Welcome to Notes on Work and Life.
This isn’t your traditional business newsletter.
Most business advice focuses on frameworks, growth strategies, and hustle culture.
But we don’t always stop to ask if we’re doing something that matters, or if we even like the lives we’re trying to build.
So, the question I keep coming back to is this:
How do you succeed in life without losing your soul along the way?
This publication is about how to live well and do meaningful work.
By living well, I mean…
Living with integrity
Being bold and original
Standing up for your beliefs
Treating people with kindness
Supporting your family
Being a good steward of the planet
By doing meaningful work, I mean…
Understanding that ambition and character can coexist
Using money to build something worthwhile
Viewing business as a tool to improve the world
Doing your work ethically
Helping others succeed along the way
This publication is for you if you’ve ever said…
“I wish people didn’t say that business and money are evil.”
“I wish business didn’t have to seem so selfish and ruthless.”
“I wish I knew how to make an impact in the world.”
“I wish I knew what to do with my life.”
My background:
I spent the first 5 years of my career in online education, managing a startup online high school program and helping it grow to over 1600 students.
Then, I earned my MBA at the University of Notre Dame.
I spent the next five years at JPMorgan Chase, working in analytics, finance, and business development before running their personal finance video education hub.
Now, I work as a consultant and write about how people can pursue success without sacrificing meaning.
About me:
I grew up in Southern California and have lived in the Midwest and Northeast.
Now, I live in Virginia about an hour from D.C.
I like classic literature, punk rock, and spending time in nature. I also love to travel and have spent time in about a dozen countries, from China to Lebanon.
You can typically find me at a bookstore or rock concert.
Where to start:
Here are a few of my favorite posts. Hope you enjoy!
Don't Worry. They Already Don't Like You.
Who else influences your decisions, your self worth, your actions?
Former friends? Former college buddies? Random LinkedIn connections you only kind of know? Future children? Future bosses? People who thought you were dumb in high school? That one professor who never liked your writing? That one date who thought you had no potential?
When Was Last Time You Saw Something Sublime?
At night, you might think to yourself “Did anything good even happen today? Do I even remember what happened, good or bad?”
String enough of these days together and you get a boring, unfulfilling life.
That said, what’s even worse than being busy is becoming so drawn into modern-day materialism that you simply stop looking for the sublime.
Or, that you become too afraid to talk about it.
80% Reliable. 20% Weird.
Most brands are forgettable.
They should be 80% reliable, 20% weird.
Most brands play it 100% safe.
Want your brand to be memorable? Be creative. Be weird.
The goal of this newsletter is simple: I’m sharing ideas on how to live well, do meaningful work, and help others do the same.
If you find what I write useful, please share it with a friend!
