Tower of Honor
The H.A.W.K. framework is not a marketing gimmick. It is a code of conduct for entrepreneurs who refuse to build on a foundation of lies.
Every institution worth its name is built on a set of values. Not slogans painted on a wall — real principles that guide every decision, every hire, every product. The H.A.W.K. framework was forged in boardrooms, family businesses, and corporate trenches over decades of real-world experience. These four values are the pillars of the Hawk Entrepreneurs movement.
Honor
"Your most valuable asset. People are starved for something real."
Honor is the foundation of everything we build. In a world drowning in fake gurus and rented Lamborghinis, your word is your currency. Honor means doing what you said you would do — even when no one is watching. It means building a business that reflects your values, not just your ambitions.
Practices
Keep every promise you make to customers, partners, and yourself
Price your products honestly — no fake scarcity, no manufactured urgency
Admit mistakes publicly and fix them faster than anyone expects
Build a reputation that precedes you into every room
Honor over hustle.
Adaptability
"The market is your dojo, not your enemy."
The entrepreneurs who survive are not the strongest or the smartest — they are the most adaptable. Michael Dinkins spent 17 years at GE under the legendary Jack Welch, navigating 50+ mergers and acquisitions. Every deal was different. Every culture clash was unique. The skill that carried him through was not a playbook — it was the ability to read the room and adjust.
Practices
Test small before you bet big — validate before you scale
Listen to what the market is telling you, not what you wish it would say
Pivot without shame — changing direction is not failure, it is intelligence
Study industries outside your own for unexpected solutions
Adaptability over perfection.
Wisdom
"100 true fans will always outperform 100,000 passive followers."
Wisdom is not about knowing everything — it is about knowing what matters. It is the difference between a founder who chases every trend and one who builds something that lasts. Wisdom comes from experience, from failure, from sitting in boardrooms where billions of dollars are at stake and learning that the fundamentals never change.
Practices
Seek mentors who have done what you want to do — not just those who teach it
Invest in depth over breadth — master one thing before chasing the next
Make decisions based on data and experience, not emotion and hype
Build systems that work without you, not empires that collapse without you
Wisdom over recklessness.
Kinship
"You are not building a customer list. You are building a movement."
No one builds alone. The myth of the lone wolf entrepreneur has destroyed more businesses than bad products ever did. Kinship means surrounding yourself with people who challenge you, support you, and hold you accountable. It means treating your customers like family — not like transactions.
Practices
Build a community before you build a product
Collaborate with people who complement your weaknesses
Show up for others without expecting anything in return
Create spaces where entrepreneurs can be honest about their struggles
Kinship over isolation.
"I build with Honor. I move with Adaptability. I lead with Wisdom. I grow through Kinship. I am not chasing success — I am becoming the kind of person success chases."
Michael Dinkins
Founder & CEO, Hawk Entrepreneurs
Many people teaching entrepreneurship rely on polished images and catchy phrases — but experience does not come from a tagline. Michael Dinkins comes from a family that has lived entrepreneurship for more than a century.
Michael's entrepreneurial journey began at age 14, working in the warehouse and delivering materials to job sites at Taylor Electric Company, a family-owned business located on the south side of Chicago and now celebrating 105 years of continuous operation. Over time, he worked across every layer of the business — from operations to finance — helped his mother establish the company's accounting systems, and later assisted the next generation in accessing capital and positioning the business for long-term sustainability.
That hands-on foundation was reinforced by 17 years at GE and GE Capital, working under the legendary Jack Welch, where Michael graduated with honors from GE's Financial Management Program and later taught the program for five years. He holds both CPA and CMA certifications and has been directly involved in more than 50 mergers and acquisitions, evaluating, financing, and integrating businesses across multiple industries.
Michael has served as CFO for three public companies, worked in venture-backed startup environments, and held CFO leadership roles within a Goldman Sachs–affiliated company, combining institutional financial discipline with entrepreneurial execution.
Years of Family Business
Years at GE
M&A Deals
Public Company CFO
Michael currently serves on the boards of the following public companies and organizations, bringing decades of financial leadership and operational expertise to governance.
Michael owns commercial and residential real estate holdings and operates Dinkins Financial, a firm that helps small and family-owned businesses with strategic planning, capital access, and long-term decision-making.
In addition to his business leadership, Michael has spent more than 10 years teaching adult Sunday School and serves as an Elder at Church LYFE in Allen, Texas. His teaching focuses on helping people understand the Bible accurately — emphasizing context, careful interpretation, and disciplined thinking rather than surface-level readings.
That same commitment to clear, structured thinking carries into his YouTube channel, Thinking Matters – Dinkins, where he challenges viewers to think deeply and apply truth consistently in faith, business, and life.
The Journey
This is not theory. It is lived experience — across generations, economic cycles, public markets, private capital, and real businesses. Most programs teach you what to do. I teach you how to become someone who does it consistently.
— Michael Dinkins
Listen to experience. Not just a tagline.