A little bit about me: Upbringing & Family • Born and raised in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan—where winter means "don't bother measuring, just shovel." • Traveled around the Midwest playing travel hockey. My address might as well have been the rink. • My family lives by "hard work beats talent." The expectation wasn't perfection; it was persistence. • Sundays were for football marathons. I'm a life-long Indianapolis Colts fan, plus plenty of Detroit Tigers/Red Wings love. • My dad and I can talk for hours about business, something I will always enjoy. He's someone I will always look up to, and I strive to be the man he is. He has taught me the power of integrity and showing up for everyone around you. • My mom is the life of the party, and the hardest worker I know. She is always up for an adventure. She lives to work hard, play hard (surfer, biker, the coolest mom you'll find). She has taught me to always look for the good in people and how to be spontaneous. • I also have 3 younger siblings, 3 dogs, and a beautiful girlfriend of 4 years who brightens my life every single day. Adversity & Grit • Diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma at age 12. 2 years of chemo, open-heart surgery, collapsed lung, pancreatitis - if it's in a hospital pamphlet, I've likely lived it (also racked up $2.1m in medical bills). • Learned how precious life is. I kicked cancer's ass and grew up faster than most. • Being sick matured me - academics didn't click until senior year (turns out calculus doesn't seem crucial right after a near-death experience). Entrepreneurial Drive • Started businesses in high school with my best friend. Our landscaping gig blew up - 7 days a week, sunup to sundown, and I got my first taste of "real money." • Wouldn't trade those dawn-to-dusk Saturdays for anything; that chapter taught me about work ethic and ownership. College & Hockey • Decided to go to Northern Michigan University and study finance. • Worked my ass off, shot thousands of pucks, gained all my strength back, and somehow ended up on a D2 college hockey team. • Keep good grades (above a 3.0 because I think there is more to life than school), I consider myself a lifelong learner, though. First Big Leap • Got a little lucky and landed an internship between my freshman and sophomore years of school. • Only catch was that it was in Indianapolis. Took a leap and moved to a big city for 4 months. • Worked as an analyst at a private wealth firm. Learned lots, met some great people, and got in the best shape of my life. • Learned about venture capital (another key point professionally). This was probably the best career decision I've made to this day professionally. Finding My Path • When I got back from Indiana, I decided that I wanted to stop playing hockey (super hard decision for me, as hockey up to this point was my identity). • Realized that I wasn't going pro and that I wanted to put my time and competitiveness into my career. • Tried to raise a venture capital fund at my university (still trying, who knows if it will ever happen). • Regardless, talked with partners at every fund I could, learned lots, found awesome people along the way, and dove headfirst into venture. • Around the same time, I met a wonderful mentor through a professor of mine, and got a crash course in investment banking. • During spring break of my sophomore year, I did what any rational person would do. I booked 7 hotels, drove 2,000 miles, met with 9 venture funds, talked my way into an invite-only conference, hit a Red Wings game, skied along the way, and made lots of memories with my girlfriend. Current Chapter • Now you're all caught up. I'm in my junior year of college. Consulting with venture-backed startups, working on various venture transactions, and of course mixing in some homework in there as well. • I'm blessed to wake up every day and live the incredible life I do. I want to thank everyone in my life for making me the happiest person on the planet.