What I’m Doing Now

Lately, it’s become apparent that my varied passions are overlapping. I’m a person of many interests, but there are threads connecting them all. Here’s what I’m working on now:

Being Pawpaw

I thought the birth of our grandson two years ago was life-changing, but in the past few months that has proven to be an understatement. He has become a filter through which we consider so many decisions (major and minor). He’s a gift and a blessing. I’m working on a new project to help grandfathers who are small business owners view their companies as a foundation from which they can pour themselves into the lives of their grandkids. I’m building a community of Pawpawpreneurs.

Rare Disease Support

Nine years ago I was diagnosed with the rare disease myasthenia gravis. In my newsletter Live Life Rare I write to support this group and a broader community of people who want to create a life for themselves that is richer, more fulfilling, and more giving than what the world tells us a good life is all about.

Small Business Coaching

Having spent the bulk of my career running our small business (a content marketing company), I want to help other SMB owners transform their businesses into not only a means of financial support but also a foundation for discovering and pursuing what a rare life means to them. Owning a small business doesn’t have to mean long hours, high stress levels, and sacrificing health and family. I recently launched a placeholder landing page until my developer can create my new website. The emphasis is not just on getting your business ready to sell, but also on how to increase its value and enjoy more freedom. As a certified Value Builder™ advisor, I understand that many owners would love to increase the value of their businesses so they can take more time off to improve their quality of life while continuing to operate their companies for many more years.

Local Tourism/Arts

We live in a rural area (the population of our entire county is just over 70,000), but the Little River Canyon National Preserve attracts almost a million visitors per year. Our new little agency manages much of the social media for our local tourism organization. My wife and I have invested in vacation rental cabins in the charming mountain hamlet of Mentone to support visitors to our area. We are working on an artist residency program for one of these cabins. The century-old rescued log cabin features a writing desk, books, music, and decor to spark creativity for anyone staying there — highlighted by amazing bluff views off the back deck. We hope to bring in working songwriters, painters, musicians, and other artists next year for week-long residency programs that would include public performances and demonstrations.

The Natural World

Being outside is healing, inspiring, and transformative. We are launching a lifestyle apparel brand to share my wife’s designs while encouraging people to spend more time enjoying our natural world. We plan to announce our first collection of T-shirt designs in January 2024.