still figuring it out.
I’m a Story Engineer, founder and brand strategist, and the founder of Constant. There’s more than one way to get here. Mine runs through the Navy, ten-plus businesses, 100+ classic trucks, public service, and three kids at home.
I bring that mix to the way I think about stories, brands, and what makes people pay attention.
Business gives me a practical lens. Creativity keeps the possibilities open. “Story engineer” is how I connect the two: finding the idea, giving it shape, and making it mean something to the person on the other side.
it’s been a journey. here are the chapters.
Chapter 2
NAS Oceana test cell, a Navy bookstore, and the book that changed the plan.
Virginia is for lovers.
Read “Own my income”01of 06
I grew up in a small rural town and joined the U.S. Navy. I started as an aircraft mechanic and worked my way into the Test Cell Division at NAS Oceana, Virginia, testing and tuning jet engines.
I deployed several times on the USS Constellation, including in the Gulf during 9/11. Seeing the world opened my eyes. I loved serving my country, and I was honored to.
02of 06
Somewhere in those years I realized that someone else owned my time, my location, my income, and my promotion.
Then, in a Virginia Beach bookstore, a Naval officer suggested I read Rich Dad Poor Dad. I read it that night, and three more that week. It took me back to being a little kid watching Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, amazed that some people turned their dreams into something real.
Everything clicked.
I wanted to own my income.
03of 06
I left the Navy with no idea what I would build, only that it would be mine. Money was often zero. Some nights dinner was a $1 McDonald’s cheeseburger and the hope of a client tomorrow. Those days felt awful then. Now they make me smile.
From there I started quite a few small businesses with my name on them, in local markets. I built them from local supplies, direct marketing, a lot of handshakes, and a willingness to scrub toilets and floors, with enough pride to make sure the job was done right.
I’d do it all over again.
04of 06
In 2018 I founded Constant, a strategy and marketing practice that has served 430+ clients, from small local businesses to enterprise organizations. Positioning, brand guidance, SEO and automation, turned into things that work.
The name is the idea. In today’s world you almost need to be constantly marketing just to be seen.
Visit Constant ↗︎05of 06
When COVID hit, I started collecting classic trucks and became one of the largest private collectors in my region, with well over a hundred. I met people from all over the world.
I also started homeschooling my kids because the world felt crazy, and made a few pivots.
06of 06
I served as foreperson of the Butte County Civil Grand Jury, leading a 19-member jury through investigations of local agencies and public entities. A local judge selected me for a second term.
Advertising is a skill I’ve always loved, and I keep sharpening it. An ADDY Award came out of it, and I build with AI tools right alongside.
+beneath it all
Underneath all of it, I’m a writer, speaker, and storyteller who loves connecting with people and their passions.
And I’ve learned that nobody gets all the answers, however well they plan. You jump in, do it ugly, and keep improving as you go.
Four questions I keep coming back to, and the essays that grew from them.