For more than 35 years, I lived and breathed the restaurant world. I worked every position — from dishwasher to General Manager in fine dining. I trained teams, rebuilt inventory systems, and lived by the rhythm of the kitchen. Restaurants weren’t just a job — they were my identity.
But life changed.
Cancer, a motorcycle accident, and medical complications forced me out of the only career I had ever known. I have now been unable to work for over 2.5 years, with disability still unresolved after all this time. I’m in recovery and preparing to lose my leg — something that would have stopped the old version of me in my tracks.
But this is not the old version of me.
Two years ago, in the middle of waiting and uncertainty, I prayed for a direction. I asked God to show me a way to provide for my family, to feel useful again, to have a future. The answer didn’t come overnight — but the opportunity showed up when I was finally willing to do something different, even if I didn’t fully understand it yet.
And that’s where this story begins.
Three months ago, I decided that if I wanted a different life, I had to do something different — even if it meant learning everything from scratch. I took the same management drive, discipline, and problem-solving I used in restaurants and applied it to something completely new.
With almost no budget and a willingness to learn in the open, here’s what has happened in just 90 days:
- 6 published books
- A growing WordPress blog
- A Shopify store in development
- Digital Growth Group LLC registered
- EIN + business bank account
- Amazon affiliate + 4 more through Awin
- First affiliate sales
- Active business presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest
- A foundation strong enough to build a future from
My final two books are being held back intentionally. They tie into a larger course and program I’m building — and when they’re released, it will be with purpose and structure.
Faith, Work & Willingness
I want to be clear:
I’m not building a business instead of trusting God — I’m building a business because I trust Him.
I can’t do any of this on my own.
But through God, all things are possible — if I’m willing to walk through the doors He opens.
That means:
- Being teachable
- Taking risks
- Being seen while I’m still learning
- Letting go of pride
- Doing the work faithfully, not perfectly
This isn’t just entrepreneurship — it’s obedience.
It’s stewardship.
It’s me saying “yes” to a future I don’t fully see yet.
Why This Blog Exists
Not to build a sob story.
Not to turn disability into a brand.
Not to get attention for losing my leg.
This blog exists because I made the choice to grow, even while recovering. And I want to document that journey honestly — not just the wins, but the failures, confusion, breakthroughs, and course corrections.
Every Monday evening, I’ll post:
- Weekly achievements
- Failed attempts
- Lessons learned
- What’s coming next
Some weeks will be inspiring.
Some weeks will feel like setbacks.
Either way — I’ll show up.
What You’ll Find Here
- Business growth in real time
- Real numbers and real results
- The hard parts and the hopeful parts
- Faith in action, not just theory
- Digital entrepreneurship from the ground up
- Lessons for anyone starting over in life
If You’re Here, You’re Early
Maybe you’re in a place where you need change too.
Maybe you’re waiting like I was — for years — hoping someone or something will rescue you.
Maybe you’re searching for a way forward, even while everything hurts.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
If you want something different, you have to be willing to do something different.
God opened the door, but I had to walk through it.
If you’re still reading this: welcome.
This is only the beginning.
Let’s grow from here. 🌱
– Gregory Stephens
Digital Growth Group LLC
📧 easyrecipes@celia-c-simple.com
📍 Arkansas
What’s Coming Next: The Digital Growth Group Podcast
One of the next steps in this journey is something I never imagined myself doing: a podcast.
I’ve just ordered the equipment to begin recording the Digital Growth Group Podcast — named after my LLC because this platform ties all my brands together under one umbrella. The podcast is not launching as a big announcement or a sales tool. It’s being built as part of my growth process — a place to practice speaking, teaching, and storytelling as I get comfortable on camera and behind a microphone.
This will help prepare me for the video-based course and live Zoom teaching coming later in 2025 and into 2026, once I’m further along in recovery and ready to go live consistently.
The podcast will include conversations about building a business from scratch, interviews, weekly progress reflections, and the mindset shift required to turn adversity into opportunity. It’s another step in learning out loud — and you’re invited to come along.
Call to Action: Be Part of This From the Beginning
If something in this journey resonates with you — whether it’s the faith, the restart, the entrepreneurship, or the honesty — I’d love to stay connected.
Here’s how to follow along and grow with me:
📬 Join my email list: easyrecipes@celia-c-simple.com
You’ll receive Monday updates, behind-the-scenes looks at what I’m building, and early access to new releases and the podcast.
📰 Follow the blog: Weekly Monday posts
This is where the real story lives — wins, failures, strategies, and growth documented in real time.
📱 Connect on social: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest
Where I share products, affiliate finds, reels, and updates from all projects.
🎙️ Podcast coming soon:
Follow the journey as the Digital Growth Group Podcast takes shape. Ground-level listeners will be part of the foundation.
The business is young, the structure is being built, and the future is wide open. If you’re here now, you’re seeing this foundation laid brick by brick — before it grows into something large.
Let’s build this together, one Monday at a time.
Digital Growth Group 