Trials, Tribulations and Victories

To every life comes adversities, trials and tribulations. To simply explain only the high moments without the struggles would not be truthful, honest and transparent. We live in a world where people want to portray a perfect life or good one which can be great for marketing but there is more than meets the eye. People can defame your name with no evidence, titles and simply become jelous of what you have worked so hard for. We live in a society of selfishness, greed, laziness and dishonesty.

I have worked so hard for so many years to build a name, reputation and standard of living but it did not come overnight. A few have tried to destroy my name, reputation all to elevate themselves but in the end the truth does rise to the surface. It seems to me that the more truthful you are with people the heartache and headache life can become. Jesus was a good example of this as He spoke Truth and many of His own Jewish people crucified Him for it. Other examples of those who speak the truth are often defamed as liars and etc. We live in a world were standing up for what you believe in can be a sign of defiance and non-compliance.

To every story there is always two sides to the story, so here are mine.

Aristotle

"There is only one way to avoid criticism. Do nothing. Be nothing. Say nothing." Aristotle.

SEE THE GOOD IN IT ALL

Like most childhoods not all are perfect but mine was just a bit different from the beginning. As a child I knew my parents loved us and always spent time with us. My dad never missed a game, and my mom was always there but with them two together it was a hostile environment of fighting, abuse and never a moment of peace in the home. To be honest my childhood felt like a blur. My father was not only verbally abusive and physically towards my mother but the fights where nightly and a constant war zone. She was powerless and, in that moment, I saw the fear in her eyes and the how my dad whom I loved both handled their situations.

At 8 years old it was a life of fear as my mom drank her life away to avoid the abusiveness from my dad and my dad simply just become a tyrant in the home. My dad from his defense was doing everything he could to support our family and the stressors of local county and state officials basically stole our family land by putting my father in into Federal prison for a year for littering his own wetlands. If they could not get the price they wanted, then they would band arms and have attorneys push small farmers like us out of Central Florida in the 80's with the big housing boom. They wanted to buy our family land in Orlando, and he basically gave them a price and they refused to pay our fee and they gave him 1.2 million dollars in environmental fees and between county officials and developers ended up building 300 homes which is now Aloma Woods in Oviedo Florida. Over the years I role by the neighborhood and just so many good and bad memories flood me with the time duck hunting, running ATV's and etc.

At this age I realized that life is not fair. It was not fair to see my father spend a year of prison because he would not allow government officials steal what he worked so hard for. It was not fair that my mother, sister and I had to take the abuse for so many years with over 20 domestic violence charges against my father. It was from that moment I knew my job was to protect and understand how the game really works but oh would I realize latter in my life how I would see the same pressures in the Navy.

LANDOWNER GUILTY OF DUMPING CASE WAS CALLED A TEST OF THE STATE’S ENVIRONMENTAL LAW – Orlando Sentinel

"An attitude of gratitude will change your perspective of life, in how you see God, life, others and yourself. A heart of gratitude will fill your heart with love and you will truly begin to live life."

GROWTH

It all began in high school when I was chosen for a starting position on a nationally ranked baseball team in 1998 at Father Lopez High School. One day during lunch I was shooting some hoops in the gym, when 7 of my own teammates who were Seniors approached me and threw pushed me. I was a freshman and rising star as I just competed in the Little League World Series and played for Chet Lemmon of the Orlando Juice. They said they were going to teach me a lesson. They cornered me and were going to beat me down.

During that moment I had no issues with anyone of them and I questioned why would they want to jump me? I didn't date anyone, stayed to myself and just worked my tail off for a sport I loved. What did I do? I simply outshined them on the baseball field and did my job. In that moment a good buddy of mine David Keesy came running into the group and said, "What you guys are doing is wrong, and if you want to jump him, a freshman who simply is making you look bad, then you will have to fight me." In that moment I learned a lot about human nature, and it meant so much to me with David stepping up for me. After school I went home and explained to my dad what had happened. It simply sat me down and said, "Son, God is going to bless you more than you know and too much is given much is expected. You will be successful in life and the more success you have the more people will hate you for it. Now, Let's call David and thank him. That is a true friend there." From that moment on, I knew I had a choice to choose to become a follower of the herd or to become a leader regardless of what others are saying and doing and to stay with my convictions.

Helping others come through their struggles and continuously to encourage others and I am poured into through daily journaling, reading and internal growth and dancing has changed my life. My son has truly revolutionized my purpose for living and I love to help others see life as a journey. Your never alone and there is always someone there to help if you are willing to reach out and seek it.

