Leaping Beyond the Box: My Journey from Businessman to Recognized Entrepreneur
I never considered myself an entrepreneur, even though I started my first company at the tender age of 16. Hustle has been a constant companion throughout my life. Now, at 48, I reflect on a journey that’s always been a blend of a 40-hour week job and a side hustle or company. For the past quarter-century, ensuring my primary job involved substantial interest or ownership has been a key strategy. This approach laid the groundwork for Rivercity Internet Group, which I helped kickstart. The merger of Hostirian with Rivercity in 2002 marked a significant milestone, as I became one of its four founders.
My self-perception has always been more businessman than entrepreneur. The traditional definition of an entrepreneur involves organizing and operating a business, taking on greater-than-normal financial risks. It’s this aspect of ‘greater-than-normal financial risk’ that has always puzzled me. I never saw my endeavors as particularly risky. To me, relying solely on someone else to generate income and merely pay me for labor felt more perilous. Pursuing my ventures always seemed a safer bet than not working on my passions.
As a younger man, it was about the thrill of the chase – chasing money, building communities, bars, video stores, and venturing into video production. Now, my focus has shifted towards giving back, creating services and tools that benefit humanity. I still harbor a deep love for Hostirian and play a significant role in the company. Offering small and medium-sized businesses the services of a local hosting company, and navigating the corporate realm with our Fortune 500 clients, remains a source of immense satisfaction. However, I’m acutely aware that infrastructure alone won’t be the catalyst for world change.
Another passion close to my heart is the boxing team, co-founded with my wife. We now boast an exceptional team with an outstanding head coach, allowing me to step into a role that I find most fitting. My involvement with PPGS.GLOBAL stems from a deep conviction that our global privacy is under severe threat. The erosion of our privacy rights could herald the rise of more tyrannical governments and entities.
This article isn’t merely about PPGS, BOXSTL, or Hostirian. It’s a glimpse into my life’s work. Having been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine and taking part in ‘The Blox’, the ultimate show on entrepreneurship, I’ve come to embrace the title of ‘Entrepreneur’. For much of my life, I resisted being categorized, fighting against being boxed in. However, I’ve come to realize that standing outside the box can be a lonely place, especially when you witness so many content within the illusory safety of their confines.
This piece is an open invitation to anyone who yearns to step out of that box, into a world that may seem lonelier but is, in my opinion, infinitely more fulfilling. Consider this my call to take that leap. Whether you have ideas, problems, or just want to discuss the daunting notion of a life dependent on your own output, my inbox is open. You can reach out to me at [email protected]. Let’s talk about breaking free from the conventional, about embracing the exhilarating uncertainty that comes with true entrepreneurial spirit.
