10 Questions With Brad From The Finn Mindset

The best part of blogging and FIRE is the community that I get to meet. Sometimes, it’s at a Camp FI or FinCon. Other times, it’s at the coworking space that I hang out at. Occasionally, I’ll get an email from someone who heard me on a podcast or reads this blog. And this last category is how Brad and I first started talking. At some point in our conversations, Brad proposed a business. This post isn’t about that, so I’ll save that story for another day...

Brad is a fascinating guy. He’s a physics teacher who also owns a small business. He writes from the heart and isn’t afraid to open up. He talks about heartbreaking tragedy in his answers here. On his own blog, he wrote about losing his dad:

Now that he’s not here I have been left with a feeling of “I have no one to look up to”. I don’t have anyone I aspire to be and for someone that is constantly seeking approval from others, I feel so lost.

Although we’ve never met, I feel like I know Brad through his writing. Writers like Brad, who let their personality shine through, are my favorites. But more than that, Brad is a good person; on a constant journey of reflection and self-improvement. I dig it.

Take it away Brad.

I am a sucker for assisted content, whether on YouTube or here on the blog. It is so much more enjoyable for me to ramble on about questions people asked, as opposed to coming up with something that I THINK people want to listen/read about. On 1500days.com, the author, Carl, gives the opportunity to promote your blog by answering at least ten of the following questions. I have been told I talk a lot about myself and it’s true. Frankly, I don’t know anyone else better, so it only seems fitting. I also like to do things over the top so 10 just wouldn’t be enough! This will be a fun exercise in self-awareness because I don’t think we ask ourselves enough questions. Who knows how long this will take. It’s May 19th, 2019. Maybe a day, maybe a month.  He has strict rules about the answers. The hardest of which is to not be boring. That could be difficult. Here is how I would answer his questions. I hope that one day we can go into further detail over a beer and a bonfire! Although his blog receives literally 100,000’s of views more than mine, maybe there is a small chance you haven’t seen it. It is worth the journey over there! But for now, here is all you need to know about me! I’ll even try to get some pictures in.

Your Internet Ramblings

There are approximately 476,492,292,928 personal finance blogs last time I checked. Why should we read yours?

Because with the number of personal finance blogs out there, there are equally the same amount of people out there to learn from. Although we are all humans, it is pretty much impossible to follow the exact same path as someone else. That is the beauty of the blog space and why I don’t think it can ever really become oversaturated. You can’t just read my blog and get ALL the answers you are looking for. I can only maybe fill a small relatable piece of your journey. After I have filled that space you must move on to someone else to continue filling your education. This is like anything when it comes to education and self-growth. The more things you have to learn from the more you can learn. My path is pretty general from a blanket “personal finance” perspective, but I definitely have things to share that people can relate to. 

Why did you start your blog?

This will probably become a post of its one day. If so I will link it here. But as of today, there is a pretty simple answer. I am a natural born teacher and would like to think that I am a pretty good leader as well. I also have A LOT to say and a story that some would find unique and challenging. When it comes to the area of personal finance I feel like I was very short-changed. Financially, both my parents passed away with close to nothing. I think that this may have been different, or at least my own financial situation would be different if we talked about it more and had more resources. At the risk of sounding like JL Collins, I wanted to get some stuff down on paper that my kids could see in the future when I expire. Or even just my close friends and family that didn’t want to ask me directly. Here I can be the voice without having to actually be in the room. Plus I would much rather be in front of my computer than a TV Screen.

What has surprised you about blogging?

How the blogging community is SO DIFFERENT than the YouTube community. I can’t say one is better than the other. They are just different. Although there are many career bloggers out there they don’t flaunt it as much as a career as those on YT. (from what I have seen) I am sure, like anything, that I will experience more as time goes by. But for now, blogging is pure and new. It’s a clean slate. It’s an outlet. It can be done late at night in the dark with no camera. It is a much more RAW VERSION of myself. I thought that would be terrifying, but it’s been surprisingly amazing. I actually enjoy it much more than I thought I would. My writing has always been suppressed by everyone around me. Spelling and grammar have NEVER been my strong suits. So I never did it, because I thought I would be a letdown or embarrassment. Now I don’t really care that much. I will proofread as much as I can to make sure it is clear as I can make it. But at the end of the day, I will focus more on the content! 

