“My dad played quarterback at Alabama. He was a walk-on. He had to earn the respect and trust of everyone on the team and work his butt off just to get on the field. My mom won a national championship in gymnastics at Alabama. They definitely are big inspirations. Always work hard. Even if you don’t see the results right away, keep going. There’s peaks and valleys in life, in business and your relationships. You’ve just got to keep going and keep working hard. Every action has a consequence, whether that’s a good consequence or bad. That’s one thing I can hear my dad saying.” – Bryant Smith of Irondale

Smith would like to go to a top-level sporting event with his dad. (Tamika Moore / People of Alabama)

Life has taught Smith some important lessons.

“You’re not entitled to anything. When you wake up every morning, you have to go get it. You’re not just entitled to it because of who you are. Nick Saban on a press conference talked about that. Just because you did this last year doesn’t mean it’s going to happen the next year. Go all in. You only have one life and I want to be on this Earth doing something that I love and something that I was intended here to do. You only fail if you give up. I’ve always wanted to start a company and bluecaddie is that. I’ve always wanted to walk past someone wearing my hat that I created and them not know that I started that brand. It would be like everything that I’ve worked hard for and created is coming to fruition and it’s worked out.”

Smith loves sports and would love to see a Super Bowl, Masters or World Series with his dad.

These are the faces and stories of people from all walks of life who call Alabama home. People of Alabama is a Red Clay Media and Alabama News Center partnership.