Hello,

To be honest, at the time I wasn’t looking to start a company. I had recently left corporate and had decided to pursue my passion for traveling and photography without the constraints of meeting rooms, agendas, and client entertainment (business travel rarely allows time for cultural exploration).

During my travels, I often found myself in the company of talented and passionate individuals who were eager to start or grow their businesses but lacked the necessary knowledge. More frequently than not, I would end up offering advice, sometimes over a cup of coffee or a pint, on a diverse range of topics, including how to transform their ideas into innovative concepts, explore funding options, develop strategic plans to achieve their goals and provide practical insights and theories on creating value, leading teams, and managing systems.

Inevitably, I’d locate my fountain pen and begin sketching ideas or frameworks on the backs of napkins for them to take along on their journeys. Ultimately, they would be grateful for the business advice, not only because of the knowledge they’d gained but also because many of them would not have been able to afford a traditional business consultant at the outset.

So, I wondered, why weren’t there business consultants for everyday folks needing help with starting and growing their business? An every-joe consultant who:

• could provide a broad spectrum of business know-how 
• was knowledgeable in business design, design thinking, business strategy, and operations
• was creative and inspiring
• was affordable to the everyday guy and gal.

I recalled my time as a corporate executive where I collaborated with consultants on varying topics. They handled specialized areas such as Congressional lobbying and complex engineering designs. In working with these experts, I gained an informed perspective:

1. Consultants were subject matter experts advising on technical, financial, legal, or business issues.
2. They weren’t particularly creative.
3. They charged a lot of money.

So, in 2009, I decided to do something different. I believed that I could maintain my lifestyle as a photographer and traveler while committing to helping others along the way. Since then, Thrive has expanded to serve our customers in policy, business, technical, and creative domains. 

During my time working with clients (many who are now friends), I learned that helping people (and being helped) is a great gift. Throughout Thrive Venture’s growth, I’ve continued as a photographer, artist, and traveler, exploring nearly 50 countries across four continents while serving our clients. And although I regularly endeavor for the next great thing, I always look forward to helping others along their journeys.