What is part of your blog that you wish you could do better?

Writing. Simple. My spelling, grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, YOU NAME it. That can all get exponentially better. But I’ll tell you one reason why it never did get any better over the past 37 years, I NEVER PRACTICED. Consider yourself, the early reader, the guinea pig of my writing experience. It will probably be like YouTube when I go back and look at my early videos and think to myself “Holy Sh*t” I put that on the internet as was proud of it! Maybe in a few years, I will say “COME ON BRAD, THERE IS NO COMMA THERE!” (I over use comma’s A LOT)

Is there anything else you’d like to promote?

Kindness. It’s so cliche but means so much. When my dad passed away last November his services were like nothing I could have imagined. Unfortunately, I have been to many funerals. Some for the really young and some for the really old. My dad was 67 and I considered him on the “older” side. I figured his services would be quiet and reserved. This WAS NOT THE CASE.  Friends came out of the woodwork and traveled in from all over the country. Friends he hadn’t seen in decades and that I only knew through stories. He was an adventurer before he settled down with us. I never really realized how much he gave to us emotionally. I wondered to myself why all these people would be flying around the country on Thanksgiving week to say goodbye to a man they hadn’t seen since the ’80s. I asked one of his friends. “Respect” was the simple answer I got. In retrospect, I never knew it because I always looked at him as “DAD”. My father was a kind and gentle soul (but people knew he wasn’t to be messed with). He never did ANYTHING selfishly. He lived in the service of his friends and family. He did everything for us and busted his ass to make sure that we were taken care of long before thinking about himself.

At the time of his death, I couldn’t say the same for myself. Actually, I was a bit of an asshole. I’ve had to do a lot of apologizing over the last few months since looking in the mirror and realizing how kindness is the absolute equalizer. I’m not too sure people would fly in for my services tomorrow if I expire. I hopefully have a few more years to change that. Kindness and a positive attitude will be the ticket to that. That is probably the last and most important lesson my father ever taught me. Work hard, stay positive and always be kind to others.  

You

Where do you live? Do you love it, hate it or just meh.

I live on Long Island in the great expensive state of NY. I love it, I hate it, and it’s just meh. I have done my fair share of moving around. I did a 4 year stay in AZ in my late 20’s on a whim. It was fun and exciting, but there is no place like home. I hate it because I know it’s not the most financially efficient place to live. I know I should move. But I am torn by “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”. Do I want to move because I want to move or because I need to move and my life will get better? My biggest fear and the reason I’m still sitting here is that I leave and then realize I just want to move again. If I do move, you will find me somewhere quieter and a little slower than here in NY. Colorado has been on the front of my mind for a very long time. Every time I go there it gets a little harder to leave. Also, all the things that have kept me here for so long I am now seeing are just “things”. I say things like “I can’t leave, I love the beach too much”. I go to the beach 20 times a year! Is that worth it? Or “I can’t leave I love NYC”. I hate the city! I don’t think you’ll see the Finns in NY for many more years. So come visit while you still can.

Do you rent or own? What are your thoughts on homeownership?

I own my house. Well, the bank does. This is actually my second house and to revert back to the last question another reason I feel stuck here. I am living in, and just purchased, the house that I grew up in. I sold my first house and move back here in February after my dad passed away. It really is the ideal place to raise a family. It’s on a dead-end with great neighbors, the school district is wonderful, it’s close to the train station and many major roads. Not to mention I am 10 in from the ocean. (Even if I only go to the beach 20 times a year) I love this house so much. If the day comes that I must let it go, it will be a truly heartbreaking experience. Leaving my last house was HARD and I didn’t even like it that much.

