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It simply lacks interaction, unless you only want to talk about politics.

The day that Elon threw out two Nazi salutes was the day I closed my Twitter account and went all-in on Bluesky. Honestly, to hell with that guy.

At first, things at Bluesky seemed encouraging. I noticed a lot of my contacts on Twitter were joining as well. There was a buzz of activity and a skyrocket of growth. It also didn't feel as toxic as Twitter, which was a welcome change.

But as time went on, that excitement dissipated. Turns out, those in my network who were joining also kept their Twitter accounts, and they went back to using it on the regular.

Not me, though. From the day I joined, I made a point to post something every single day (just as I did on Twitter). The difference was stark.

No One is There

Okay, that's an exaggeration. Specifically, no one is there to talk about anything other than politics. The posts with the most comments, likes, and reshares are all political. Full stop. That's what it is, a political echo chamber.

Look, I'm not opposed to political echo chambers. For me, that's what my Mastodon account is used for. I wanted to use Bluesky for something else. I wanted to talk about entrepreneurship, software, WordPress, and occasional life stuff. Similar to what I do here on this site.

So, that's what I did. And the engagement was very underwhelming. No one freaking interacts on the platform! It's like talking in an empty hallway. The occasional passerby will “look in my direction”, but that's about it. This isn't after a few weeks, but months and months of continuous posting.

Twitter is Better

The sad thing is, Twitter would have been way more enjoyable, and a better home, for these posts. There is an audience beyond politics. Actually, I had done a good job filtering out all political rage-bait posts from my feed before I left. I enjoyed the experience on the platform.

To me, this is the biggest downfall of Bluesky. If you're interested in interacting with like-minded political advocates, then it's a fantastic place to be (and so is Mastodon). Just know that there is a very limited scope of other popular topics beyond that.

Twitter is, and probably always will be, the best option for this kind of social media medium. But to be fair, I haven't tried Threads (I currently can't stomach using another one of Zuck's platforms).

LinkedIn for the Win

In my attempt to find a home for conversations around the topics I enjoy, I turned to LinkedIn. In one week, I had more social interactions, from ONE post, than nearly my entire time on Bluesky.

Think about that. Just one post.

For me, it's time I move on. The topics I like and the audience I want to reach are not on Bluesky. They are still on Twitter, but also on LinkedIn.

Going forward, I'll post now and again on Bluesky, but probably with the same frequency as my Mastodon account. If Elon ever sells Twitter (not going to happen), then I'd jump back there.

#personal

Alcohol and entrepreneurship often go hand-in-hand, but they don't have to.

Last year, I wrote a post about how I was cutting back on my caffeine intake, and how it was a bit challenging at the start. Once I got through the initial withdrawal symptoms, it got easier. Truth be told, I was quite surprised at how my body was addicted to a certain level of caffeine each day.

In that article, I included a link to another article I wrote some years ago about how I gave up drinking alcohol. Making that change from drinker to non-drinker is something that I'm extremely proud of, especially because I never thought it would be something I'd ever do. Ever.

Alcohol played a massive role in my social life, and I explore that topic a bit more in that article. However, what I didn't fully address in that post, and what should be addressed, is the role alcohol often has in entrepreneurship.

Why I Can Speak on This Topic

I've been an entrepreneur my entire life. After more than a decade of trying different ventures, I finally found success in LearnDash. Shortly after its launch, I left my corporate career to do it full-time. I went from being on the road every week to living and working from home. No more office, no more boss. I was free!

In my first week of freedom, I got drunk around 2PM each day. My life felt surreal, I was in my 20s, and I was in “vacation mode”. That didn't last, though. After the first week, I got my shit together and wouldn't drink during working hours, but I would soon come to see that the theme of alcohol remained.

From the very beginning of my first entrepreneurial success, alcohol played a significant role. Whether it was to celebrate, to mark the end of the day, or to network, it became a pillar of my experience. Since I was working at home, I didn't know how to get out of “work mode” unless I was cracking open a beer.

