It was the early 1980s when Top Dog winner Jamin Brazil learned his most important lesson: grit.

His father owned a small grape and raisin farm in Madera, where Jamin spent the nights and weekends of his childhood working.

“I wouldn’t trade it for the world, to be honest. It was very humble beginnings,” Jamin said. “You learn about the importance of just showing up — it doesn’t matter if it’s cold or hot or rainy — you’re out there doing the job that needs to get done.”

Jamin’s grit led him from small-town Madera to the Silicon Valley after he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1993.

In 2015, Jamin earned an M.B.A. from Fresno State. He has since focused his efforts in investing in the local community, creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs.

At Fresno State, he delivers guest lectures to business students and serves on the Advisory Board for the College of Science and Mathematics.

“The next generation is going to stand on our shoulders, and we have to make sure that they have the opportunity to learn from our mistakes and successes,” Jamin says. “I really believe that there are great opportunities here — and Fresno has the backbone, the grit, to be able to pull through.”

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