I have also rented. I think there are a time and place for both. At my stage of life, homeownership is definitely something I am happy with. I will rent again if I move and can’t find a house I love. I definitely feel that you shouldn’t rush into homeownership. I couldn’t imagine getting something “just to have a house” and then realizing that you hate it. Also if I could go back I would have done a ton more house hacking and renting. The more the family grows the harder it gets to get up and leave. Baby toys are REAL!

What do you do for a living?

Come on Carl, that is a loaded question! BUT, my primary source of income is teaching. I am a high school physics teacher and have been for about 15 years. I also own a brewery that takes up more time and pays less than teaching but I love it. I am a YouTube creator and now blogger as well. I dream of the day I can tell people that I am an “investor”. I own about 2,600 companies and lend a small amount of money to banks from time to time. That should surely confuse people and keep them from rolling their eyes when I tell them that I am retired and living off VTSAX and VBTLX  

How old are you and do you have a family?

I’m 37, I have a 29-year-old wife, a 16-month-old daughter and a baby boy on the way (September). It does not suck to be me! Every day I feel younger and happier to be alive! Every day I feel more purpose which makes me feel so alive. My daughter is just starting to put words together. Recently on her way to daycare she mumbled “bye-bye” as she waved. It was the most incredible thing I have ever heard. But in the same breath, it saddened me and made me want to work harder. I know that I want to limit the number of times she has to say goodbye to me. One day I won’t have to leave and go to work! 

Transportation (how do you get around): car, train, bus, bike or VTOL?

I own (no payments) a 2016 Toyota Tacoma that I got before Mr. Money Moustache told me I needed a small little hatchback. I promise Pete, that will be my next car for sure. My job is 21 miles away. I ride my bike to work from occasionally when time allows, but around the neighborhood, I am always on my bike. I love bikes. I even have and Eliptigo. That is a completely different story for another time! 

How do you stay fit? (If you’re one of those crazy Crossfit people, please don’t tell me that I suck because I don’t do it. This has happened.)

I try and keep what I would consider a healthy diet with the exception of my fair share of craft beer. But I am definitely a “mover”. I love endurance and have completed everything from Ultra Marathons and Ironman Triathlons to 6 mile open water swims. I like the challenge of difficult physical activity and showing myself what can be done. I don’t think that part of me will ever die. A major bucket list item for me is to ride my bike across the US one day. Who’s coming with me?

And since you mentioned it, I also owned a CrossFit way back when before it was cool. It’s still open and thriving to this day. It’s cool to know that now with probably 70 on Long Island, I helped open one of the first handfuls of gyms and it is still there today! People do CrossFit every day they just don’t call it CrossFit. I don’t “CrossFit”, but a CrossFitter may not agree. If you are moving quickly and building strength you are a CrossFitter.

Financial Independence, Investing, and Money

Is your goal financial independence? If so, where are you on the journey?

Definitely, want to reach FI. I am in the “pre FI” stage of my journey. Still getting rid of debts. I have paid off over a $150,000 in less than two years and have about $30,000 to go. It’s nice to know that I am liquid that amount of cash, but we are holding on to it until after my son is born and my wife is able to go back to work. We hope to be consumer debt-free by the end of the year. Then it is go-time. Until then I am just trying to learn as much as I can about financial independence and how it is going to make my life better! 

What is your FI number? How close are you?

$1,500,000 if I stay here in NY, probably closer to 1,250,000 if I move. But I don’t really know? I am not really sure how the “kid thing” is going to affect things. The good news is, that if I move I will most likely not have a mortgage. Unless I get a big house and open a B&B.(another bucket list item) I guess the one benefit of having a house in NY is when it sells you can get a very similar house outside of the state at a fraction of the cost.

