used his influence in the business world to help and serve others, and is an example of how to integrate faith into each area of your life.