Brad Cousino
Brad Cousino’s story is about a child conceived out of wedlock to parents that were in their early teens, where he was raised in a chaotic, mean-spirited, alcoholic family environment. Brad’s parents were both raised in dysfunctional homes, and as a result, Brad was traumatically abused (physically, emotionally, verbally) almost every day growing up. (Hurt people really do hurt people)
For generations no one in Brad’s direct family lineage (parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc.,) ever graduated from an accredited high school. To break the generational chain of physical & alcohol abuse, Brad took a job cleaning out putrid sewers at $4.50/hr to earn enough money to pay for one quarter of college. But he would need some type of scholarship, so he tried out as a non-scholarship “walk-on” for Miami University’s (Ohio) division one football team. (As a frame of reference, think the iconic movie “RUDY”) The pressure was on – if Brad didn’t earn a full scholarship, he would have to drop out of college by spring quarter.
Despite overwhelming odds, he did earn a full scholarship in the spring of his 1st year. Even though Brad was the smallest defensive lineman in division one college football, He was was awarded All-American honors for two years in a row. Due to his small stature (5’11” tall and 195 lbs.), he was not drafted by the NFL because the official NFL scouting report stated he was too short, too small & too slow.
Once again, he had to prove the “experts” wrong. He signed as a “free-agent” and went on to become one of the elite special teams players (and smallest linebacker) in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, and one year in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Toronto Argonauts.
Due to his small stature, Brad recognized that his NFL career would not be long. The reality is height, weight, strength & speed is highly sought after by every NFL team in each year’s college draft. Brad prepared for life after football and retired from the NFL prior to the 1980 season. Brad earned his Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation and then went on to become a successful commercial real estate investor, developer & property manager specializing in multi-office building complexes, high rise offices, industrial warehouses, multifamily apartment projects, self-storage facilities, etc., and either owned, developed or managed over $300,000,000 in investment grade real estate properties.
Brad is the “real deal” and has decades of real-world experiences that matter most in business AND in life. He aims to be a difference-maker in businesses, associations, faith-based communities, and not-for-profit groups. He is a dedicated, passionate, result-driven professional who inspires others to do the right things for the right reasons.
Brad also served as the president of the Cincinnati chapter of the NFL Alumni for several years. He has a proven track record of fundraising for 50l (c) (3) charities & Not-For-Profit Organizations. He is a recognized keynote speaker, facilitator, trainer, coach, mentor & most recently is a published author.
He knows the most important things in life and believes in these six priorities: 1| Love God, 2| Love your Family, 3| Love People, 4| Always Give your Best, 5| Be a Difference Maker, 6| Finish Life Well by leaving an empowering Life Legacy and Purpose that Resonates for Generations.
Personally, Brad has been married to Tami for 46 years, is blessed with 4 amazing adult children and “Papa” to 11 superstar grandkids.
Robert Mitchell "Mitch" Neu
Robert Mitchell Neu, “Mitch”, is a twenty-six-year-old college graduate from the University of Cincinnati. He is a surviving triplet, being born twenty-five weeks premature at one pound, seven ounces. Mr. Neu overcame many challenges associated with his severe prematurity. He was chosen by the faculty and staff to lead his class in the graduation ceremony as a Student Marshal from the University of Cincinnati in 2019. Majoring in the Digital Media Collaborative, he specialized in screenwriting.
After graduation, Mr. Neu was offered a chance to fulfill his dream of writing a book when he met former NFL football player Brad Cousino. Mr. Cousino had heard about Mr. Neu’s writing prowess and asked him for his opinion on his memoirs which he was working on. After some deliberation, brainstorming, and extensive editing, Mr. Neu was eventually asked by Mr. Cousino to help co-author his memoirs. He now lives in Hyde Park.
