I’ve been trying to get my son to exercise, train, workout, lift, run, swim, climb trees–ANYTHING–for his entire life. To no avail. Every so often, yes. But nothing ever became …
Where Will You Put YOUR Acorn?
I grabbed some string and tied it around its base, then hung my acorn from my rearview mirror, and now I see it every day. Booyah. Wait, what? An actual …
Pass the Crickets Please
Any time someone finds out that I eat a plant-based diet, the immediate question always comes up: Where do you get your protein? Where do you think, people?!? Crickets! They …
Speak Your Goals, Take Action & Make Them Happen
I recently started to employ slightly outrageous strategy to create new goals, think bigger, create new possibilities, and make abstract goals more concrete. Interested? Read on. Disclaimer: This post may …
When Big Goals Change Directions
The plan was simple. Move to Ashburn, spend 10 years there making money, and then “retire” in Venice, Italy. Big goals. The BIG Goal Moving to Italy and being financially …
Trust the Universe
Is this thing going to hold me up? What if I fall? What happens if it breaks? How often are safety checks conducted? How high is this really going? We’re …
Change Your Tribe. Change Your Life.
I’ve been trying to get my son to exercise, train, workout, lift, run, swim, climb trees–ANYTHING–for his entire life. To no avail. Every so often, yes. But nothing ever became …
Where Will You Put YOUR Acorn?
I grabbed some string and tied it around its base, then hung my acorn from my rearview mirror, and now I see it every day. Booyah. Wait, what? An actual …
Community and Rituals. This Quarter, I’ll Focus On These Three Things.
New Years, it’s my favorite holiday! So much NEWNESS! New month, new year, and this time…new DECADE!!! Welcome to the new 20’s! Interestingly for me, on the first day of …
Discouraged About Your Progress? Read This [90-second read]
Ever had a week that was busy, crazy, you were hustling and pumping, and you knew that you were moving the ball forward… but when you stopped and looked back, …
The Struggle Is Real
Every so often, I hear this from a parent: Master Alley, he loves it when he’s here, but sometimes it’s a struggle actually GETTING him here? What do I do? …
Pass the Crickets Please
Any time someone finds out that I eat a plant-based diet, the immediate question always comes up: Where do you get your protein? Where do you think, people?!? Crickets! They …
Speak Your Goals, Take Action & Make Them Happen
I recently started to employ slightly outrageous strategy to create new goals, think bigger, create new possibilities, and make abstract goals more concrete. Interested? Read on. Disclaimer: This post may …
When Big Goals Change Directions
The plan was simple. Move to Ashburn, spend 10 years there making money, and then “retire” in Venice, Italy. Big goals. The BIG Goal Moving to Italy and being financially …
Trust the Universe
Is this thing going to hold me up? What if I fall? What happens if it breaks? How often are safety checks conducted? How high is this really going? We’re …
5 Powerful Discoveries from Reading a Book Every Day
Even now, I can hear my instructor berating us in staff meetings: “What are you reading? Readers are leaders! Do you want to influence your students? Make sure you’re feeding …
Speak Your Goals, Take Action & Make Them Happen
I recently started to employ slightly outrageous strategy to create new goals, think bigger, create new possibilities, and make abstract goals more concrete. Interested? Read on. Disclaimer: This post may …
A Tale of Two Ice Cream Parlors
Two ice cream parlors. Two store fronts. Two great locations. SAME STREET. Not only the same street, but literally separated by two other businesses. A father and son could play …
Want to Make More Money? Answer Your Phone.
He who answers the phone gets paid. My bus broke down. Again 🙁 I am starting to wonder if it would be a better use of my time and money …
Growing Business: Coffee Shop, Ice Cream, & Now PIZZA!
Last year, when my wife and I went to Charleston for a week of vacation, we landed in the best coffee shop in Folly Beach, and the owner was this …
Does It EVER End? Not For Staff Training…
It honestly seems like it’s never-ending. I swear, as soon as you get through all of the training to bring someone up to speed, you have to start all over …
Three Ways to Make More Money Without Selling More
There are really only three ways to make more money in your business, without selling anything else. Things you can do that will increase your profit immediately. They are: Cut …
Would YOU Have Loaned Him Your Lawn Mower?