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” — Helen Keller

John 16:33

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

YOUR ADVERSITY BECOMES YOUR STORY, YOUR ARMOR AND YOUR INSPIRATION TO HELP OTHERS

It was the year 2000 and I was a rising junior in high school. I had the world by the tail and was traveling on 4 baseball teams at the time. My baseball career was heavily involved with training daily, no parties, no girls and simply disciplined on church, school and baseball. My goal was to truly become a Major League Baseball Player and with over 250 Division 1 letters and phone calls from the Yankees and Expos, it seemed that those dreams where now going to become a reality. Some guys speak of making it and others are right there as I had the joy to play with Zack Greinke, Ricky Weeks and Prince Fielder. That year I was in the Diamond Classic in Tampa Florida when I was long tossing. In that moment I felt my shoulder tear and pop. It didn't feel right so I had my dad take me to the doctor. They conducted an MRI with Stetson University Doctor Homan and my worst fears had come true. I had torn my labium. After that moment I cried my eyes out for nearly 2 weeks every night. What would I do? I am not a great student. I hate school. I don't want to work for my dad and now my life purpose is gone. This is what I devoted the past 10 years of my life from 8-18 and now when it is all about to showcase off, it is taken away. I would wake up at 6 A.M and run my sprints, I lifted at lunch, I swam on the swim team, then trained till 12:00 A.M and that was when I didn't have a baseball game. I loved it and scouts loved me. They loved my maturity, discipline and reports from all my coaches.

That year I went through more ridicule from my teammates who I thought would show compassion, kindness and empathy when all the long then used it to ridicule me, and to utilize my weakness as their now strong points. The sad thing with one good arm, I still outhit the damn team, but I was no longer a real prospect for professional baseball.

The depression became so much, I didn't tell a soul until one day I had a 7 MM Browning, BAR in my mouth, Chambered, loaded and fire on fire. I was ready to end it until I literally heard a voice from God, saying, "I prepared you for more and I will not give you more than you can handle. Keep going." You see, I gave my whole life to baseball and yes it became my idol, but God is good God and jealous God and His sovereignty saw more than what I could ever see.

So, I reasoned with God that day and said, "Ok, I will tell my sister and parents about this, but if they don't listen then, I will kill myself."

After that moment my parents freaked out, locked up all the guns and just did not know what to do.

Over the years I learned to get help and realized that dancing was such a big part of who I was. I did not only like it but loved it. I love serving other people, networking and I love to encourage others. Utilizing my adversities to help others has taught me to trust in God in all things and to realize control is only an illusion. We have a choice to see life as beautiful and to realize it is too short. You have to live it with passion, for God and to help others. No one is perfect but within your gifts. There is always a light of the end of the tunnel and a hilltop to every valley. You just got to keep your head up and keep the faith.

"They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” — Tom Bodett

DREAM BIG NO MATTER WHAT

It was 2015 and I had a legal battle for the right of easement to my family land in Oviedo Florida. During this time, I had a sense I was being watched and set up. So, I established private cameras to watch my access point to my property. During that time the President to the HOA, Still Water of Oviedo Florida use to work for the local DEA and was setting up a sting operation against me. So, one day after hitting the local gym I went to my property to clean it up and to head home. The police were waiting for me and said I was trespassing. During the time they didn't know I had them on camera, and they were actually in efforts to steal access to the easement agreement that was recorded but their attorney dropped the ball and could not find the records. In the end I was falsely jailed for a night, and I won a $85,000 lawsuit against Still Water. The sad reality was the HOA president was a former Military Officer and knew he was in the wrong, but the greed just did not go as far as he wanted.

MILITARY BASEBALL & U.S COURT MARTIAL

It was now 2016 and I was in the Navy as a Ship Chaplain in Yokosuka, Japan where I launched and created The USA Military Baseball Organization. I brought together Tetsu Yofu and all my staff and the team to create an exhibition baseball team. The Team grew so fast that it was number one on google over the U.S. Navy and Army. In the course of 5 years, we had over 500 baseball players with Team Italy, Team Spain, Team Japan and Team USA and all off my military officer salary. Of what funds where donated was dumped right back into bus rentals, fuel, hotel rooms and food for the baseball players. It was going great until my Commander said he wanted it, and I refused to make it exclusive to one command, but it was open to all branches and service members. Needless to say, this did not go over to well with my military career and getting great FITREP Reports. I was bored and one day started a non-profit called Military Baseball. I checked first with my local JAG to see what I could and could not do. Then I checked with MWR and then I checked to see what I could do to play baseball and to help out local Sailors, Marines and Soldiers and to play some baseball. In the end the whole program fell apart. I donated over $100,000 to the organization and my last command, which it is nicknamed "The Last Command" for reason, (Navy Medicine Training Support Command) put me under a year of investigation, trumped 24 accusations against me and was set to conduct a court martial because I refused to shut down Military Baseball and according to my attorney, I really pissed someone off. Now, I don't know who I pissed off but apparently if you piss someone off in the Navy, you can lose your whole career and I was not the only one. This was just at the time with the new WOKE movement was in order and I was a loud, proud, Trump supporter because I believe in his agendas and policies, and he was also my Commander and Chief at the time. I was the same when Bush was in office, but I was also in an infantry line unit and not with a bunch spinless Navy personal. Anyways, my attorney simply put it, both of them, "Juan you didn't do anything illegally wrong, you just pissed someone off and they want you out, so they are doing a shotgun blast against you and since they are the court, the prosecutor and everything, you really have nothing to stand one because this is Kangaroo court, this is not a legitimate legal system bound by the Constitution. You gave those up when you signed on as a military member." I learned a very valuable lesson. You can't win them all even with all the documents, facts and truth, sometimes the lies are just bigger than the truth and you have to know where you belong. It just felt so different in going from an infantry all male unit, to earning the respect of my brothers and sisters in arms to a unit where whatever you are accused of sticks, and you have to undergo investigation until proven innocent. That is the reality of the Navy and world these days.

