Mark Pentecost: Grit and Nutrition Are the True Engines of Surviving Life-Threatening Illness

Cancer is a horrible and terrifying disease. Yet millions of people have beaten the odds and beat cancer. Authority Magazine started a new series called “I Survived Cancer and Here Is How I Did It”. In this interview series, we are talking to cancer survivors to share their stories, in order to offer hope and provide strength to people who are being impacted by cancer today. As a part of this interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Pentecost.

Mark Pentecost is an entrepreneur and motivational thought leader striving to make a social impact by empowering others. Founder of a globally award-winning wellness company, It Works!, Pentecost’s vision is known for his innovation within the beauty, nutrition, and lifestyle space. Mark, a true example of the American dream as a teacher-turned successful business owner, looks to make a difference in the world and advocate for those in need. With philanthropy a core component to his DNA, Mark Pentecost has been active in local and global non-profit organizations and charitable initiatives through the It Works! Gives Back Foundation and The Pentecost Foundation, founded to provide financial, emotional, and practical support for six main causes including, pediatric cancer, international crisis response, anti-human trafficking, humanitarian aid, veteran support, and community outreach. With over 20 years of experience, and an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in Florida, Pentecost continues to inspire people internationally to unlock their entrepreneurial potential.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! We really appreciate the courage it takes to publicly share your story. Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your background and your childhood backstory?

My grandparents were farmers and my parents moved from Tennessee to Michigan when the farming industry struggled and the automotive industry boomed. My dad worked at General Motors and my mom worked for the government. We were a southern, all-American family just trying to earn a living to provide. From an early age, I was taught the value of hard work and grit. I was considered a success story in my family as one of the first to graduate with a college degree for teaching. I became a high school math teacher and basketball coach.

Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I knew about one of the giant direct selling companies but I didn’t know that one day I would start my own. My wife, Cindy, and I were high school sweethearts. We were always work side jobs, like flipping houses, to provide for Cindy and our three kids. When the direct sales opportunity came to us, we simply wanted to make an extra $500 a month to help pay for groceries. The industry ended up changing our lives.

We then decided to start our own company, It Works!, because we wanted to start a company that led with integrity, honesty, and the right foundation. We saw what the direct sales industry could do for our family and we wanted to help other families find the same thing.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” This has been part of my email signature for two decades. I believe if you have grit, you can accomplish anything. Even if you get knocked down, you have the motivation to get back up and try again.

Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion about surviving cancer. Do you feel comfortable sharing with us the story surrounding how you found out that you had cancer?

It’s crazy because I went in for a routine physical. I felt great and didn’t have any concerns. Then boom, I found out something that shocked me. It was totally unexpected.

Next thing I know, I was driving to the airport with Cindy about to board a plane for an It Works! event and I get a call from my doctor. He told me they found something they weren’t expecting. At that point, they didn’t have a lot of information but it wasn’t looking good. They told me it was severe, and I needed to address it immediately.

I had about fifteen minutes before I boarded a plan to digest what I just heard and figure out how we were going to tell our three kids. Then we were off to an event where I had to lead a presentation for over two hundreds members of our salesforce without letting on that I just received this lifechanging news.

What was the scariest part of that event? What did you think was the worst thing that could happen to you?

When I received the first call, they didn’t have a ton of details yet but they told me it was extreme. Of course, death is the first thing that comes to mind. I didn’t know next steps or what treatment would involve, but I knew not beating cancer wasn’t an option.

How did you react in the short term?

Right away, I knew that I had to remain positive. Not beating cancer wasn’t an option. The word choices you use to speak to yourself as you battle ‘the big C’ are extremely important. Short term and long term, I had to surround myself with family and people that could support me to win this battle.

After the dust settled, what coping mechanisms did you use? What did you do to cope physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually?

I was very lucky early on to find nutrition experts that worked with the cancer I had, multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. They helped me realize the key role diet plays in your recovery. They introduced me to the Keto diet and I truly believe it changed my life. I knew what I ate and the nutrition I put in my body would change my outcome.