I just answered the door to my townhouse, met by a young man who asked me if he could borrow my lawnmower. Ummm, no. But there is more to this …
How Do I Get Over Hearing “No”?
It goes like this: 6 Steps to Getting Everything You Want In Life Ask Ask again. Ask again. Ask again. Ask again. Start over. Ask. Then ask again. And when …
Sometimes, It’s Good to Lose
We all have that one person that we compare ourselves to, that one team that consistently wins, that one entrepreneur that irritates you to no end when you see them …
Center Stage Lansdowne! 4 Reasons It Will Succeed When The Others Failed.
As of this writing, there is only one Center Stage in physical existence, but when I refer to it in my journal or notes, I write CSA, Center Stage Ashburn. …
In Loving Memory, Don Alley, Sr.
I lost my dad on February 17, 2017. He was intelligent, funny, thoughtful, obnoxious, sarcastic, playful, and crude. I brought him up to live in Ashburn eight months ago, knowing …
Center Stage Lansdowne! 4 Reasons It Will Succeed When The Others Failed.
As of this writing, there is only one Center Stage in physical existence, but when I refer to it in my journal or notes, I write CSA, Center Stage Ashburn. …
Self-Fund or OPM? 4 Reasons I Am Choosing Other People’s Money to Grow
I opened Center Stage Preschool in Ashburn in the fall of 2016, and now, six months later, we have broken even! My marketing plan worked extremely well, I did some …
This is Hard vs. This is Fun. A Better Way to Define a Problem.
(This post was originally written in the Spring of 2016 for another website. I brought it over here for this blog…) Things that are legitimately hard for me: Skiing on double …
Community and Rituals. This Quarter, I’ll Focus On These Three Things.
New Years, it’s my favorite holiday! So much NEWNESS! New month, new year, and this time…new DECADE!!! Welcome to the new 20’s! Interestingly for me, on the first day of …
Growing Business: Coffee Shop, Ice Cream, & Now PIZZA!
Last year, when my wife and I went to Charleston for a week of vacation, we landed in the best coffee shop in Folly Beach, and the owner was this …
Would YOU Have Loaned Him Your Lawn Mower?
I just answered the door to my townhouse, met by a young man who asked me if he could borrow my lawnmower. Ummm, no. But there is more to this …
Sometimes, It’s Good to Lose
We all have that one person that we compare ourselves to, that one team that consistently wins, that one entrepreneur that irritates you to no end when you see them …
Center Stage Lansdowne! 4 Reasons It Will Succeed When The Others Failed.
As of this writing, there is only one Center Stage in physical existence, but when I refer to it in my journal or notes, I write CSA, Center Stage Ashburn. …
Self-Fund or OPM? 4 Reasons I Am Choosing Other People’s Money to Grow
I opened Center Stage Preschool in Ashburn in the fall of 2016, and now, six months later, we have broken even! My marketing plan worked extremely well, I did some …
How To Create Your Business Name (or really anything)
My wife runs a successful dog walking company called Wags and Walks. Cute name. I love it. She loves it. She was tired of selling tile and granite, and wanted …
This is Hard vs. This is Fun. A Better Way to Define a Problem.
(This post was originally written in the Spring of 2016 for another website. I brought it over here for this blog…) Things that are legitimately hard for me: Skiing on double …
Pass the Crickets Please
Any time someone finds out that I eat a plant-based diet, the immediate question always comes up: Where do you get your protein? Where do you think, people?!? Crickets! They …
Self-Fund or OPM? 4 Reasons I Am Choosing Other People’s Money to Grow
I opened Center Stage Preschool in Ashburn in the fall of 2016, and now, six months later, we have broken even! My marketing plan worked extremely well, I did some …
When Big Goals Change Directions
The plan was simple. Move to Ashburn, spend 10 years there making money, and then “retire” in Venice, Italy. Big goals. The BIG Goal Moving to Italy and being financially …
8 Ways to Learn Italian
First, you start with the basics. Bad words. Parolacce. The most important part of any language. Va’fanculo. Cazzo. Minchia. Stronzo. I curse enough in English, I’ll let you Google these …
Where Will You Put YOUR Acorn?
