Leslie and I talking with the Big Cheese. It’s hard to believe it’s already February. It’s been just over two months since I was released from the hospital, and we’ve learned a lot since then. One of the biggest lessons is that healing from sepsis doesn’t follow a simple or fast timeline. Post-Sepsis Syndrome is real, and getting my body back to “normal” has taken far longer than we ever imagined. We spent most of January in Florida doing exactly what doctors recommended. Rest. Heal. Breathe....
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Greetings from the frozen tundra that is Nashville. I’m back from sabbatical in Florida and we are currently on day 5 of being iced in. Based on the weather, we should have stayed a few days longer. I'm still healing and trying to get my strength and energy back. Some days I feel like I can run through a wall, and some days I feel like the wall ran through me. While we were gone, we spent time relaxing and dreaming about the next year. A few friends from the Thing community even joined us for...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey friends, I want to share the full story of what happened at The Thing this year. Many of you have heard bits and pieces, but I want you to hear it directly from me. What Happened at The Thing Tuesday night started like every other amazing kickoff. We hosted our VVIP Welcome Dinner in our suite, and it was special. One of the attendees said something that hit me hard: “I knew I’d get a ton of help. What I wasn’t prepared for was how much everyone cared for each other… and how much you...
4 months ago • 3 min read
We’re just over a week away from The Thing Orlando 2025, and this is your moment to decide if you’re going to get in the room where remarkable leaders gather — or watch it unfold from a distance. This is my last email about the Orlando event until I tell you how it was. You have until Friday (that's tomorrow) to book your room and secure your spot. Here’s the truth: what I’ve really been building isn’t just an event. It’s an assembly — a gathering of the kind of people who make things happen....
4 months ago • 2 min read
Let’s be real — these are wild times to be building anything. Algorithms flip every few weeks. What worked in marketing six months ago? Already outdated. AI is rewriting everything we thought we knew about marketing and communication. But here’s the truth, no one’s saying loud enough: AI can’t replicate YOU. Not your story. Not your scars.Not your weird, wonderful wiring. And that’s what this year’s Thing Orlando is all about —YOU: The Power of Being Human. Because the secret to discovering...
5 months ago • 2 min read
I think you know that Leslie (my wife) and I live just outside Nashville. Last night, John Mayer played a music festival in our little town. I didn’t go (I’m more of an indoor concert with a chair and air conditioning kind of guy—which, by the way, we will have for you in Orlando… IYKYK). But it reminded me of one of his big songs: “Waiting on the World to Change.” The chorus says: Waiting on the world to change It’s hard to beat the system When we’re standing at a distance So we keep waiting...
6 months ago • 2 min read
We’re one week out from The Thing Nashville—and I want to speak to the tension a lot of us are feeling right now. The world feels uncertain. Heavy. Distracting.There’s fear in the headlines, noise in our feeds, and pressure to stay quiet, play it safe, or just survive. But you weren’t made to shrink back.You weren’t wired to sit this one out.You were called to create. To lead. To build something that actually matters. And if that’s stirring something in you, I want you in the room with us....
9 months ago • 1 min read
I’m a little emotional today. On June 2, 2017, the first Thing began. I closed the day, and we had Lee Cockerell as a surprise guest—he was the VP of Operations for Walt Disney World. My friend and brand powerhouse Leigh Holt spoke as well. Since then, we’ve had Disney Legends, industry leaders, best-selling authors, circus performers, and world-renowned creators all take The Thing stage. All with one mission: to help remarkable leaders do their thing. It’s wild to think that this year marks...
10 months ago • 2 min read
🔥 What if this isn’t just the next event you attend—but the moment everything changes?You don’t need another hype-filled conference.You need clarity, momentum, and a room full of people who actually get it. At The Thing Nashville, you’ll do more than “find your passion.”You’ll get real clarity—so you can make confident decisions about what’s next. You won’t just “take the first step.”You’ll get unstuck, build momentum, and start executing with proven strategies that actually work in today’s...
10 months ago • 2 min read