More often than not, I didn't drink to get a buzz, but rather to just “relax”. However, as the years went on, I felt that I needed to disconnect even more. Business life was stressful, and my personal life wasn't any better. So, I self-medicated. When drunk, suddenly those things didn't feel as emotionally intense.

From Bad to Real Bad

In a scary turn of events, alcohol eventually stopped being a tool to disconnect for me, and I started to equate it to some of my business success.

Looking back, that is when I can say that my relationship with alcohol changed for the worse.

I'd tell myself that it was important that I drink because it helped me to network. I did strike some amazing deals in the late hours of the night at a hotel bar with other entrepreneurs (at conferences, for example), so I attributed that success to my drinking.

What I didn't see at the time was that this wasn't due to the alcohol, it was due to me as a person. I always struggled to give myself the full credit I deserved, and by putting alcohol up on a pedestal in this way, I made it near impossible to quit drinking. I was telling myself that if I quit drinking, I wouldn't be successful.

So, I continued with my unhealthy pattern. Alcohol wasn't for special occasions anymore. It was part of my personality, my success, my way of life. I took a keen interest in different whiskeys. I thought I was being “cultured” by knowing flavor profiles and making recommendations to friends and family, or when networking. In reality, I was cementing alcohol into the definition of who I was. I was proud of this useless whiskey knowledge.

But here's the thing: as the years went on, I became more isolated than ever before. Something that was meant to be done in a social setting became the reason I chose not to go out or interact with anyone. Sitting at home, knocking back half a bottle to disconnect became more appealing. I was spiraling, and I knew it.

Hitting My Rock Bottom

As it is often said, you need to really hit your rock bottom before you are ready for a change. It has to be personal, and really rattle you to your core.

For me, that moment came in 2019. The specifics of which, in reality, don't matter. If you're drinking heavily (or even more than you know you should), and you read about my rock bottom, then your mind will justify how your situation is different. It will protect your ego, and therefore your habit. I know, because that's what I used to do. My story is not personal to you, and it has to be personal.

What does matter is that when I hit my rock bottom, I was a mess. I cried. I screamed at myself. Most importantly: I never wanted to feel that way ever again.

That day I decided to quit drinking. I didn't know what to do, so I wrote for three or four hours straight in a journal – just a pen and paper. I wrote about the issue I had, why I hated myself for it, how I needed to get better, my insecurities, the direction my life was going in, and where I wanted to go.

When I wasn't writing, I read this book and listened to this audiobook. And I finally admitted to my therapist that I had a problem.

Every day, I wrote in that journal (for months on end). I stopped drinking cold turkey, because there is really no other way. I tried them all, and let me tell you something: it was fucking hard. Trying to limit yourself, for example, won't work because the contract you make with your sober self is different when you're negotiating with your drunk self.

"I missed having a buzz. I missed numbing my emotions."

No one really talks about this, but it was exhausting to be with my own thoughts 24/7. I was going to bed at 8:30PM because of how tired I was without my usual escape. I experienced daily “thought fatigue” as I processed my emotions.

But as time went on, I got used to being with my thoughts. I enjoyed better sleep. I lost weight. Furthermore, I regained confidence. I also made more money (the opposite of what I thought would happen).

What this time gave me was evidence that all the preconceived notions that I had about alcohol, all the lies, were fabricated to reinforce a life-destroying addiction.

I still don't drink alcohol, and I'm not even remotely tempted by it. I am 100% present in life, and I'm always in control and clear-headed. Furthermore, I sleep great. I'm the healthiest I've ever been from a physical standpoint, and as an added bonus, I no longer have to lie to my doctor when asked how many drinks I have per week!

Alcohol and You

My story is not unique. Far from it, actually. Perhaps you too are struggling with something similar. Maybe you don't think your drinking is as bad as mine was, but I can promise you that if you continue down your current path, it will be.