I grabbed some string and tied it around its base, then hung my acorn from my rearview mirror, and now I see it every day. Booyah. Wait, what? An actual …
Community and Rituals. This Quarter, I’ll Focus On These Three Things.
New Years, it’s my favorite holiday! So much NEWNESS! New month, new year, and this time…new DECADE!!! Welcome to the new 20’s! Interestingly for me, on the first day of …
The Struggle Is Real
Every so often, I hear this from a parent: Master Alley, he loves it when he’s here, but sometimes it’s a struggle actually GETTING him here? What do I do? …
When Big Goals Change Directions
The plan was simple. Move to Ashburn, spend 10 years there making money, and then “retire” in Venice, Italy. Big goals. The BIG Goal Moving to Italy and being financially …
5 Powerful Discoveries from Reading a Book Every Day
Even now, I can hear my instructor berating us in staff meetings: “What are you reading? Readers are leaders! Do you want to influence your students? Make sure you’re feeding …
8 Ways to Learn Italian
First, you start with the basics. Bad words. Parolacce. The most important part of any language. Va’fanculo. Cazzo. Minchia. Stronzo. I curse enough in English, I’ll let you Google these …
Sit at the Feet of the Greats!
I am a firm believer that reading plays such a vital role in our personal growth. When we read, we get to sit at the feet and listen to great …
What is the Best Morning Routine?
Morning Routine. Coffee, poop, shower, breakfast, then work. Or is it poop then coffee? And if you have kids, maybe you have some extra responsibilities….like dealing with THEIR poop:) I …
12 Things I Learned in my First Acting Class
I remember my first acting class like it was yesterday. Because it WAS yesterday. And it was awesome 🙂 At the beginning of the class, I had my journal handy, …
How Do I Get Over Hearing “No”?
It goes like this: 6 Steps to Getting Everything You Want In Life Ask Ask again. Ask again. Ask again. Ask again. Start over. Ask. Then ask again. And when …
How to Sign Up More Students in Your Martial Arts School
Any time I talk to other martial arts school owners or instructors, I’m always asked the question, “How do you recruit so many new martial arts students? How do you …
Three Ways to Make More Money Without Selling More
There are really only three ways to make more money in your business, without selling anything else. Things you can do that will increase your profit immediately. They are: Cut …
How Do I Get Over Hearing “No”?
It goes like this: 6 Steps to Getting Everything You Want In Life Ask Ask again. Ask again. Ask again. Ask again. Start over. Ask. Then ask again. And when …
Center Stage Lansdowne! 4 Reasons It Will Succeed When The Others Failed.
As of this writing, there is only one Center Stage in physical existence, but when I refer to it in my journal or notes, I write CSA, Center Stage Ashburn. …
How to Sign Up More Students in Your Martial Arts School
Any time I talk to other martial arts school owners or instructors, I’m always asked the question, “How do you recruit so many new martial arts students? How do you …
Community and Rituals. This Quarter, I’ll Focus On These Three Things.
New Years, it’s my favorite holiday! So much NEWNESS! New month, new year, and this time…new DECADE!!! Welcome to the new 20’s! Interestingly for me, on the first day of …
Would YOU Have Loaned Him Your Lawn Mower?
I just answered the door to my townhouse, met by a young man who asked me if he could borrow my lawnmower. Ummm, no. But there is more to this …
Since Our Time Here Isn’t Unlimited…
I want to care more. I want to touch more. I want to love more. And I want to judge less. Because our time here, unfortunately, is not unlimited. I …
Three Ways to Make More Money Without Selling More
There are really only three ways to make more money in your business, without selling anything else. Things you can do that will increase your profit immediately. They are: Cut …
Self-Fund or OPM? 4 Reasons I Am Choosing Other People’s Money to Grow
I opened Center Stage Preschool in Ashburn in the fall of 2016, and now, six months later, we have broken even! My marketing plan worked extremely well, I did some …
Why Can’t I Take Action?
