Your Brother is Dead: The Phone Call That Changed My Life Forever

Three years ago, to this day, I got a call that changed my life forever. On Friday, September 25th, 2020, I was playing with my kids outside in front of our rental home in Yuma, Arizona. Friday night, at our house, is “Family Night,” which is where we all spend the evening together as a family, talking, playing games, watching a movie, socializing, and spending … Read more

Solving The World’s Problems While Running

I like running. I’m a running maniac. And by that, I don’t mean I run a tremendous distance every time I run because I don’t. I’m not like some of those crazy people who run marathons many times each year like it’s no big deal. While I absolutely want to, I have yet to run a marathon. (The most distance I get is the occasional … Read more

I’m Not Okay, and That Needs To Be Okay

I’m not okay. Today, I turned 38, and it’s been a really tough day. I have a lot on my mind right now, and a lot of complicated things are weighing me down. Running my own business has been very hard, in addition to a lot of additional stress coming from raising five kids (with three of them being teenagers!) is pushing me almost to … Read more

Book: The Man Who Would Be King

The Man Who Would Be King Rudyard Kipling The Man Who Would Be King This is a fictional story about two British soldiers who venture into a fictional land in the Hindu Kush mountain range and are changed forever. It’s an exciting, thrilling tale that will resonate with anyone who wants to leave their normal life behind and forge a new life in a new … Read more

#17: Failing the Metropolitan Opera Audition, Twice

I auditioned for The Met Opera and failed, twice in a row. Going for the big one and failing was embarrassing. But by reaching for something far out of my grasp, I learned some lessons, had a great experience, and also had some small wins.

Looking Back on 2022: A Year-End List For Solopreneurs

Every time the year comes to a close, I like to review my business practices and see if the things I’m doing still make sense or if I should make changes. For example, I can’t count the number of times I’ve gotten to the end of a year and looked at my QuickBooks reports and wondered “What? I’m still paying $49/month for that? I thought … Read more

Laid-Off Tech Workers: Now’s The Time to Start Your Own Business

An open letter to tech workers facing layoffs, from someone who was laid off from a tech company over a dozen years ago I’m a small business owner who runs a small web design and marketing company that I started over fourteen years ago after getting laid off. Okay, it’s a little more complicated than that: I was a marketing director at a construction company … Read more

Want To Start A Business? Here Are 7 Things To Do Right Now To Get Started

Seven Steps To Starting A Business ASAP Pick A Company Name File The Legal Paperwork To Create A Company Get a Federal Tax ID From the IRS (EIN) Open A Business Bank Account Pick A Website Domain Name Create A Working Business Model Answer “The Money Question” A few weeks ago, one of my brothers decided to quit his job and start his own business. … Read more

Freelancers: Please, Track All Your Time, Starting Right Now

One of the biggest mistakes I see freelancers make is not tracking their time. I don’t mean if they’re working hourly: most freelancers are exceptionally good and ethical about tracking their time when they work on a project they bill by the hour. No, I’m talking about all the other work you do that isn’t necessarily billed hourly to the client but should be “billed … Read more