I’ve worn a lot of hats: husband, father, ski racer, student, corporate employee, yoga beach hippie, founder, Sales Executive, deal maker. This is the personal side of that story: my family, the causes close to my heart, and the road that brought me here.
I grew up in a family of firefighters and lumberjacks in British Columbia, Canada, the kind of place where you're handed a hard hat before you can tie your own boots. That's me above, fully equipped and ready to head into the bush before I'd even started kindergarten.
That same discipline carried me onto the ski hill, where I raced at the collegiate level, and later into business school for my MBA. From there I spent years living and working in Asia, which is where I learned how to operate across borders and time zones. These days I run everything remotely. I'm not chasing purely digital businesses, I'm sourcing and closing deals on real, brick-and-mortar companies from wherever I happen to be. Distance has never been the obstacle people assume it is.
This is the part I'm proudest of. My wife Nadya, our kids, and the little everyday moments: send over your favorite family photos and a few lines about each one, and I'll drop them right in here.
I've been lucky enough to build things I'm proud of, and I don't take that for granted. Part of how I try to honor that is by showing up, not just donating, but actually being there, whether that's in Miami, Cape Town, or the Philippines. These are a few of the causes closest to my heart.
Our team spent a day helping the homeless at a church in Miami, one of my favorite BJKU traditions.
When we launched a company in Cape Town, we launched a charity alongside it, dedicated to fighting the trafficking of children in South Africa.
Through a hospitality portfolio company I managed, we ran a foundation supporting the local Ati community in Boracay with housing, plumbing, food, and other everyday necessities.
I've learned that you can't pour from an empty cup. Between the deals, I try to stay just as intentional about my mind, body, and soul, whether that's on a mountain, in the water, or just home with the people who matter most. Here's a bit of what that looks like.
This page only scratches the surface. For more of the day to day, from ski trails to term sheets, find me on social below. And if you're curious about the business side of things, the deals, the acquisitions, the real work behind it all, swing by my acquisitions company's website.