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Charles Lynn Lowder

Charles Lynn Lowder

2TOOTS Train Whistle Grill

Career Roadmap

Charles Lynn's work combines: Entrepreneurship, Armed Services, and Upholding a Cause and Belief

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Day In The Life

Chief Operating Officer

I run a family-friendly restaurant franchise that's currently on the grow.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    General Studies

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Graduate Degree

    American/US Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence

    DePaul University

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Chief Executives:

High School

Bachelor's Degree: General Studies

Graduate Degree: American/US Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life took a while to figure out

  • 1.

    As a kid, I was a runaway who was always at the bottom of his class.

  • 2.

    The only thing that saved me from falling into a bad situation was my athletic ability.

  • 3.

    I played football at Northern Illinois University until I decided that I wanted to fight in Vietnam.

  • 4.

    I joined the Marine Corps, where I would serve for sixteen years in total.

  • 5.

    My first drill instructor became the role model I'd desperately needed as a child.

  • 6.

    My time as a Marine gave my life direction; I came home, completed my J.D., began practicing law.

  • 7.

    I've since pivoted into management and consulting, and am currently growing a restaurant franchise.

  • 8.

    Through all of it, my proudest accomplishment by far has been raising my three beautiful children.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Myself:

    I'm not good enough. I don't know if I can do this.

  • How I responded:

    We always save the most cruel, most unforgiving criticisms for ourselves—the things we say to ourselves, we would never, ever say to one of our friends. Instead, we have to practice positive self-talk. Tell yourself you're good enough and you're strong enough. Something else I've learned from working with youths and inner-city football teams is that it's incredibly important to have a role model, someone who can encourage you and balance out any of the doubts and fears you impose upon yourself.