When I was growing up my Dad always told me, "Whatever you do, don't get stuck working for someone else. If you want to be free, figure out how to work for yourself." My whole life, I have been on the relentless pursuit of my truth: what do I love to do and what bring me the most meaning. Fresh out of college in 1999, I started an organic farm in Ohio with my brother and spent two years out on some land. After traveling Europe for 6 months, I decided to go for my MS in applied Mathematics at Ohio University (I have a thing for Math) and graduated top in my class. Then, I started a band. For almost 8 years, I made a living as a musician touring mostly on the west coast. That was an amazing time!In 2008, I decided to teach myself computer programming and in 2010 I started a company building websites. By 2014, I realized I had become passionate about learning and building business - the complexity, the challenge, the reward. That was when I got involved in SLAP company and really started to learn about large enterprise and business culture. At SLAP I have had the opportunity to learn from the best and work on some of the most demanding enterprise challenges. Since my tenure there, we have built and scaled several processes for maximizing cultural commitment.Also, in 2014, I started a hobby business based on a concept that I had developed during my farming days. Inspired by some time that I spent with some world renowned herbalists in SouthEastern Ohio, I created Bear Blend, a suite of herbal smoking products and teas. I launched Bear Blend as a hobby project and it has since turned into a real business with YOY growth.With an endless pursuit of growth and exploration, I am really happy that my dad instilled in me the value of self-reliance at an early age. After all my adventure, I have found a deep passion in business - understanding the driving force behind how a business grows to become a brand and how a brand can grow to make the world a better place.