Early Years
I grew up as a troublemaker in the midwest. I was too busy with my band (we were totally going to make it) to care about school or curfews. My parents gave me an ultimatum to shape up by my 18th birthday or ship out. Whether coincidence or the hand of God, a recruiter called. I saw my golden opportunity to avoid couch surfing.
The Marines
After 12 weeks of bootcamp, I was hoping to follow my passion and become a combat photographer, but Uncle Sam had different plans. I became a radio operator. As I was promoted up to Sergeant, I led a team of Marines, and was still painting and photographing things in my spare time.
2005-2013
Back Home
I moved back home and not long after I met an amazing girl who could put up with me for more than a date or two. She saw my potential and encouraged me to enroll at the local art college. We got married and I enrolled in graphic design classes. Two weeks later we found out my wife was pregnant.
In order to help my wife fulfill her dream to be home to raise our kids, I worked full-time as a freelance graphic designer, web developer, and wedding photographer while attending college full time. By the time I graduated I was married with two kids (honestly not sure how I graduated). I was young with a fire in my belly to go out and make my mark on the world.
2014-2018
Start-Up
I met a pair of entrepreneurs who had the vision to see 10,000 trafficking survivors employed through real estate photography. I stumbled upon a way to make a living with an arts degree and make an impact. I was all in. Three months later we packed a U-haul and moved straight down I-75 to Atlanta. Three years of blood, sweat, and tears (and the occasional empty fridge) went into building a company that was a well-oiled machine. I was no longer getting to do creative work but was rather managing people doing creative work while being mostly a sales person/client handler, so I decided to sell my business.
2018-2021