Freedom was the goal.
Impact became the mission.
At 21, fresh out of college with a computer science degree and a cubicle ahead of me, I set a goal: Ariana and I would be financially free by 35.
I didn't know exactly how we would get there. I just knew I didn't want to spend the next 45 years building someone else's future while fitting my family and life into whatever time was left over.
So we started building. Some ideas failed. Others became real businesses. We invested in real estate, opened Warsaw Wine & Spirits, built consulting and online businesses, and learned how to use people, systems, and technology so those businesses did not require us every day.
We reached the goal before 35.
And then came the part I wasn't prepared for.
I had the freedom, money, and time I thought I wanted, but without a meaningful next mission, I felt empty. A mentor helped me see that what energized me wasn't retirement. It was building businesses, simplifying complexity, and helping other people create freedom through better businesses.
That realization changed the direction of my life. Ariana and I launched the Lifestyle Builders Podcast and wrote the book together. I went on to coach thousands of entrepreneurs, help grow 2X and eventually serve as CEO, and help found Operations.com.
Today, I advise established business owners while building and investing in a portfolio of companies. My work brings together strategy, operations, leadership, technology, AI, and the inner game to build businesses that are stronger, more valuable, and less dependent on their owners.
I'm also co-creating The Great Men Gathering with Dustin Heiner and Shane Sams: a place for successful men to build real brotherhood, lead more intentionally, and become the men their families, businesses, and communities need.
The thread through all of it is simple: build a business that gives you freedom, then use that freedom to become the person and make the impact you're capable of.
