Going to church in a foreign country is a great way to meet folks—especially if your son gets over-heated and passes out in the entryway. More on that below. This past Sunday we accepted an invitation from Isalene George to attend Catholic Mass in Calibishie, the town where we are staying. A Three-Hour Mass This … Continue reading Your Boy Fell Down
Serendipity
I admit it. I tend to over plan vacations. As my family can attest, I'm the guy that reads everything in the guidebooks and then sets a withering pace during our trips. Each day starts early and includes multiple pre-planned activities. Think Clark Griswold and the world's largest ball of twine and you won't be far off … Continue reading Serendipity
Yep, that is a Boiling Lake
"Wow, that lake is actually boiling," I said out loud, but mostly to myself. The sight in front of me was so incongruous, so strange, that I needed to explain it to myself I guess. Our family had just made it to the overlook of the Boiling Lake here on Dominica after a pretty muddy … Continue reading Yep, that is a Boiling Lake
Arrived in Dominica
We made it to the first official destination on our trip—Dominica. Dominica (dom-ah-nee-kah) is not the Dominican Republic. It’s a mountainous, wild island, about halfway down the Eastern Caribbean chain of islands. From our guidebook: “With its unspoiled, pristine rainforest-shrouded peaks, it has been said that the island is the only place in the Caribbean … Continue reading Arrived in Dominica
Old San Juan
Fresh air and sunshine! After a great night at my parents’ house in Beloit and a chilly 5:30AM drive to ORD, we arrived in Puerto Rico. Such a strange feeling to see the snow out the airplane window and know you won’t feel winter’s bite again this season. Adios Winter! We had a 24-hour … Continue reading Old San Juan
Making the Leap—Our Trip Begins
We leave on our trip tomorrow. It’s complicated leaving your “real” life for +4 months. Lots of things are getting checked off the list and added to the packing pile. Home-sitter? Check. Dogs? Check. Favorite underwear? Packed. Preparation Panic Sarah and I have been in a state of perpetual motion for the past several days—heads … Continue reading Making the Leap—Our Trip Begins
Why I’m Taking a Sabbatical
What should I do next, after Nextt? Since shutting down Nextt a few months back, I’ve asked myself this question many times. It’s a strange place to be—between things. And although it feels weird and a bit scary to be here, I’ve decided that I need to spend a little more time right now in … Continue reading Why I’m Taking a Sabbatical
Two Ways College Sets You Up To #Fail
I gave a talk this week to a group of graduating business school students at Edgewood College. They asked for real world advice. This is what I told them. Regardless of your career stage, I hope these insights are helpful! There are two ways that college trains you to fail in the real world: #1 … Continue reading Two Ways College Sets You Up To #Fail
Want to be more creative? Go Running.
I was just reading Peter Thiel’s fascinating new book, Zero to One, in which he argues that the best startup businesses strive for a game changing technological breakthrough. Rather than work on small incremental enhancements, entrepreneurs should seek out quantum leaps that enable their companies to enjoy monopoly profits. Think Google. Not the 42nd e-commerce startup … Continue reading Want to be more creative? Go Running.
You might be an entrepreneur if . . .
Remember Jeff Foxworthy's redneck bit? My favorite: You might be a redneck if you’re too drunk to go fishing. But seriously people. Thanks to Jeff we all know how to gauge our redneckness, but what about those of us who want to figure out whether they "might be" an entrepreneur? I meet with lots of new entrepreneurs and … Continue reading You might be an entrepreneur if . . .