I received an honorable discharge from the United States Army with 9 years active duty and 2 combat tours

I received an OTH for disobeying a direct order from my XO whom we both butted heads for 3 years.

What is the difference of court martialing?

What Is A Military Court Martial? | Military.com

What is the type of military discharges?

Understanding The Types of Military Discharge | Military.com

Juan Adriatico Jr. Court Martials

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Benefits Received: Disabled Combat Veteran

Bronze Star & Combat Action Badge

James 1:12

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

It was 2021, I had moved my whole life from San Antonio Texas to Saluda South Carolina. I had to start all over again financially and now with a newborn. Sometimes you try to make things work but you have to trust your gut. I am so blessed with a beautiful son, parents and siblings that have been there for myself over the years and it is because of their encouragement and God's grace I was able to achieve so much in life.

In 2021, I began a small online steel building company, but what would become of it 2 years would blow my mind. It grew in 2 years to conduct almost 8 million in sales but grew so fast to where I had nearly 20 employees and the stress level was intense. It had great momentum but like any new company it took time to work out the flaws, but I made sure my contracts where solid and studied LLR regulations based on my real estate background, called the state and sat down with engineers and builders to ensure we had a team that could take the company to the next level. Now the company is running smooth, and our standard operating procedures are excellent with great books, accounting and partners.

THE BBB

Next thing you know I am in a legal battle with a local competitor and tried to join the BBB, but they would not allow me to do so because in my research I found that the BBB president at the time, her husband is a local contractor who is in direct competition with my company. During this time a local Barndominium business continued to harass my employees with legal battles to fight. Just at that time my mother's my son's found it a good time to jump ship with most of her friends working for my company. During this time, you start to feel very alone but it was during that time I learned a valuable lesson about people in who they are in character and deed.

During that time, I continued to hold a A- rating with no membership. Regardless we revamped our systems, contracts, team members and the company which is now worth 10 times more than it was before with 1,000 percent less overhead and by the grace of God I have learned so much about people, relationships and business.

When people question one of my companies I would only have to respond with the following.

Colt Buildings LLC | Better Business Bureau® Profile (bbb.org)

COLT BUILDINGS A- RATING WITH NO MEMBERSHIP

WHY NOT A F RATING IF ITS A FRAUD?

WHY IS COLT STILL THRIVING?

WHY IS COLT CONTINUING TO BUILD?

WHY HAVE THESE ACCUSATIONS NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO COURT INSTEAD BROUGHT TO THE BBB IF THEIR COMPLAINTS ARE LEGITIMATE?

WHY WONT COLT GIVE CLIENTS REFUNDS ON SCOPES OF WORK CONDUCTED AND COMPLETED?

Why was Colt Buildings number 2 rated steel distributor in the Southeast by a Major Manufacturer backing it with a billion dollars of gross sales a year?

Why when some disgruntle clients tried to take Colt Buildings to court, we won the case based on sound contract, sound services and sound products.

During the same year I showed up late to family court for holding my son one extra night as his mother filed contempt of court action against me because I had to fly to Texas for business and she refused to let me see him one extra night. Therefore, I got my times mixed up, served one night in jail and rather than me paying the court directly I paid her attorney directly to get out. Small town cooking is an interesting thing within the Greenwood South Carolina Court System. I realized as much time I want to spend with my son, I am refused time with him and therefore I am held at bay to take play baseball with him, spend time, with him, teach him, coach him and etc. This is the way the legal system is set up against men and now I can truly understand how many fathers feel in the same situation. There are always two sides to the story to the deep south and I simply refuse to play that game. If you're not from the South and live in the deep South, then you will understand how it really works.

I have been called a fraud but under what facts and accusations. Sometimes there is always a combination between local competitors, disgruntle past employees and competitors who would love to create a network of negativity. You just got to keep moving forward and never stop.

That is one thing I learned is that you got to have good attorneys, good contracts and to not care what others think. Most people who have never been in business could not relate and that is ok. It is not for the weak of heart. I have not learned to lean on my mentors who are much older, wiser, smarter, richer and can help give me good sound counsel. It is a good place to be, and I feel so blessed to take these moments in my life to always keep growing, keep blessing others, become wiser, becoming stronger and to realize that if you want to become successful in life, then don't hang around mediocracy.

"When the tough gets going the going gets tough" Juan Adriatico Jr.

"You can't cry about spilled milk, but you just got to keep going"

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” — Albert Einstein

Mathew 10:16

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.