It all began with my parents, who set an extraordinary example by living a life of intention and service to others. Their wisdom taught me that true success isn't measured by personal wealth or glory but by the ability to lead a life that blesses and uplifts others. This foundational principle has guided me throughout my journey.

My professional journey began in sales immediately after high school. Although I didn't particularly enjoy the role, I recognized it as a valuable experience, and within two months, I became the #1 sales representative in the nation as a mere high school graduate with no other professional experience. It was in the world of sales that I first grasped the power of optimism, tenacity, and credibility.

After college, I followed in my dad's footsteps into the realm of financial services, where I honed my sales skills and delved into recruitment and training. As a Senior Regional Sales Leader, I gained extensive experience in effective communication and both the art and science of developing others. Though I loved the impact I was able to have on people's lives through providing critical financial education to my clients and training my team, I decided to venture into other endeavors to step out from under my dad's shadow.

This led me into the dynamic world of international marketing, where I realized I possessed a rare and valuable skill set that combines leadership and administration. This aptitude for seeing the grand vision while comprehending the intricate pieces needed to bring that vision to life became one of my defining traits.

I also had a natural ability to connect with others, identifying their gifts and aligning them with their highest potential contributions. This synergy of skills fostered unwavering team unity, meticulous project planning, and unparalleled execution. As a result, my teams consistently achieved remarkable success.

While working in marketing, I had been volunteering at my church to provide training, development, discipleship, counseling, and support to small group leaders and members as they worked through life's challenges. My commitment and capabilities earned recognition from the church, and I was asked to serve as the Director of Small Groups and soon after was appointed as one of the lay pastors (meaning an unpaid, non-staff volunteer pastor).

Eventually I was asked by my church to step in as a paid staff member to help them through a re-plant. I took on the role of Executive Pastor & Community Groups Pastor. I managed the business aspects of the organization , led the volunteer teams, and led the thriving Community Groups ministry. It was akin to orchestrating a business turnaround, steering it towards newfound health.

While my family and I had a deep love for the people of that church, I always felt a pull towards having a positive impact in the workplace over a vocational role of ministry within a church or para-church organization. So once the church was re-established, healthy, and thriving, I moved my family to Bend, Oregon, and took on my next role.

I served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Bend Soap Company. During my tenure, I achieved significant milestones:

• Quadrupled Sales and Revenue: Sales and revenue increased from $500,000 to over $2,000,000 in just two years, and achieved profitability for the first time in their history, marking a watershed moment for the company.

• Remarkable Reduction in Customer Service Issues: Through streamlined operations, customer service issues were reduced from over 5% of sales to less than 0.5%.

• Website Redesign for Optimal Results: A website redesign led to a 1.34 percentage point increase in conversion rates and an average order value boost of $1.50, yielding an impressive 800% return on investment.

• Transformed Bend Soap from a Hobby to a Turnkey Business: I developed SOPs and rigorous standards of excellence for each department, increasing productivity and lowering overhead costs, contributing to greater profitability and positioning the business so that the owners could continue to run it with minimal oversight, or sell it for great profit.

The owners lived on-site where the business operated but were effectively absentee owners, leaving me to run all aspects of the business so they could focus on other priorities. I navigated constant shifts in vision as the owners tried to determine what their goals for the business were. I also pioneered and established new systems and processes to help the business scale through major growth milestones. I expanded the team, solidified the brand voice, and set the foundation for sustainable success.

All of the experiences I enjoyed helped me to realize and solidify my unique gifting as an "integrator." An Integrator (as defined by Gino Wickman in Rocket Fuel) is a strategic leader who brings order to chaos by translating a visionary’s ideas into actionable plans, managing operations, aligning teams, and ensuring business growth through execution and accountability.

After Bend Soap, I launched Fractional Executive Services of Bend (now called Thriving Business Ventures), offering COO-level services through a fractional model. This unique approach allowed me to partner with small business owners who were eager to scale but had not yet grown to a place where they could afford a full time, experienced COO.

One of my notable successes was with the 405 Driving School, where I led the school to its most profitable year, increasing its valuation by 200% and in turn leading to a highly profitable sell event.

Right out of the gate, I worked with the 405 Driving School, driving their most profitable year on record and increasing their valuation 200% within one year!

The rest is history!