All I know is this, I have a little over $85,000 invested and once I am debt free I can save and invest in excess of $100,000 a year. So we shall see. But I have been tracking and documenting my net worth since it was $-29,000 and I don’t plan on stopping! I have updated my net worth monthly on YouTube and I plan to do the same on here. This was my post from last month. 

Are you leanFIRE or fatFIRE or fartFIRE?

I think lean? I don’t know. We do the best we can but we also love life and don’t want to lose that. I try not to focus so hard on FI that miss what is going on right now. I am trying to find a balance between living in the moment but having structured goals for the future! I see so many people worried about FI, that the world around them becomes blurred. And as an ALL OR NOTHING personality, I know that could easily happen to me. Our savings rate is over 50%. Could it be 75? Probably. I just have to decide if that is worth it for me. I am taking Grant Sabatier’s advice from his book Financial Freedom and just trying to increase my savings rate 1% at a time as opposed to going “pedal to the floor”. 

Do you tell others of your FIRE plans or are you in the closet?

I’ll tell anyone that will listen or is locked in the room with me. When I owned the CrossFit I would hear things like “How do you know someone does CrossFit? DON’T WORRY THEY’LL TELL YOU!”I think the same can be said for FIRE. The reality is I just want to lead by example. If people ask I tell. I try very hard not to “should” on people. I’ve discovered people only really listen to advice if they seek it. So why waste your breath doing something otherwise.

Investing

You rub a magic lamp and an evil genie pops out and says this: “You must pick one, specific investment to have all your money in for the next decade!” What do you pick?

With my current education and where I am at financially, I would have to say VTSAX for the win! The Millionaire Educator really got me hooked on my 457b plan. So that is something that I am really trying to learn about right now. But I don’t see any real reason not to go with Vanguard and an index fund.  

Evil genies aside, what is your investing strategy? Stocks? Index funds?? Real estate??? Crypto????

Right now, only because I was always told not to invest in something you don’t understand, I think a majority of my investments will be in index funds for the foreseeable future. I DO LOVE REAL ESTATE though. I just need to learn so much more about it. When it comes to real estate I think that I am more towards buying and holding for the passive income stream as opposed to “Flipping”, but I don’t know. Individual stocks don’t really do anything for me. I’m not educated enough to win with that approach and I am not willing to pay someone to try and win for me. And I still laugh when I hear Crypto. I don’t even know what. I just do. 

What is your favorite money management tool? (Yes, you can include your affiliate link.)

When I started my Debt Free Journey, I used the EveryDollar app to help me make a budget and track my spending. After 6 months or so I took the bull by the horns and made my own spreads sheets for those things. Now, I don’t use a money management tool with an affiliate link. Maybe I’ll program an app. Something that feels PERSONAL, and allows me to track all my CAPITAL. I’ll have to take a look around the internet and see if there is something like that already before I take the time to code one out myself.

Money

What is the best thing you ever bought? The worst?

The best thing. Wedding Ring. This is true for more than one reason. Yes, the cliche one. And no I didn’t say that because I had to. TRUST ME, Tara will never see this. But it was the first “expensive” thing that I ever bought that I had to truly save up for. I couldn’t put it on a credit card. It was a major financial decision at the time and it scared the hell out of me but it taught me a lot. It really did. From the research to negotiation, to staying within my means. The hardest part about buying an engagement right is wondering what HER FRIENDS are going to say about it. (probably behind her back) I really do take a lot of value out of that experience.

The worst thing. Ten years off college when I only needed 5. That’s all I really wanna say about that. 

Do you track your spending? If so, how?

For the first year or so while getting out of debt we tracked our spending to the dollar. Over time as our spending got more under control, we loosened up a little bit on tracking it. Now we focus on savings rate on cash flow. Money in vs money out. Spending has become so much easier with most of our debt payments and investments being auto. We have dialed in the fact that we should pretty much end each month with a “zero” cash flow for now. We do talk about “the budget” a lot though. Usually twice a month we talk about the upcoming two months or so, and expenses we anticipate and how we are going to cash flow those. If we have a major purchase coming up we just back down our savings until our sinking fund is full then go back to business as usual. 

