A Life That Demanded We Keep Serving... Even When It Costs Everything
One week ago, something tragic happened that shook many of us for many different reasons. Charlie Kirk, known for his outspoken work with Turning Point USA and his fierce commitment to reaching young people, was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University.
He died doing what he believed was essential: showing up where people were forming their identities, encouraging them to think, to hope, to fight for what they believe is right. His life was a call to action, a reminder that service and mission aren’t easy; they often come at a cost.
In the wake of that loss, I’ve been thinking that this is exactly why The Rite Service exists. Because too many people drift through life, college, even work obligated by what they think should be instead of being inspired by what could be. On ideals. On purpose. On service.
Why Charlie Kirk’s death matters beyond politics
Commitment over comfort: Charlie didn’t stay silent for safety. He believed deeply in speaking truths and challenging young people to see beyond the conventional path.
Service as foundation: He dedicated himself to students. It was not because it was easy, but because he believed in the power of influence during formative years. He wanted to influence people more to think for themselves than to get them to think the same way he did.
Standing when it's hard: In a culture where many retreat from controversy, from stakes, from speaking out, his example reminds us that true leadership often means risk.
What this means for all of us in business, in service, in mission
Because of the things Charlie stood for like speaking to students, pushing them to think for themselves, encouraging them to choose paths of purpose, not obligation, these are exactly what many of us at The Rite Service are trying to uphold.
When I started this work, it was because I saw a gap: young people handed a path (college, degree, debt) often without sufficient support, without clarity of why beyond “that’s what everyone does.” I saw businesses insisting on degrees as tokens rather than competence. I saw potential squandered because no one had taught young people what excellence looks like in real-world service, or what it means to stand firm in purpose.
The urgency: Serve. Speak. Strengthen.
Charlie’s death makes the urgency clearer. If we believe in service, it has to be more than rhetoric. It must be embedded in action. Must be about:
Showing up in the lives of people, especially young ones, with presence, with listening, with truth.
Training for courage, so individuals understand when to stay silent or when to speak. When standing up is the risk and the responsibility.
Building institutions (businesses, teams, services) that don’t cower at the first sign of discomfort, but that reinforce values, mission, and character, even when the cost seems high.
How The Rite Service can help us not just remember, but live
At The Rite Service, our mission has always been to help businesses build teams of character. People who are not simply meeting metrics, but living values; not just serving customers, but inspiring them. Charlie’s life (and his tragic passing) reminds us how brittle a mission can be if not nourished:
We train young people and teams to serve with excellence--not as a slogan, but as a practice.
We help businesses understand that degrees are useful only if paired with real competence and character. That someone who is coachable, committed, compassionate can matter more than a piece of paper.
We work to build environments where people feel safe to be bold, not reckless, but bold for truth, for kindness, for service beyond self-interest.
A Call to Keep the Flame Burning
Charlie Kirk’s death does more than sadden, it challenges.
To serve even when it’s dangerous.
To speak out even when the noise tries to drown you.
To build something that matters, even if it costs comfort.
If you believe, as I do, that mentoring young people, training for service, holding firm to what’s right are not optional, it’s essential.
If you want help turning your business into a force for purpose, not just profit; into a place where your team serves not out of fear, but of conviction. The Rite Service is here. Let’s build something that outlives us.
