top of page
THAT GUY WITH MS
Kent Jones
Kent Jones
(he/him)
MS Lifestyle Coach
Who Am I?
I am just a regular guy who refuses to give up. I'm good at research and am willing to try new, unproven things. What may have worked for you may not work for you in exactly the same way. But with the right tweaks, it can work exactly the way you need.
About Me
I'm a curious, optimistic salesperson who loves cold calling, more if the product is promising but unproven. I went on my first sales call at five, to see a customer that was stone cold dead (my calls got better). I read the encyclopedia A-Z (twice) at 13. I was an entrepreneur at 17, a heavy metal DJ at 20, and sold cars full-time in college. ​
Car sales bought an MBA, then I sold infosec, cloud, consulting, companies, and more. I led sales, marketing, and customer discovery. I launched businesses and patented tech you're using right now. Most roles involved fire; putting one out, or lighting one to clear, heat, or light the way. As a single dad and later with my wife, I raised two successful daughters.​
Then in 2000, an IPO and marriage v1.0 blew up. Laid off in '03. In 2004, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I was 38. MS is unpredictable, currently incurable, and often painful. Doctors said I'd be unable to walk or travel by age 50. In volatile progression, I struggled to stand, drive, and at times, eat and speak. When the best meds failed, I had some luck with new questions. I defiantly took a selfie walking in Amsterdam on my 50th birthday. I multitasked and tested medical cannabis too. A fun, brief victory lap. Then, I landed in a wheelchair.​
Today, I've (mostly) fought my way out of the wheelchair. I can walk. A life in sales and startup environments taught me how. ​
Despite significant disabilities, I feel lucky and smile a lot. I'm tenaciously inventive and can go toe-to-toe with Batman's gear. I'm good at fixing and finding value in broken things. I take what I learn and pay it forward to new leaders. ​
By necessity, I'm picky with projects. I like to make a difference. If you're creating something great and need new eyes on a challenge, follow or message me.
Social Media
YouTube
Related Content
Website link?
Get healthy. Or die trying.
My MS Story
Here's my multiple sclerosis experience. Every MS patient is different; this is one data point.
Mountain biker/hiker and business entrepreneur at 38. Diagnosed at 38 after getting an odd cold sensation on my lip. Most/all lesions on brain stem and spinal cord. Lesion location matters. Disability rapidly progressed. Went on Copaxone injections 3 years, Tysabri biologic IV therapy 18 months. Went to Mayo with a cane, was told I would be unable to walk or travel by 50. I decided to ignore those instructions and find a way to get healthy or die trying Decided risk/benefit of biologic drugs wasn't for me and went back on Copaxone. Decided to find a better path. Worked with functional medicine MD, fixed Vitamin D3 and such, cut most gluten and dairy, added low dose naltrexone. Progression slowed, business grew.
On 50th birthday, took a selfie walking (with a cane) in Europe. Had to prove a point. Started using a wheelchair for long distances at 51. Began Wahls Protocol diet for MS. Progression stopped. Backed off business some and started teaching at university.
55 now. Diligent with Wahls. Added medical cannabis plus Lions Mane and similar mushrooms to diet. Had an allergic reaction to injection med and have stopped for now.
Recently went on disability, using it as opportunity to rebuild. Teach part-time at university as full-time eventually became impossible with symptoms. Still use wheelchair for distance, but ride 100+ miles a month on recumbent exercise bike. I do balance and strength work too.
My takeaways? It's very hard to recover what is lost; If you have MS or a similar chronic condition, act now. Get very serious about diet and exercise. Find a good functional med doc. Evaluate risk/reward of new med developments. Pharma companies can be an ally, but they're not a trusted friend. Adapt. Push your limits, but respect sometimes backing off is the smart, sustainable move. Keep a positive attitude, no matter what. You can have great quality of life with chronic illness, but it's a choice. My approach is Get Healthy or Die Trying.
Hope that’s helpful. Wishing the best for you in health and life!
Kent Jones
Kent is a fan of outdoor adventures, spontaneous recipe experiments, and spending time with his family. With over 30 years in tech marketing and sales, he also actively follows strides taken in AI technology and assistive/adaptive tech research. For more news on Kent's business pursuits, find him on LinkedIn.
Contact Me
Social
bottom of page