Trespassing Aloud

Umm… have you ever felt like you wanted to fire your boss? What about like you NEEDED to? If you’re a business owner, I’ve got good news for you. You have the ability, and the freedom, to ‘fire your boss.’ Here’s the story of a rude client (aka my boss) and how we had the freedom to decide not to work with him anymore.

Confidence is key when you’re running your own business. If you’re not confident, DO MORE RESEARCH. One time in Florida, my love for debate and my confidence in my own research landed me in the local paper!

Having a birthday on Valentine’s Day is a blessing and a curse. But you gotta make the most of it, right? One year, I threw myself a reverse surprise party (woah) with actors, fighting, and tons of fun.

How was I able to build an incredible waterfall feature in my backyard? I’ll tell you: Patience and Research. When you’re starting a new project, do the research and take your time. Wait for the perfect time to buy materials at a fraction of their normal cost. And use that extra money to pay someone — an expert — who knows what they are doing.

Do you know why most new businesses fail? I’ll tell you, it’s not because their idea isn’t good enough. Or because they don’t have the skills to be successful. Most new businesses fail because their focus isn’t on profit. It’s as simple as that. You need to know your profit margins to be successful.

If you’re a business owner, it can feel like your work is the most important thing in the world. Usually, it’s not. There’s the business you leave home for, and the one you come home to. Make sure the business at home is the most important.

It just blows my mind that a single job can change the entire course of your life. When I worked at the Woodland condominium complex in college, I felt my first push into entrepreneurship. Thankfully, my boss was supportive, and the wise men at Woodland turned out to be incredible mentors. Goes to show what can happen if you keep an open mind and an ear out for opportunities!

In your first 30 years of life, you are learning the world. The next 30 years, you are building the world. With the last 30-40 years, you have a beautiful opportunity to teach the world. The next generation is waiting to learn from you!

Incoming! Look out for some wisdom falling from the sky! Where would I be without patience? I’ve built four golf greens in my backyard (by the way, I can’t wait to welcome people onto this one-of-a-kind course.) And it took a lot of patience to get to to this point. Patience to learn how to build these greens, patience to figure out the best way to finance them, and patience to run the business th...

Ok, this one probably sounds obvious. But if you're going into business for yourself, PAY YOUR TAXES. Here are the two best things you can do to make sure you're never caught off guard by a tax bill

I'm not threatening you to get an attorney... but maybe I should. My lawyer always tells me he'll kick my a** if I sign anything before he reads it.

How do you face your fears? John shares the story of a fateful day in Nashville. When confronted with a major fear, he leaned on his track record to give him the confidence he needed.

Well, we’ve come to the end of Season One. We promised at least one sincere apology. John shares a story from years ago where he wishes he would have treated a stranger – and a friend – differently.

Sometimes what seems like an incredible opportunity can turn into a real problem. Or, more specifically, a couple hundred TONS of a problem. John tells the story of some quick decision making as a business owner.

All aboard the USS Sold! What should have been a fun family afternoon on the water quickly turned into something much less enjoyable. Many years later, on another sea voyage, John gets the opportunity to swim with a pod of whale sharks!

Over the years I’ve come to realize that perfectionists really struggle with happiness. Every day you get to choose. Will you dwell on everything that’s wrong, everything that’s not “perfect” in your life? Or will you find happiness in the things that are good?

When you have a conversation with someone, what impression are they walking away with? John talks about a crucial lesson in a communications class many years ago.

What's the best Thanksgiving meal you've ever had? We bet it wasn't as good as the one John's wrestling teammate gobbled up in his Mater Dei wrestling days.

Have you ever had a near death experience? Has it ever been absolutely ESSENTIAL for you to keep your cool? John tells the story of a white water tubing trip long ago. Thank goodness he knew to never panic.

John talks about the pivotal moments meeting the mentors who would shape his life.