What is your worst money mistake?

I’m not sure I have a “worst” or one I regret the most. I don’t really regret the student loans because in the end they gave me some value and are the reason I have a full-time job. The things I regret are the spending that didn’t give me long term value. Even my truck, which I bought when I had a fully paid off functioning car isn’t a huge regret. I love that truck and it has brought me and my family a ton of value.

My Grandma’s inheritance on the other hand. I wish I would have gotten more “value” out of that. I traveled with my wife, which was incredible, and I wouldn’t give those trips back. The “regret” is the piece of me at the time (a large piece) that knew and wanted to use the money to pay off debts and loosened the chokehold a little bit. EVERYONE told me that was the worst thing I could do and that grandma would have wanted me to have fun with it. MY REGRET is not listening to my gut and listening to broke people instead. Although I learned a very valuable lesson, I am madder at myself for not doing what I knew was right. They were right about the fact that grandma would have wanted me to have fun and travel. The fact of the matter is I should have been having fun and traveling NOW whenever I want as opposed to then for a month or so. When I received a small inheritance from my dad it ALL went to debt and I don’t regret that for one second!

What is your splurge? Don’t be shy. Mine set me back $45,000.

I don’t have much, but what I do have is nice. My truck was definitely a splurge, but as a family, the biggest place I could cut back on spending is definitely food. We LOVE TO EAT. Although we don’t go out to eat very often, the meals we cook at home are top of the line. Our grocery bill would make most people in the FI community pass out! Funny thing is when we host people for dinner no one ever complains.

I also have an extensive bicycle collection and I do like nice firearms. TO MY DEFENSE, most of those things I got before my path to financial independence began and I was spending money like a rapper. I haven’t bought a bike or gun in YEARS! Man, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. It sucks talking about things you suck at!

Your best friend tells you that he just got a raise at work and is going to buy a new car to celebrate. His current car is in perfect working order. How do you react?

Ha! They don’t need to get a raise for me to see that on a regular basis. As I said in here somewhere days ago, I try not to “should” on people. I used to be that asshole and it was a tough way to make a living. I always give my opinion when asked, but try now never to offer it up free of charge. Telling people what they should and shouldn’t do is a fast track to losing friends. Most of the time your breath will be wasted. BUT if I did need a car I would gladly take the used one of his hands.

Children

What is one unique thing you’re doing to raise your kids to be financially smart?

Not really “doing” anything right now. Well, I guess that’s not true. I am just trying to lead by example and write down as many things as I can. Just in case they think I made it up advice on the spot they can see that wasn’t the case. I want to take what my parents taught me about work ethic and working for what you want, but also so in part 2 of saving and investing to grow wealth!

What did your parents do to raise you to be financially smart?

My parents really never talked to me about saving money but I never felt poor. I didn’t feel rich either. We always felt comfortable and happy. Never deprived.

They only spoke to me about making money. This was a double-edged sword. I have always had jobs and been able to make money. So financially I never really had to worry about paying the bills. EVER. But I had NO IDEA how to save money. I think my parents were kind of YOLOers. We traveled a ton, went on many vacations, had nice things, but both of them passed away with pretty much NOTHING. My dad bought the house that I am living in for $55,000 and died 31 years later with a $191,000 mortgage. Knowing what I know now, that blows my mind! Until learning about FI I lived the same life. I made money, I spent money. My wife helped open my eyes to the need to save. I just hope it wasn’t a decade too late.

If your 18-year-old child told you this: “Parents, I want to go to a $250,000 school and study doorknob design,” what would you tell him or her?

“Child, I have failed as a parent! I am sorry. Let’s start over. Come here and give me a hug”

Do you pay your kids an allowance? Why or why not?

