THE WHY OF WHAT I DO

My purpose in life is “to love people in a powerful way.” This has translated into a life dedicated to helping people and their initiatives achieve success. 

My life has always been purposeful, limited only by a lack of understanding, maturity or experience.

I knew from a very early age was that I was going to be making a lot of decisions about my life that children are usually not required to make. 

I remember key moments like:

Before age 8, and perhaps much earlier, looking around the courtyard of my home, thinking this is nice but it is all going to change, and looking up at the sky and asking, “send in the teachers”.

Around age 8, understanding that my father would be leaving the house and not being surprised as if it was planned.

Being asked for my 11th birthday by my mother, do you want a waterbed or do you want to live in the commune? I replied, “I will take the commune” because I had figured out that neither of my parents were able to raise me and I needed to figure out a way to raise myself.  FYI, the commune was started out of an AA meeting but replaced meetings with confrontive encounter sessions as a tool to heal alcohol, drug addicts and delinquent children (which I was not). I came to understand that every person has addiction/sick behavior potential.  This was later confirmed when it was all the non-drug addicts of that community that went to prison for various crimes committed. 

At age 12, my mother left the commune. Children lived in group housing, and I was at another property.  I did not want to move out with her, but was required to leave.  After writing the founder of the community, I received a letter informing me I had permission to be its first “boarding school” kid, which I did after convincing my mother to let me move back. 

At ages of 12-13, I studied Huston Smith’s The Religions of the World and concluded it is probably a good idea that there isn’t just one religion because humanity would not agree, nor would just one speak to everyone. During that same period, I studied George Orwell, and especially remember 1984, since I was pretty sure my community had aspects of a cult. I later studied media and politics in college and law school.  Thus, I possess a uniquely informed perspective on people, group dynamics and more directly, what is happening in our world today.

At age of 14, I moved out of the commune long so as to not limit my options in life.  I moved in with my biological mother and stayed quiet – did not talk much for about 6 months - while gathering thoughts and most likely, overcoming some trauma.  None of the alternative education from the commune counted as credits for high school so I was enrolled in “auto shop” and graphics (mind you, this is before the computer), to make up ground so that I could graduate.  At age 15.5, I decided to drop out, take the high-school proficiency exam, move out and support myself. 

At age 16, I visited my sister who stilled lived in the commune, where I met with Laura Belle Wynne, who become my Godmother.  I remember clearly that I was referred to her because “she was in the business of helping people change their lives” and I recruited her to coach me.  After explaining to me that she did not generally work with kids, she agreed to have me write her letters and write back to me.  She gave me the tools and concepts needed to heal my wounds and confusion and gave me the framework to build my life.

During my childhood journey and into my education years (age 19 – 28) and later in my career, my excitement and passion generally outweighed my fear.  I developed trust that I would have a lot of people/resources to help me.  I have a “life agreement” that I will do everything I can to live my purpose no matter how hard, and in return, I am entitled and given the support required to deliver the highest and best for myself and others.  

At 16, I started my first business, Impressions at a Glance, creating unique business cards and logos as the go-between for my clients and designers. I learned that I loved connecting people and facilitating positive developments for businesses.  Many years later, in 1996, I co-founded RWR Legal. I left a 1,300-attorney international firm to move to Austin, open a law office with a phone on the floor and the dream of bringing best-in-class legal services to new business owners. I achieved that dream, and after more than two successful decades for RWR, I am happy to say that RWR Legal joined forces with the national firm of Michael Best.  

RWR Legal was a recognized community contributor and Legal Consultancy. In conjunction with Michael Best’s 300+ attorneys and their emerging business group, Venture Best, the firm became better equipped to counsel, connect, and contribute financially to Austin’s flourishing entrepreneurial market. 

I founded SKU to coalesce and build Austin’s CPG community was exciting because we were able to bring an ecosystem together to support collaboration and success, while building CPG as a key industry for Austin.

I am now focused on developing “purpose-driven” concept hotels, the first being KASAMA Retreat Hotel, for exclusive/unique company off-sites and intention-based events.

My life and enterprises are designed to demonstrate that we can “do good and do well” by aligning our purpose with our actions.  I believe (as Zig Ziglar) that “You Can Have Everything In Life You Want, If You Will Just Help Enough Other People Get What They Want.”