About
In my personal life, I have been extremely fortunate to have had the many opportunities and adventures that I have experienced. In my working life, I am grateful to have met and worked with some of the most brilliant, genuine, inspirational, and generous people I could ever hope to know.
I believe that taking chances and trying new adventures are good things - that you never know how high you can go until you try. In my personal life, I have flown hang gliders and airplanes, received a pilot’s license and scuba diving certification, earned a black belt and competed in karate, raced motorcycles and Jeeps, taught myself mechanics and home construction, got married, and am raising a family and fostering unwanted dogs. I have lived in Illinois, Arizona, Southern and Northern California, and North Carolina.
In my early working career, I spent nearly fifteen years as a restaurant, bar, or nightclub manager. I enjoyed meeting new people, working with the public, and the variable hours allowed me the freedom to attend college classes to hone my interests in graphic design and marketing.
I have always enjoyed the creativity of design, and the science/art of marketing. I have found that I have a talent for understanding what my target audience wants, needs, and desires, and also for being able to simplify and convey complex ideas in ways that are easy to understand and retain. I used to loathe public speaking, but the more I forced myself to do it, the more I enjoyed it. I try to add creativity and a little bit of fun into almost everything I do as people are more likely to engage and to remember whatever message I am working to deliver.
I like to work for companies and people that inspire me - that make me want to dig deeper and use my skills, talents, and creativity to the absolute best of my abilities. I need to be passionate about the company, the product, the culture, the employers, the employees, and the customers. If not, then it is time for me to move on - life is too short to go to work everyday just to watch the clock.
– Jon