Taking action. Doing. Executing. This is where the magic happens. Not in making a list. Not in telling other people what you are ABOUT to do. But actually buckling down, …
Where Will You Put YOUR Acorn?
I grabbed some string and tied it around its base, then hung my acorn from my rearview mirror, and now I see it every day. Booyah. Wait, what? An actual …
Community and Rituals. This Quarter, I’ll Focus On These Three Things.
New Years, it’s my favorite holiday! So much NEWNESS! New month, new year, and this time…new DECADE!!! Welcome to the new 20’s! Interestingly for me, on the first day of …
Discouraged About Your Progress? Read This [90-second read]
Ever had a week that was busy, crazy, you were hustling and pumping, and you knew that you were moving the ball forward… but when you stopped and looked back, …
The Struggle Is Real
Every so often, I hear this from a parent: Master Alley, he loves it when he’s here, but sometimes it’s a struggle actually GETTING him here? What do I do? …
Pass the Crickets Please
Any time someone finds out that I eat a plant-based diet, the immediate question always comes up: Where do you get your protein? Where do you think, people?!? Crickets! They …
5 Powerful Discoveries from Reading a Book Every Day
Even now, I can hear my instructor berating us in staff meetings: “What are you reading? Readers are leaders! Do you want to influence your students? Make sure you’re feeding …
The First You Or The Second Who?
We’d all like to think that we are making a difference. Most of us want to feel special; unique. One of the six human needs is significance. So, for those …
Peace or Panic. You Get to Choose.
For more than the entirety of my adult life, I have worked on Saturdays. Like, allll Saturday long. Usually from 8am until 7pm. Sometimes later. It’s just what you do …
Would YOU Have Loaned Him Your Lawn Mower?
I just answered the door to my townhouse, met by a young man who asked me if he could borrow my lawnmower. Ummm, no. But there is more to this …
Sometimes, It’s Good to Lose
We all have that one person that we compare ourselves to, that one team that consistently wins, that one entrepreneur that irritates you to no end when you see them …
Pass the Crickets Please
Any time someone finds out that I eat a plant-based diet, the immediate question always comes up: Where do you get your protein? Where do you think, people?!? Crickets! They …
Community and Rituals. This Quarter, I’ll Focus On These Three Things.
New Years, it’s my favorite holiday! So much NEWNESS! New month, new year, and this time…new DECADE!!! Welcome to the new 20’s! Interestingly for me, on the first day of …
Discouraged About Your Progress? Read This [90-second read]
Ever had a week that was busy, crazy, you were hustling and pumping, and you knew that you were moving the ball forward… but when you stopped and looked back, …
Pass the Crickets Please
Any time someone finds out that I eat a plant-based diet, the immediate question always comes up: Where do you get your protein? Where do you think, people?!? Crickets! They …
12 Things I Learned in my First Acting Class
I remember my first acting class like it was yesterday. Because it WAS yesterday. And it was awesome 🙂 At the beginning of the class, I had my journal handy, …
Discouraged About Your Progress? Read This [90-second read]
Ever had a week that was busy, crazy, you were hustling and pumping, and you knew that you were moving the ball forward… but when you stopped and looked back, …
Change Your Tribe. Change Your Life.
I’ve been trying to get my son to exercise, train, workout, lift, run, swim, climb trees–ANYTHING–for his entire life. To no avail. Every so often, yes. But nothing ever became …
Where Will You Put YOUR Acorn?
I grabbed some string and tied it around its base, then hung my acorn from my rearview mirror, and now I see it every day. Booyah. Wait, what? An actual …
Community and Rituals. This Quarter, I’ll Focus On These Three Things.