Because that's what addictions do. They start small, then they snowball, and before you know it, your new “normal” is no longer normal to the outside world. It's cliché as hell, but the first step in all of this is to recognize that the problem exists. You can't regulate it. Setting “drink limits” never works, and you know it.

If you say to yourself, “I don't have a problem”, then there's a very good chance you have a problem. You're already rationalizing. That's how it begins.

Many people would disagree with me on that, and I understand. If that's you, then I have a challenge for you: stop drinking for six months, today. Throw away all the alcohol in your house.

If you immediately rejected that possibility, think about why. What excuses came to your mind to rationalize why you don't need to do that? If you didn't have a dependency, then you would have no problem giving it up for six months. That's a fact.

If you said to yourself, “I could do that, no problem,” then prove it. Otherwise, you're just lying to yourself again.

Look, I'm just being honest, because your mind will do everything in its power to lie to you about this. I know, because I told myself all the same rationale. It's because you've had years upon years of conditioning. Alcohol is part of your pastimes, your friend group, your business life, and more—but it doesn't have to be. In fact, it shouldn't be.

Think about it this way: there is no bad outcome when you stop drinking alcohol. Not one. In fact, quite the opposite. It's all gain, and then some. I can attest to that.

You're Stronger than You Know

I know you can give up alcohol, you're just as strong as anyone else who has done the same. As an entrepreneur, you don't put up with excuses in your business. It's time to apply that same philosophy to your relationship with booze.

That said, you don't have to do it alone. If you find having a support group helps, then there are plenty. You can read books (like the ones I mentioned earlier), listen to podcasts, post on Reddit, talk to a therapist, or whatever you need to help you build momentum and stay committed. The resources are there waiting for you.

Step 1 is making that commitment and “saying it out loud”.

If you need someone safe to say it to, then you can email me.

#entrepreneurship #health

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Married for four years, but it feels like more.

Four years is not a very long time, but I've come to see that it's not the number of years but the memories within those years that make that ultimately makes it feel short or long.

Lorena and I got married four years ago today on a somewhat humid, rainy day in Austin, Texas. It was right in the middle of the pandemic, so the wedding itself was a “micro-wedding” (at least that's what the venue sold it to us as). I think there were 12–15 people there total.

That day feels like forever ago. Maybe it's because since then we've moved two times. We've been through the other side of a pandemic, health scares, professional transitions, countless family visits, vacations, and more.

Through it all, wehave grown closer. We've learned more about each other and about ourselves. I find that with each passing month, I love something else about her. I appreciate her for who she is and the qualities she exhibits on a daily basis.

Next year is the big “number five”. It's easy to get caught up in those obvious milestones, but I don't want to overlook these first four years and just how special they have been.

#personal

Sometimes we carry a lot simply out of habit, and it prevents us from true happiness.

We all have baggage, it's part of the human experience. The baggage we accumulate is just a byproduct part of the living, learning, and moving on. The messed up part, though, is that we continue to carry it with us. This is something that I've started to analyze in my own life. Specifically, examining what I'm holding onto and carrying around with me every day simply out of habit.

Introspection is hard work. I find that when I start to dig, the feelings resurrect and for a brief moment in time, those feelings are just as intense as they were the first day I felt them. But logic, and perspective, soon jump in, and the emotions are muted.

I came across the quote below that I really liked. It could be applied to many things in life, but the first thing that came to my mind was the unnecessary weight that we carry on our backs because we're not ready to let ourselves be free from old emotions.

"Once the rain is over, an umbrella becomes a burden to everyone."

It's a simple metaphor, but a significant one.

The rain speaks to the issues that we have in life. The big problem or event that we have lived through. When we're in the middle of the storm, it is disorienting, immediate, and sometimes scary. Our “fight or flight” instincts are triggered. But it doesn't storm forever. The intensity diminishes to a trickle, and then eventually the sun emerges.