Not there yet. But I did invest her first birthday money for her. But I am FOR paying kids to do chores and things around the house. It allows them to learn about money early in life and how to work for things you want. That’s how I was brought up and I had so many friends that were just given things which turned out to be a terrible approach. I just need to work on the part of WHERE the money goes after it changes hands. I’m looking forward to that a ton!

Travel

Ideal vacation: road trip, beaches, mountains, forest or city?

I LOVE being on the road. I have driven cross country more times than I can count. I am also a huge fan of all the beauty that the US has to offer and really have no interest in international travel but I’m a mountain guy. My favorite smell in the world is a campfire on a cool fall day in the mountains. Put me in Colorado by the foothills and I’ll be just fine. I have always lived on the beach so I think I take it for granted and the city life does NOTHING for me. I hate big crowds. Concerts have even come to be too much.

What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen?

Bryce Canyon in Utah was the first thing that popped up in my head. But I have seen some INCREDIBLE beauty in this world. Man, I had 4-week stretch one summer that was mind-blowing. I hiked rim to rim of the grand canyon, drove from the north rim into Zion in the middle of the night, woke up and did Angels Landing, hit Bryce for a few hours before heading north through Yosemite, the Redwoods and camping in Yellowstone. Changed my life! I can’t wait to emulate that trip again, but this time take my time!

What travel destination is highest on your bucket list?

I’ve never hit eastern Utah. I want to see Moab and Park City. That and the northern CO cities. Those are things that drive me forward. I also want to take my wife and kids back to the beauty that I saw in the northwest. It’s been so many years that I know that we will all be able to share in the shock and amazement together.

THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS, SO THESE WILL BE RAPID FIRE!

Big Questions

How is the world going to be better because you lived?

Well, there goes the rapid-fire! Haha. If I went today, I would probably be known by my friends and family as a good guy. Loyalty is something that I really cherish. I take care of my crew. My force field is strong! And those in it know that I would lay on tracks for them. I also hold grudges against those that aren’t loyal. It’s a definite personality flaw. My students would see me as stern, but fair. Sarcastic and sometimes rude. I am a love-him-or-hate-him kind of guy and I don’t like that. I’m trying to change it. The world will be better because of me because I accept failure and help others not make the same mistakes that I have made. I am trying to lead by example and create personal growth.

What is one thing you firmly believed 5 years ago that you no longer believe?

That having kids isn’t really all that great and parents just say it’s awesome to make themselves feel better. I regret not having kids sooner. There is nothing better in this world. It makes my stomach turn just thinking back on how I used to feel about kids. IDIOT! Young and dumb. It was probably selfishness. The silver lining is that I wasn’t financially ready to have kids a few years back. So by waiting, I am making their lives better.

Finding out that everyone doesn’t have debt was an interesting concept as well but I think we can all relate to that.

What is one thing you believe that most others do not?

That an honest No is better than a dishonest Yes. If you don’t want to do something, DONT. If you want to do something, DO IT. If you don’t want to go to that wedding, DON’T GO! The thought of that dinner party makes you want to cry, DON’T GO! It’s much better to be present at the moment and be awesome, than looking at the clock waiting for it to end. People can feel that negative vibe. It’s ok to be a little selfish sometimes when it comes to your time. People don’t realize that they are allowed to be happy and they are allowed to say NO! We live in a world where the word NO has become taboo. Learn how to say no and your life will become better. I promise.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I would be more patient. With myself and with others. I dream of the day that the speed limit is the perfect speed.

What was the worst or best phase of your life?

Every day I think that I am a better version of myself than the day before. I am happier every day. When my brother took his own life in 2003 I went through a dark time. I would never want to go back and live that again, even with the lessons that I learned from it. 2003 was brutal. With that said, the worst phases have made the best phases feel even better. Don’t fear the difficult days. They are usually the ones we learn from.

What do people misunderstand about you?

