A classic from the archives: This was my “About Me” page in 2016, when I was positioning myself around freelance business, operations, and project-management support. I have preserved most of the original story because it captures an important chapter of my professional history; and because, looking back, I can now see a much clearer thread connecting all the seemingly different things I had done. I’ve made a few small updates for clarity and added a contemporary reflection at the end. (Updated August 8, 2026)
The Short Story
In 2016 my work centered on helping freelancers, emerging solopreneurs, and established small and medium-sized businesses build the systems, operations, and project-management support they needed so they could focus on what they loved and did best.
I worked with clients to create the systems and processes necessary to support the core values and priorities of both their businesses and their lives.
Holding multiple positions in various industries over the previous 20 years, I brought together experience in web and graphic design, bookkeeping and accounting, writing and editing, advertising and marketing, ecommerce, operations, and project management.
I had created print, web, and multimedia projects for industries ranging from music and entertainment to financial services and technology. I had also held management roles across web development, ecommerce, nightlife and live entertainment, home mortgage lending, legal services, and information technology.
The Long Story
I started my first “real” business, a marketing and promotions company, in 1995; although I had been an entrepreneur since the age of 13, when I started a fan club for my favorite band.
Because this was before the internet became part of everyday life, I did all of my lead generation and list building through print advertising in teen magazines. Sales and order fulfillment happened through the U.S. Mail. I had about 250 members and subscribers for a monthly photocopied mini-magazine where I published quick news stories gathered from other media, stories and photos submitted by members, listings of the band’s upcoming television appearances and tour dates, and a sort of editorial column.
When I was 16, I discontinued the fan club and got a “real job” in fast food, which I hated. It did force me to work with a wide variety of people, and I moved into a management position fairly quickly, so I can legitimately chalk it up as a learning experience.
When I was 18, I returned to writing in the music industry through my college newspaper, where I served as the Arts & Entertainment editor. I used what I learned there to start my own bimonthly music magazine, publishing live concert reviews, CD reviews, artist interviews, and the occasional book or movie review when the mood struck. I had a couple of guest writers and accepted submissions from readers.
This was in early 1994, when I had just started becoming active on the internet. I still advertised through print media, conducted interviews in person or by telephone, and handled sales and fulfillment through the mail.
After running the offline version of the magazine for almost two years, I changed the name and moved it online. From there, I started building websites for the bands I had interviewed. Having a website was a huge accomplishment in 1995, and I was often the only person these musicians knew who had ever published anything online.
Domain names cost about $50 per year and were obtained through Network Solutions. Hosting a single website could cost upward of $50 per month, with extremely low storage and bandwidth limits. Many web pages were text-only and, frankly, ugly as sin. Serving audio or video was nearly unheard of. Images were either the size of postage stamps or took forever to load, and still looked terrible.
AOL and CompuServe were the internet service providers of choice. By today’s standards, that sounds limiting, but under the conditions of the time it was incredibly useful. You could visit built-in forums and newsgroups and find thousands of captive, enthusiastic readers who were not yet suffering from information overload. They did not have a million platforms for talking to one another or a million websites competing for their attention.
After building websites for a few friends’ bands, I decided to make it official. I registered my first LLC in 1995 and hung out my “for hire” sign. Business took off quickly, and I eventually expanded into building websites for other industries, including financial services, manufacturing, and technology.
I also ran a network of five ecommerce websites selling clothing and footwear for about five years. That began with me selling some old clothes and shoes on eBay and people basically going crazy for them. I had a very distinctive style at the time that was not widely available.
Eventually, I ran out of things I wanted to sell, so I researched how to open wholesale accounts with the manufacturers whose products I had owned. I opened an eBay store, which within a few months moved onto my own domains and became a network of full-fledged online stores.
I ran the fan club and mail-order merchandising for one of the most infamous bands of the 1990s and early 2000s, and I handled advertising and promotions for one of Seattle’s largest nightclubs and live music venues. I wrote for several independent music magazines and also made music of my own during this time.
I honestly have to say that, until the birth of my daughter, my years in the music industry were among the best years of my life. They were full of fun and excitement, and every day felt like a new adventure.
I took other jobs and started other companies over the years, but I kept returning to business and entrepreneurship. At the time, I saw that as my professional home: the place where my many different interests and experiences came together most naturally.
Fast Forward
After changing direction and running an accounting firm for five years, I decided to take time away from full-time work to care for my newborn daughter in January 2013. I had originally planned to take an ordinary three-month maternity leave and then return, but the entire dynamic of my company changed drastically during my absence, and I was able to take additional time away.
I continued freelancing during that period, doing work that ranged from web and graphic design to marketing, accounting, and tax preparation. Pretty much anything my clients needed, I either handled myself or facilitated through someone else.
When I was ready to re-enter the workforce, I chose to do so as an employee rather than restart my own business. At the time, I believed I was better suited to working behind the scenes—making things happen, improving operations, and moving the business forward—than being the “front person.” It allowed me to focus on the kind of work I understood best: creating order, supporting people, and building the systems that made good work possible.
What I See Differently Now
When I wrote the above in 2016, I was trying to explain a career that looked, even to me, like a collection of unrelated chapters. Design. Writing. Music. Ecommerce. Accounting. Operations. Management. Freelancing. Entrepreneurship.
Today, I see the pattern much more clearly.
The industries changed, but the work beneath them remained surprisingly consistent. I was always learning complicated systems, organizing information, improving processes, translating between people with different kinds of expertise, and finding practical ways to move an idea from concept to execution.
I once described myself as someone who preferred to work behind the scenes. That was true at the time, but it was not the whole story. I did not avoid leadership; I practiced a form of leadership that was often reflective and more operational. I built the structure, solved the problems, connected the pieces, and helped other people do their best work.
Since this page was written, I have added another major chapter: moving into cloud technology mid-career and becoming a Cloud Support Engineer at AWS. On the surface, that might look like yet another dramatic change. In reality, it drew on the same abilities I’ve been developing all along: systems thinking, communication, troubleshooting, customer support, process improvement, and the ability to make complex things understandable.
My work today is becoming more visible. I’m writing, developing frameworks, building products, and preparing for larger leadership responsibilities. But I am not beginning from scratch. I’m building on decades of experimentation, reinvention, and practical experience.
What once looked like a scattered career now looks more like a connected body of work, focused around understanding complex systems so people can make better decisions and achieve more meaningful outcomes.
With this clarity, I can face the unknown with excitement rather than apprehension. I step forward trusting that wherever I land, I have inherent value both to offer and to receive.