Builder and operator across real estate, hospitality, and technology. We raise capital, build partnerships, and ship real things.
It feels like every week or two a new tool emerges that solves a critical issue for one of my businesses. Something that has been slowing us down or holding us back for years is suddenly gone. It’s incredible, and I’m in awe most days. It’s also forced me to realize that the bottleneck on most days isn’t the tools anymore, it’s me. As a bootstrapped and under-resourced entrepreneur for most of my…
When I look at what I read this year, it looks a little chaotic, but it fits together. Honestly, that’s probably how people see me too, and they’re not wrong. I gravitated toward books that helped me understand how things came to be. Some of that was the big picture stuff like physics, the early internet and the roots of modern AI. On the flip side, there were the more personal books that dug into…
The Coleco Years My first introduction to coding was in fourth grade when my dad brought home a Coleco Adam home computer . I have no idea where it came from or why it ended up in our house but my brother and I were instantly hooked by our newfound access to classics like Donkey Kong, Zaxxon, and of course, my favorite, Dig Dug . At the age of 8 or 9, I had no idea what software development or…
Control Is A Reflex Of Fear It may make us feel strong but it’s rarely a sustainable solution. Control may stop my three-year-old from her meltdown over not being able to eat ice cream for breakfast but it doesn’t teach resilience or better food choices. Control drives us to push forward at all costs, afraid to delegate, until the overload ends in burnout. Control keeps us from letting an employee…
I’m not much of a “things” person and minimalism is my preferred state. There was a not-too-distant time, before I had a family, when I didn’t own a TV for 13 years. While I still accumulated “things” just by living, I used moving as a way of decluttering, often walking away from entire rooms, garages, and apartments by simply relocating myself from the situation. I once even sold my home and…
My test left wrist vibrates gently, indicating my 15-minute morning meditation is coming to a close. I turn off the alarm, take a slight bow and flutter my eyes open. It’s distinctly brighter than it was a quarter hour ago when I closed them, a sign that the sun has moved above the horizon. The yard teems with wildlife and the day has begun. I slowly unwrap my legs and rise from my zafu , feeling…
5:52AM I sit on a grey two-seat outdoor couch underneath an eleven-foot cantilever umbrella that’s protecting me from the light spring rain. I don’t do it every morning, but I do enjoy the slow boot-up into my day. It’s a quiet prelude to the normal morning chaos. Getting multiple kids ready and out the door for school is rarely smooth. As I sip on a cooling cup of Yamamoto Sencha I start to tune…
My 9 year old Atlas has been practicing his multiplication tables. We have found that when he’s not actively working on it, for instance, during spring break, his skills can get a bit stale. We have flash cards and workbooks to help keep the rust off, but like most kids his age, he typically loses interest after a few minutes. Meanwhile, he has shown a genuine interest in coding. What started with…
Being busy does not equate to being productive. Fast responses, immediate action, or being dialed in on every decision does not make you a better business owner. Grinding it out day after day, week after week for years upon years does not earn you any additional credibility. These ideas are so glaringly obvious at this point they border on cliche. Still, even if we realize and embrace them as…
I’m always curious about what software and tools people use to manage their lives and businesses. Equally, I enjoy sharing the ever-evolving state of my toolkit. Documenting the tools I use not only gives me an outlet to share but also helps me quantify and refine what’s working (and what’s not). It’s been a while since I last shared my favorites, so here’s an updated list of what I’m currently…