Recently, we welcomed Jason Rapp to our home base at Wisper Internet, and it turned into one of those conversations that sticks with you.

Jason has spent more than 30 years with Valvoline, starting part time and working his way into leadership development. He talked about earning respect, not expecting it, about communication, and about the kind of networking that is built on real relationships, not transactions. The kind you build over time.

For some of our students, Jason was also a familiar face. He lives in Smithton, in the same neighborhood as Eli and DJ, which made the connection even stronger, especially for our Freeburg students. It is always powerful when students can see someone from their own community living out what is possible.

And alongside that steady, consistent career, Jason built something else.

It started with a duplex. One property. Over time, that grew into what he called “mailbox money,” income that shows up because of smart, patient decisions. Nothing flashy, just consistency.

And then there is the Hot Mess Express.

His wife had a stable career, but it was not fulfilling. During COVID, she made a change. With Jason’s support and a willingness to take a risk, they bought a used box truck and turned it into a coffee business that now brings in income, flexibility, and maybe most importantly, joy.

That is when it all connected.

The side hustle did not happen by accident. It was made possible by the foundation Jason built over decades through his career, his leadership, and the relationships he invested in along the way.

You can build a career and still follow a passion.
You can create stability and still take a risk.
You can do both if you are willing to put in the work over time.

Grateful for mornings like this, where students do not just hear about success, they see how it is built, piece by piece, right in their own communities.

Thank you, Jason, for being so real, so relatable, and for sharing your story with our students.