Family Is the Point of the Grind The grind has one purpose: earn enough to enjoy life by taking care of your people. A family trip—even if it means going into debt—honors that purpose. Deep joy comes from shared security and unhurried time. A quiet cabin retreat beats a crowded tourist itinerary.
From Sleeping Bags to an Ultramodern Playland Childhood meant cramming cousins into one Gatlinburg cabin with sleeping bags. Now the roles have flipped: booking an ultramodern “cabin” with a private fire pit, grill, two hot tubs, racing simulators, poker tables, and a restaurant-grade fridge. The place feels more playland than cabin. Upgrades mark growth, but the reason is the same—be together.
Choosing Stillness Over Itineraries The plan is intentional idleness: stay home, make s’mores, and watch Ratatouille in the in-house theater. Healthy habits still carry—labeled waters and meals around everyone’s dietary needs. Doing nothing together replaces run-run-run vacations with actual connection. Small comforts set the stage for the memories that matter.
Roots, Heritage, and Innocence in Old Photos Old photos reconnect the present to roots: a grandfather in the 82nd Airborne, a tree in Mimi’s room, and a dad–son resemblance that spans decades. Childhood innocence shines through snow days, early outfits, and goofy baby poses. Attempts at golf hint at talents that would mature later. Family history becomes tangible in ink, canvas, and snapshots.
Hustle and Hard Lessons in Family Lore Hustle shows up early: shooting golfers’ photos, developing film in the dark, and selling two-shot sets for $35 with a cut of the profits. Equally formative are the hard-edged tales—broken plates at dinner, fistfights, and a shotgun scare—that forged thick skin and fierce loyalty. Nicknames like “Tick” stick because persistence can feel like pressure when pride flares. The mix of grit, humor, and forgiveness becomes the family’s fuel.
Read Widely to Sharpen Strategy Wide reading feeds sharper thinking: history, psychology, and biographies alongside business. Guns, Germs, and Steel reframes human advantage; biographies distill playbooks; even Napoleon’s seven-day reset of a country offers execution lessons. Swapping hustle lit for deep context builds better instincts for trading and business. Curiosity becomes a daily habit—book in hand or a documentary humming in the background.
Prioritize the Vital Few and Trust a Great Team Being on the go forces ruthless prioritization—the Pareto principle in action. With an endless to‑do list, focus shifts to the 20% of tasks that drive 80% of results. A strong team makes big goals possible, while leadership sets strategy and sequencing. Vision beats volume when energy is finite.
Building Data-Backed Edge for Traders Years of market data across thousands of instruments power software built for real edge. Correlations and inverse correlations inform strategies that go beyond simple backtests. Top quantitative talent—PhDs and advanced degrees—pushes the research, funded by heavy personal investment. The aim is scale: tools any trader can access to make better decisions.
Turning Fixers into Freedom with BRRRR The BRRRR play turns fixers into freedom: buy around $25k, put in ~$18–25k, and stay under $50k all-in. Comparable sales near $180k enable a 75% cash‑out refi—roughly $130k—tax‑free. Rent covers the note, cash flow compounds, and other income cushions worst‑case vacancies. Repeat the cycle, add doors, and someday build a destination as grand as this retreat.
Simple Joys, New Responsibilities, and Remembering to Call Home Simple joys beat the fast life: a breakfast cooked by his fiancée, a homemade cake, cigars with Pops, and steaks on the grill. Parenthood adds values in motion—teaching humility over bragging and savoring a daughter’s laughter. Stepping into the patriarch role means hosting, organizing, and taking care of everyone with pride. Call your parents; a dad wants you to surpass him, and a mom’s love is unconditional—the real why behind the work.