The umbrella represents the immediate emotions and mental state of the storm. As you live through something difficult, your survival mind takes over. You mentally protect yourself and you power through. You use that “umbrella” to prevent yourself from getting soaked and overwhelmed. But what good is it to carry that big, wet umbrella once the storm is over? It no longer serves a purpose, and if anything, it becomes inconvenient to hold onto on a sunny day.

I'm learning to close and put away my “umbrellas” in life by focusing on the present moment, recognizing that there is no storm, and therefore, there is no need for an umbrella.

#happiness

There's nowhere else in the world like it.

After eleven action-packed days in Hawaii, Lorena and I have returned to California. This also marks a temporary break in our travel for a few months, after a whirlwind of activity since February.

The trip was my idea. In January, Lorena asked me what I wanted to do for my 40th birthday. At first, I said “nothing.” But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do something special for reaching 40 years of life. I love the ocean, and I love the beach. I began to think about where I would want to go to celebrate with Lorena, and Hawaii came to mind.

An Activity Every Day

Something I enjoyed about our recent trip to Sedona was that we had a planned activity every day. Some days it was one thing, and other times it was two, but the nice thing was that we didn't have to figure out what to do when we were there.

So, I did the same thing for Hawaii. Each day I had an activity planned. I bought tickets in advance for the things that required tickets, so all we had to do was just show up. We did make one or two modifications to the agenda based on how we were feeling and the weather, but overall we stuck to it.

Some of the things we did:

• Pillbox Hike
• Koko Crater Stair Hike
• Snorkeling at Shark's Cove
• Waimea Valley Falls
• Spiritual guide session
• Kailua Farmer's Market
• Massages
• Lanikai Beach
• Iolani Palace
• Byodo-In Temple
• Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden
• Kualoa Ranch
• Swam with dolphins in the open ocean
• Waimea Bay Beach

And obviously, we took time to explore between the events that we had planned.

But we didn't love everything.

Overall, we enjoyed most things about Oahu, but there were a few things that started to become challenging.

First, we eat primarily vegan (except for fish now and again, which we enjoyed on this trip). Hawaii does not have a ton of vegan-only restaurants. In fact, they really only had one. We did find vegan meal options at the restaurants that we chose, but none of them were that great. Overall, we rated our food experience a 6 out of 10 for the trip.

Next, parking. My goodness, I've never seen a city that has been so poorly set up for parking. Living in the LA area, I'm used to hunting for parking. Honolulu is next level difficult. There is very little street parking, and also not many parking structures. We often needed to park several blocks away from where we were trying to go.

Finally, because the buildings on the island are a bit older, over half of the restaurants we visited didn't have bathrooms. This was annoying after some time. You usually had to walk around to find a public bathroom. Many of the restaurants did have one bathroom, but they were almost always “employees only.”

A Special Place

There is just something magical about Hawaii for me. I think it's because it's so isolated from the rest of the world, there's a sense of community and responsibility for nature. There is no arguing over climate change, what constitutes littering, pollution, and the like. Everyone just “gets it”. You just don't see this in many places.

Our trip was eye-opening on many levels. We have even started to talk about the possibility of living in Hawaii. Not anytime soon (we just moved), but we may take more trips to the islands to see if that's a feeling that grows. If that is indeed in our future one day, then it would certainly be the island of Oahu where there is access to Honolulu, the largest city. Oahu has about one million people on it, easily the most populated. Because of this, it has access to most of today's modern conveniences.

But for now, we are back in Culver City. I must admit, it feels great to be home. No trips are planned at the moment, but we have a few ideas – including a return to Hawaii.

#personal

Doing what must be done.

In April 2023, I signed up for Gracie Jiu-jitsu. I was nervous, but excited, to learn an art that so many people rave about. The Gracie approach, I learned, was a great introduction into the sport. Slow and methodical, without any hard rolling (sparring) until a little later.

