I've been happily married for over 14 years and have three amazing kids under 13 years old, but I also know what it's like to be in the "trenches" of starting and growing a business while having a family.

I've spent plenty of time on the roller coaster ride of being an entrepreneur from the highest highs - feeling like you're on top of the world to also the lowest lows - feeling like a complete failure or wondering if you're going to have enough cash to stay in business next month.

After starting and growing three businesses, the one thing I've learned along the way is that it's extremely difficult to do it alone. If you want do it well and finish well, you need a COACH, just like any serious athlete does.

The business that was supposed to be their vehicle for freedom has turned into a risky job they are a slave to (and this is NOT ok with me)! This is why I do what I do. I simply love helping digital agency owners achieve the freedom that they've dreamed of when they first started their business; more profit with less stress, more time with their families, and the freedom to travel the world (if they want to).

I’m here to help you gain back your freedom. I will help you develop a clear vision for your future, create a simple and highly profitable business model, align your daily actions and schedule to see your vision come to life, all of these while holding you accountable through the roller coaster ride.

My first job out of college was as a strength and conditioning assistant for the Chicago Bulls, which was an absolute dream come true. In addition to working with the Bulls players and other pro athletes, I've had the privilege of working under legendary Chicago Bulls strength coach, Al Vermeil.

Next, I headed back home to start my first business as a personal trainer.  I started out driving to clients’ homes with a bag full of equipment in the back of my car.  I did pick up a lot of clients right away, but working from 5am to 8pm every night, spending half the day in my car, yet not making the money I was worth got old really quick.

So I started to put my dream of opening my own facility to paper.

18 months later, I co-founded Core Athletic, a sport performance and rehab facility in Middleton, Wisconsin.  I had lots of energy and enthusiasm, some good knowledge of the field and no clue how to run a business.

Several years in, I experienced the painful reality of being an expert trainer, having an amazing 10 person staff, and over 200 clients, but was on the verge of burnout .  In pure desperation, I sought out business coaches and marketing experts, learned everything I could from them, and tried to model their success.

It wasn’t an overnight turn around by any means, especially with an economic downturn of 2008 thrown in there, but slowly and surely the business started to get some good traction.  With lots of learning, some simple strategy, and lots of sweat, the business become more profitable and developed better systems (which really cut the stress levels).

Fast forward to our seventh year in business and I ended up selling Core Athletic to an up-and-coming employee for a nice 6-figure profit.

Looking back on it, when I was struggling just to make it, what I didn’t need more money, to jump on  the bandwagon of the latest fad or get another certification behind my name.  What I really needed was a coach.  I need someone with experience in the trenches I could learn from, whose shoulders I could stand on to see a clearer picture of where to go next.  I needed a guide to FREEDOM.  

These are the guiding principles I use to keep myself grounded and priorities in check. In the business world, it’s really easy to get sucked in and lose your way.  These principles help keep me on track.  I certainly fall short in each of the following areas, but this is what I'm aiming at.  As one of my favorite mentor says,"if you aim at nothing, you'll surely hit it"

Faith - God is my coach, the Bible is my playbook, and I talk to my coach through prayer. I not only want to be a good coach and business owner, but a faithful son of God.

Fitness - taking good care of my body is essential for giving my best to others, even though it can be very difficult to do (even if you used to be in the fitness industry).  Juggling roles as a husband, dad, family member and business owner are no joke, but I fight to fit in workouts, eat healthy most of the time, and sleep as much as my three kids will let me:)

Family and Friends - I am so blessed to have such an amazing family.  There is no one else I would rather spend time with than my wife and three kiddos.  We are fortunate to have lots of extended family nearby and enjoy big family gatherings.  We also are known to throw stellar parties and host friends from out of town.

Financial Freedom - is a concept I wish I had learned about earlier in my life, but in recent years have made it a priority.  One of the most liberating experiences for my wife and I was paying off all of our student loans and clearing all business debt.  Paying off our mortgage is the last on our list to attack.

Future Growth -I love learning about leadership, personal development, business, and marketing.  If you run into me on any given day, I’ll probably be talking about something from the latest book I’m reading or podcast I just listened to.

Frequent Travel -I love anything travel related; family vacations, international mission trips, and the hunt for a great travel deal.  Being from Wisconsin, winter escapes to tropical places to fill up the Vitamin D stores are a must.  Some of my favorite destinations so far include Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Hawaii, Mexico, San Diego, Brazil and Uganda.