MEET Justin

Family Mission Statement: To be grateful, to love Jesus first and others no matter what.

A letter from Justin

Growing up in Erie, PA

I grew up in Erie, PA, in a family that provided a good life. For most of my life up until I was 17 years old, I struggled in school, and I was a headache to my parents, teachers, and fellow students. One of my teachers at Cathedral Prep in Erie was Fr. Larry Richards. He and I didn’t see eye to eye. At the age of 17, he wrote me a letter and invited me to go on a retreat. I had just gotten into trouble and had made mistakes that I felt I couldn’t get myself out of. I said yes to going on that retreat. During the retreat, I had a radical conversion. I went to confession and vowed to change my life. I prayed, “Jesus, if you get me through this, I will change. Jesus, You died for me, I’ll die for you.” I said, “Jesus, we are going to change the world.” I meant it.

The Vision was Born

From there, I went to Seton Hall University and started a college mission to impact lives across the East Coast called the 12 Apostles Program. It was a group of college students from all Christian faiths working together. At 19, I got my first paid speaking event and still speak there to this day. I was on fire for Christ.

I graduated from Seton Hall with Bachelors and Masters degrees. I began teaching as a religion teacher at Paramus Catholic in NJ. I started a weekly Wednesday night prayer night that grew to have over 200 students attend. I started Fellowship Christian Athletes and basketball intramurals to outreach.

The vision of having basketball gyms, sports outreach, and community centers to bring the gospel was established (eventually called You’re Amazing Fitness, Sports Outreach, and the Arena). Eventually, I started speaking full time, and for the ministry known as Hard as Nails (also known as) Amazing Nation was born in 2002.

The Heart of the Mission

As I traveled and spoke across the country, I realized there was an epidemic of suffering—often internal, unseen, and deeply personal. People began sharing their stories at my events, opening up about great challenges, wounds, and experiences they had been through. The “You’re Amazing” message began speaking to the core of their identity. People started to realize that no matter what they did, they were amazing because of who they were.

That message became even more personal for me when my father passed away. Early in my journey, he would question me: “What are you doing? How are you going to pay the bills?” But shortly before he died, he left me a voicemail after watching “In The Paint”. He said, “I watched your documentary, and it was really good. They need more people like you, not like me.” Hearing that shook me. It made me realize my dad was questioning who he was, and through my work, I had been encouraging the “who” in him. That moment sparked something permanent in me: for the rest of my life, I want to encourage the who, not just what people do.

My father’s words became fuel. He was proud of me for using my entrepreneurial gifts to encourage the world and make a difference. And that’s what I hope to do each day. As my good friend Ken Blanchard often reminds me, “We weren’t made to be served, but to serve,” echoing Mark 10:45 — “For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” Our job is to serve others.

HBO, EWTN and In The Paint

Many people see the films, the awards, the events — three films including one on HBO, EWTN, and our newest six‑episode docuseries that has won six awards for Best Docu-Series and Best Documentary at some of the most prestigious festivals in the country and the world, In The Paint. I’ve spoken at over 1,500 events to more than a million people. People say, “Wow, look what you’ve accomplished.”

But I don’t see it that way. The reason these events work, the reason these films make an impact, the reason this mission continues year after year — for over 30 years now — is because we are encouraging the who. We see that who people are matters more than what they do.

The Encouragement Edge

This mission continues through Encouragement Edge, our learning management systems, online courses, and training programs that equip people to become professional encouragers. We train business leaders of nonprofit and for-profit organizations to be encouragement businesses, places that people want to work for because it cares more about who they are than what they do.

At every event, people are brought to forgiveness and thankfulness through redemptive, passionate, dynamic, and heartfelt encounters with Christ and one another. Truth and dignity are found in encouragement and inspiring courage through the participation of attendees.

Where do we go from here? It doesn’t stop at events — we need to transform cities. We need to find the kid no one cares for, the hardest heart in the room, and impact them. We will do this by building gyms. You’re Amazing Fitness will be a place not just for basketball and working out, but for encouragement like never before. We will build arenas where youth and families receive a faith‑based message each week and a deeper understanding of who they are as children of God. The world needs to see cities transforming and say, “I’m in.”

Encouragement Cities

Picture this: Professional trained encouragers in businesses, service organizations, para-churches, and churches all through the marketplace. Where do all these people come together?

You’re Amazing Sports Complex and Arena

A city where leaders courageously share the gospel, young people being mentored and connecting with people in need. One relevant encounter at a time, we can meet people where they are and instill change in the culture.

I hope you will come along in the journey — to be sensitive and vulnerable while remaining fearless and convicted. Together, we can build dynamic relationships that create an amazing nation, one heart at a time.

JUSTIN FATICA