New Years, it’s my favorite holiday! So much NEWNESS! New month, new year, and this time…new DECADE!!! Welcome to the new 20’s! Interestingly for me, on the first day of …
Speak Your Goals, Take Action & Make Them Happen
I recently started to employ slightly outrageous strategy to create new goals, think bigger, create new possibilities, and make abstract goals more concrete. Interested? Read on. Disclaimer: This post may …
When Big Goals Change Directions
The plan was simple. Move to Ashburn, spend 10 years there making money, and then “retire” in Venice, Italy. Big goals. The BIG Goal Moving to Italy and being financially …
Trust the Universe
Is this thing going to hold me up? What if I fall? What happens if it breaks? How often are safety checks conducted? How high is this really going? We’re …
5 Powerful Discoveries from Reading a Book Every Day
Even now, I can hear my instructor berating us in staff meetings: “What are you reading? Readers are leaders! Do you want to influence your students? Make sure you’re feeding …
The First You Or The Second Who?
We’d all like to think that we are making a difference. Most of us want to feel special; unique. One of the six human needs is significance. So, for those …
Peace or Panic. You Get to Choose.
For more than the entirety of my adult life, I have worked on Saturdays. Like, allll Saturday long. Usually from 8am until 7pm. Sometimes later. It’s just what you do …
How Do I Get Over Hearing “No”?
It goes like this: 6 Steps to Getting Everything You Want In Life Ask Ask again. Ask again. Ask again. Ask again. Start over. Ask. Then ask again. And when …
Would YOU Have Loaned Him Your Lawn Mower?
I just answered the door to my townhouse, met by a young man who asked me if he could borrow my lawnmower. Ummm, no. But there is more to this …
The Destination Lasts a Second, But the Journey…
Ramblings from my journal this morning. Stay focused on the goal. What’s the goal? More businesses? More companies? No…The JOURNEY is the goal. Not the destination. There is no, “Once …
What’s the ONE Conversation You Are AVOIDING?
Damn it. Why did he ask me that? Anyone pissed at even just reading that title? Did it make you think about the conversation that you’ve been putting off, the …
Why Can’t I Take Action?
Taking action. Doing. Executing. This is where the magic happens. Not in making a list. Not in telling other people what you are ABOUT to do. But actually buckling down, …
Since Our Time Here Isn’t Unlimited…
I want to care more. I want to touch more. I want to love more. And I want to judge less. Because our time here, unfortunately, is not unlimited. I …
10X That Goal
(This was an excerpt from my morning pages today.) Think bigger. You aren’t thinking big enough. There’s more to uncover. More to achieve. As big as you think you’re thinking, …
Step Up Your Birthday Game!
I think celebrating someone’s birthday is such a great way to show them that you care about them. Really going out of your way to make their day special. Of …
Hopelessness, Anxiety, and Sleep
Hope. I love it when I feel hope. For me, it’s one of the best feelings ever. It washes over me, it envelops me like a warm blanket in front …
Change Your Tribe. Change Your Life.
I’ve been trying to get my son to exercise, train, workout, lift, run, swim, climb trees–ANYTHING–for his entire life. To no avail. Every so often, yes. But nothing ever became …
The Destination Lasts a Second, But the Journey…
Ramblings from my journal this morning. Stay focused on the goal. What’s the goal? More businesses? More companies? No…The JOURNEY is the goal. Not the destination. There is no, “Once …
What’s the ONE Conversation You Are AVOIDING?
Damn it. Why did he ask me that? Anyone pissed at even just reading that title? Did it make you think about the conversation that you’ve been putting off, the …
Since Our Time Here Isn’t Unlimited…
I want to care more. I want to touch more. I want to love more. And I want to judge less. Because our time here, unfortunately, is not unlimited. I …
How Do I Get Over Hearing “No”?