I’m not really sure about this one. I mean I have been constructively criticized my whole life but I don’t think that I can put my finger on just one thing. I am definitely misunderstood which I think leads to the “love him or hate him”. I have strong opinions and I think people think that I judge them if their opinions don’t align with mine. That is NOT TRUE. I love a great debate. And I love being proven wrong. That and my sarcastic dry sense of humor can come off as “this guy’s an asshole”. I get that too. I feel like everyone has a little bit of “misunderstood” about them. Whether it is how you look or the way you act. That’s why I try not to judge a book by its cover and I think it’s important to really get to know someone before writing them off.

If you have a magical power that allowed you to change one set of beliefs in others, what would you choose?

I would definitely show the truth and benefits of being a vegan! That’s all I want to say about that, because like I’ve said a few times, I don’t “should” on people and I don’t judge or care what you personally want to do. I just ask that you don’t judge or care what I do in return. People get so triggered when they see the V-word. I still cook a mean steak! And I am married to a non-vegan so there is definitely no bad blood. It is just what works best for me. I mean, do you really care where I get my protein?

What is your greatest strength and/or weakness?

I will stop at NOTHING to achieve my goals. Same answer for both.

What is something you read that changed your life?

Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover. That is the TNT that started it all for me! It also showed me that I love to read. Since reading that book I have read 25-30 more books and learned so much. Besides the books, I have hundreds of hours of blog reading under my belt. It is pretty much how I spend most of my free time and keeps my brain ultra stimulated.

Random Silliness

If you were a dinosaur, what kind would you be and why?

I would be a raptor, fast and furious. Fearless and smart. Willing to take risks for what I am hunting for.

Name one living person that you look up to. Tell us why.

Ellen DeGeneres. I really feel like there isn’t a kinder person in the world. It is hard to find someone that can say something bad about her. The way she carries herself is something I truly admire and aspire to be.

Elon Musk: Crazy megalomaniac or a brilliant guy who is changing the world?

Megalomaniac is way too big of a word for me, but he is changing the world. I won’t buy stock in his ideas because he is as volatile as the rockets he builds, but he means well and does want the best for us. He is putting the planet first. That doesn’t always make you the most friends or the most money. But that is still something I can get behind.

Favorite beer? Favorite pizza place? (this is a throwback to the original series)

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in the fall, Guinness in the winter, Miller High Lifes all summer! I only eat pizza at home because I am dairy-free. But before I was I could really go anywhere. I’m from NY! We are known for our pizza and bagels! Made it very hard to eat pizza on the road. And yes I own a brewery and I drink a TON of my own beer. But I can’t forget where I came from and the staples that bring me back!

What album can you listen to straight through? Best album of all time?

Music is a major passion of mine, so this is literally impossible to answer. I grew up being a Dave Matthews Band junkie, I got older, they slowed down and I was kind of like “meh”. I grew up in the 90s so give me a Nirvana album and I probably won’t turn it off. These days I love anything that makes my head bop up and down and my daughter sway side to side. The Dirty Heads, OAR, and Rebelution tend to do the trick. When I need to PR a climb know that I have 21 Pilots blasting in my ear! It depends on my mood. Who can’t drink a Corona and listen to Jimmy Buffet on the beach?! Who doesn’t sing along to ANY Queen song? I don’t know?

Who is your favorite leader in business today?

Elon. Keep going bro. You’ll figure something out!

What is the best movie you’ve seen recently?

Not a real movie watcher but I love documentaries. I just saw “The Dawn Wall”. I won’t give any spoilers. Look it up. It’s incredible what the human mind and spirit can overcome. My favorite movie of all time is a tie for My Cousin Vinny if I want to laugh, Good Will Hunting if I want to cry, Forrest Gump if I want to laugh and cry, and a Few Good Men if I want to get FIRED UP! I see a lot of Disney Princess movies in my near future. Help!

Well, that took A LOT more energy than I could have ever imagined. Thank you Mr 1500 Days for the exercise in self-reflection. I’m glad I got through it. Cheers.

Thank you Brad! I hope that you make it to DC! If so, let’s talk business.

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