Just as important as what you physically feed your body are the mental thoughts you allow into your mind. I took my quiet time with God to the next level. When you’re facing death, you get on your knees. I am grateful on the journey it took me on with God. I realized it was this moment of what truly matters in life. Life is short.

Is there a particular person you are grateful towards who helped you learn to cope and heal? Can you share a story about that?

I had a best friend show up big time. He introduced me to the best doctors and nutritionists. He had me flying all over to meet with experts. When I was facing the biggest battle of my life, he was by my side. It reminded me how important it is in life to have great friends and to help others. I was thinking how can I give back to others like he has given back to me.

I’m also eternally grateful for my three children — Kami, Kindsey, and Kyler. My oldest daughter, Kami, moved her family from Michigan to Florida to help run our Global Headquarters. My daughter, Kindsey, moved to Ireland to run our international company. My son, Kyler, took off work to travel to every treatment with me. My kids came to the frontline so that I could focus on this battle and healing.

In my own cancer struggle, I sometimes used the idea of embodiment to help me cope. Let’s take a minute to look at cancer from an embodiment perspective. If your cancer had a message for you, what do you think it would want or say?

Anyone can be diagnosed with cancer and no one is exempt from having to face death. The diagnosis gave me this ‘a ha’ moment that we’re all going to do some day, but you always think it will be way down the line. So you stop and look at your life. What is your legacy? What do you want to be known for after you leave this earth? Use the time you have wisely.

What did you learn about yourself from this very difficult experience? How has cancer shaped your worldview? What has it taught you that you might never have considered before? Can you please explain with a story or example? How have you used your experience to bring goodness to the world?

Six years after being diagnosed with this rare blood cancer, I’ve made it my mission to help find a cure. The Pentecost Foundation donated $10 million to Moffitt Cancer Center to establish a research center dedicated to multiple myeloma. Our hope is that the newly established Pentecost Family Myeloma Research Center at Moffitt can find a cure within the next ten years and establish a new standard of care for patients. Finding treatment is a long and difficult journey affecting the entire family. We hope this new Center can be a catalyst in how we transform the management of care, treatment, and ultimately a cure. [Reference — https://moffitt.org/endeavor/archive/donation-drives-a-cure-for-multiple-myeloma/]

What are a few of the biggest misconceptions and myths out there about fighting cancer that you would like to dispel?

There’s so much more than just treatment. Fighting cancer is about the whole body — physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your experiences and knowledge, what advice would you give to others who have recently been diagnosed with cancer?

It’s a club we wish we didn’t have in common. Before I was diagnosed with cancer, we had good friends whose daughter, Sadie, was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 7. We spent a lot of time fundraising and advocating for her non-profit, the Sadie Keller Foundation, and keeping touch throughout her treatment. Then a few years later, I was diagnosed with cancer. We saw this whole new side of each other. Here she is, a nine year old girl, and I’m an adult in my fifties. But we instantly formed this new bond. She was an inspiration. We knew what each other was going through so we could motivate each other.

Find your people. Surround yourself with people who will inspire you even in the dark moments.

What are your “5 Things You Need To Beat Cancer? Please share a story or example for each.

1. Surround yourself with people who will push you into recovery.
2. Know that treatment is more than what you’ll get in a hospital chair — it is whole body.
3. Get passionate about the nutrition you feed your body. I became so excited about my results with a keto lifestyle that my company started developing keto products.
4. Know that giving up is not an option.
5. Stay connected or develop a relationship with God.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be?

You are blessed to be a blessing. Give back, pay it forward.

My wife and I have been blessed and that’s why we’ve earmarked a $4 million donation in the past two years to the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way. We want to use your influence to get others involved and to find a cure.

What’s the best way to follow you online?

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/mark.pentecost.14

LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/markbpentecost/

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/themarkpentecost/

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!