The problem is, I never fully reached that “later” phase. And when I did, I had yet another injury setback.

The whole reason that I started BJJ in the first place was because of a bicep tendon issue I sustained from heavy lifting and Muay Thai (heavy bag work). I couldn't punch anymore, at least not regularly. So, I turned to BJJ. It was the perfect answer to my desire for learning martial arts. Or, so I thought.

BJJ Aggravated The Issue

While the slow pace of Gracie Jiu-jitsu allowed me to participate and learn, I was itching to do the fun stuff. The rolling. After 10 months, I actually left Gracie Jiu-jitsu to try other gyms where I could spar right away. I ended up really hurting my bicep tendon again, which sidelined me for five months or so.

I didn't want to give up, though. I slowly worked my way back through Gracie Jiu-jitsu. I came back and earned my third stripe and fourth stripe. When we moved, I joined a Gracie Jiu-jitsu affiliate in the area where I finally, after nearly two years, earned my Combatives belt.

But during my belt test, I hurt my bicep tendon yet again. I couldn't even do the easier classes without it flaring up, so I started rehab (again) with the goal of getting back as quick as possible.

Then things got worse...

As I was rehabbing my shoulder, an old soccer injury flared up: nerve damage from a herniated disc in my neck. Ever since 2013, I haven't had full feeling in my left index finger. I noticed that I was additional sensory loss in my thumb on the same side, and “zapping” pain when I would stretch my arm out too far.

So, off to the neurologist, who confirmed that my C6 vertebrae is impinging the nerve. The nerve is swollen due to some Lagree Method classes that I've been taking since January (and often what I chose to do while rehabbing from BJJ).

Deciding To Move On

I'm 40 now. And while not old, I'm not young, and part of being at this stage of life is knowing your body's limits. My spirit wants to do BJJ, but it's not a good choice for my long-term health.

I'll admit, it hurts. I am not just giving up learning a new, useful skill, but also giving up on an entire community that I enjoyed. That part sucks, and now I'm left feeling a little misplaced. I grew up with team sports and community around athletics. I wanted it so bad with BJJ, but I never could gain any real momentum. I'll miss the gym culture and the anticipation of learning something new.

For now, I rest and heal up as I search for something more sustainable for my body.

#personal

According to this measure, we are failing.

Social media is often just an endless list of angry political complaints and disbelief these days, at least in my feeds.

Every day, I hear about a new policy, or action taken by the administration, that seems like it should be impossible. It makes me angry, but the root of that anger is sadness. I'm sad that we have fallen so far away from the values of our country used to hold dear. Not just for our citizens, but for the world.

The late President Jimmy Carter said it best...

"The measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens."

Given where we are at today, how would The United States measure up to this evaluation? I think that we all know the answer. For the next four years, hundreds of thousands of people will suffer.

One day I hope we attempt to turn it around, though by then the damage will be done, and it may very well be too late.

#politics

We made it back to Mexico City for a visit, possibly the only one this year.

Typically, by this point in the year, Lorena and I have already traveled to Mexico City to visit her family. However, with the move, selling our previous home, and going to Connecticut and Sedona, we just haven't had the time.

Until now!

We recently returned from a week visit in Mexico City to see Lorena's parents. We actually saw them a couple of weeks prior to the trip as they came to visit us in Culver City for four days. It was nice to see them in the heart of Mexico, a place that I've really fallen in love with over the years.

No Plans are the Best Plans

We didn't have any major plans for this trip. I went to Las Luchas (Mexican wrestling) with my father-in-law on one of the days as a delayed birthday present. It was unlike anything I've ever seen. These guys are true athletes. More akin to gymnasts than the stereotypical wrestler.

Aside from that, we went for walks in the forest (yes, there is a huge forest in Mexico City), at some good vegan food at a restaurant that we like, and just pretty much relaxed.