It goes like this: 6 Steps to Getting Everything You Want In Life Ask Ask again. Ask again. Ask again. Ask again. Start over. Ask. Then ask again. And when …
How to Sign Up More Students in Your Martial Arts School
Any time I talk to other martial arts school owners or instructors, I’m always asked the question, “How do you recruit so many new martial arts students? How do you …
Community and Rituals. This Quarter, I’ll Focus On These Three Things.
New Years, it’s my favorite holiday! So much NEWNESS! New month, new year, and this time…new DECADE!!! Welcome to the new 20’s! Interestingly for me, on the first day of …
Want to Make More Money? Answer Your Phone.
He who answers the phone gets paid. My bus broke down. Again 🙁 I am starting to wonder if it would be a better use of my time and money …
Does It EVER End? Not For Staff Training…
It honestly seems like it’s never-ending. I swear, as soon as you get through all of the training to bring someone up to speed, you have to start all over …
Tell Me Something Good!
Every staff meeting I have, I always start it the same way. “Tell me something good!” I usually follow it up with, What are you happy about? What are you …
Only Do What Only You Can Do
My karate school is my very first business. It’s my baby. So admittedly, sometimes I have a hard time letting go. But that is still no reason to abandon ship …
The One Activity That Pays Dividends in Your Business
In every business that I run, there are systems in place to ensure that everything runs smoothly. And when a problem arises, it’s either because the system wasn’t followed correctly, …
Community and Rituals. This Quarter, I’ll Focus On These Three Things.
New Years, it’s my favorite holiday! So much NEWNESS! New month, new year, and this time…new DECADE!!! Welcome to the new 20’s! Interestingly for me, on the first day of …
How to Sign Up More Students in Your Martial Arts School
Any time I talk to other martial arts school owners or instructors, I’m always asked the question, “How do you recruit so many new martial arts students? How do you …
When Big Goals Change Directions
The plan was simple. Move to Ashburn, spend 10 years there making money, and then “retire” in Venice, Italy. Big goals. The BIG Goal Moving to Italy and being financially …
8 Ways to Learn Italian
First, you start with the basics. Bad words. Parolacce. The most important part of any language. Va’fanculo. Cazzo. Minchia. Stronzo. I curse enough in English, I’ll let you Google these …
Time for a New Skill Set
It’s time to learn a new skill set. I could be the guy who orchestrated the whole operation and outs the company together, hires the people, and/or even hired the …
Dear Hugh
Dear Hugh, I miss you, sir. I think about you randomly, and always tear up and smile when I do. You were such a wonderful human being, and I feel …
Getting the MOST out of What You Learn
I love learning. I love to read. I love to listen to podcasts. I love attending seminars. Here is my list for how to get the most out of …
Keep Being Good to People
They all had HUGE smiles on their faces. Maybe it was because for part of the night I swapped tops with a staff member (the top was so pretty)… But they …
The First You Or The Second Who?
We’d all like to think that we are making a difference. Most of us want to feel special; unique. One of the six human needs is significance. So, for those …
Thoughts on Hopelessness, Anxiety, and Sleep
Written on November 28, 2017 Hope. It really is the best feeling ever. For the last three to four weeks, for whatever reason, I have just felt so hopeless. I …
Would YOU Have Loaned Him Your Lawn Mower?
I just answered the door to my townhouse, met by a young man who asked me if he could borrow my lawnmower. Ummm, no. But there is more to this …
8 Ways to Learn Italian
First, you start with the basics. Bad words. Parolacce. The most important part of any language. Va’fanculo. Cazzo. Minchia. Stronzo. I curse enough in English, I’ll let you Google these …
This is Hard vs. This is Fun. A Better Way to Define a Problem.
(This post was originally written in the Spring of 2016 for another website. I brought it over here for this blog…) Things that are legitimately hard for me: Skiing on double …
Pass the Crickets Please
Any time someone finds out that I eat a plant-based diet, the immediate question always comes up: Where do you get your protein? Where do you think, people?!? Crickets! They …
How To Create Your Business Name (or really anything)
My wife runs a successful dog walking company called Wags and Walks. Cute name. I love it. She loves it. She was tired of selling tile and granite, and wanted …