Hasta Luego

These trips to Mexico City always hold a special place in my heart. Even though I've been going for years now, they always remind me of some of my first visits. I remember how special it felt being there. I loved seeing where Lorena grew up, and discovering the depths of the culture. Now that I'm fluent in Spanish, it's even more enjoyable.

The downside to the trip was that on the second to last day, Lorena came down with something. She was achy and had a fever. That put a little damper on the trip as she tried to recover before the big travel day. Then, on the travel day, I came down with something similar... except I was puking on the plane. Yeah... that wasn't fun. Turns out, we had COVID. Our first time.

At this point, we don't know when we'll be back. I'd venture to guess it'll be sometime in 2026.

#personal

Set yourself free by freeing yourself of expectations.

I've tried my hardest not to expect anything in life, because that's when I get hurt the most, or angry, or just let down. It has been something that I've been aware of, but I've failed to really practice it in my every day life the way that I should. Because you know what? It's hard. It's hard as hell.

It's not that I expect things of other people. I mean, I expect the basics like everyone does (to be treated with respect, for example). But I do expect things out of my life. Or, I expect something that will come to pass. And when that doesn't happen, it has a way of tanking me. This is especially true if I have a repeating expectation for my life.

Yet every notable philosopher says that the key to happiness is to let go of these expectations, especially if they are outside our control. The fact that their words live on through the ages likely means that they were onto something.

This short post is my reminder to practice acceptance first. Expectations put me into a land of hypotheticals. Acceptance forces me to be present, and that's the way I want to live my life. That's when I'm at my best.

#happiness

Patience is a virtue, but in business, it can also be a weakness.

Entrepreneurship is often about finding balance. If you're building a product, it's understanding the number of features you put into a major version to make it newsworthy, versus causing too much confusion. Or, if you're in services, you balance the time you spend with each client so that you maximize your time, but the client doesn't feel ignored.

Opportunities are briefly open doors. If you don't walk through them when they're open, they could shut, and you'll be locked out forever.

The trick is to always be on the lookout for these doors, and to take advantage of proper timing. Those that do this more often than not end up winning in their respective markets.

If You Move Too Slow, You Lose

When I'm working with my clients, I always stress the importance of having a sense of urgency. If they have a good idea, they need to execute. Otherwise, it could be too late (for a variety of factors).

If you move too slowly, your competitor may beat you to the sexy new feature.

Or, you may enter into slower sales months around the holidays, and your message isn't heard.

Or, your competitor has their own release, and they make more noise than you.

I could go on, but the point is that you can only control your timing and nothing else. If you keep waiting, you keep losing future business.

"Never put off today what makes you money tomorrow!"

Money isn't everything, but it's the solution to many issues. Putting off competitive initiatives for too long hurts your ability to grow your business. I think at its core, we understand this as entrepreneurs. But why do we do it?

If you have some level of success already, then a large part of that can be attributed to being in the right place, at the right time. While this sounds like luck (and it is on some level), the reality is that you increased your chances of being in that right place at the right time by the sense of urgency you had in the ideas you implemented.

But then something changed. You got comfortable.

I've been guilty of this, too. It's easy to achieve a comfortable level of success and then slow down too much. Taking a more measured approach is well and good, but it's very easy for this to slip into a form of laziness. You already have predictable income for the business, so you don't need to “rush” anything, and as a result, you miss the timing.

Move Fast, Stay Sharp

If you're reading this, it's probably because, deep down, you know you've been moving a little too slowly. Maybe you've convinced yourself that you're being “strategic” or “waiting for the right moment”, but more often than not, that moment never comes unless you're the one to create it.

Success doesn’t wait around. Neither should you.

The best businesses aren’t just the ones with great ideas, they’re the ones that act on them quickly. So whatever it is you've been sitting on, such as a new offer or campaign, you need to move now! Get it out into the world. Iterate if you must, but don’t wait for perfect.

Because in business, speed doesn't just matter. It wins.

#entrepreneurship