10/08/2020

Welp…It’s taken 9 months to get pseudo on-track with the NOW updates. So, here we are. Lot’s of things going on with even more moving parts. Thanks for indulging me, and even more so for keeping me accountable.

With all the Covid, election, and environmental craziness going on, it’s been wild out here! I’m sure we’ll all reflect next year and get some nice takeaways. That said, between my eye falling out (I’ll write about that), Covid, being unemployed since August 1st, putting my dog Phillie down, and other family stuff, this year has been crazy.

Any kind of hardship intensifies and amplifies people’s values and personality. This has put put me at the top of my values and personality lol – seriously though, the tactics and strategies I’ve been using have been getting more and more clear toward my mission to relay joy, love, and enrichment.

With nothing more ado, being on unemployment, here is what I’m doing now:

Unemployment barely pays the rent. So, I liquidated my retirement accounts to pay off most of my debts and create a cushion through the end of year. This does a few things: 1) give time and space to find the next opportunity that better suits my mission, 2) allow me to not be salary-dependent on the next opportunity (meaning, I don’t have to make XXXXXXX money as a salary to pay the bills. Instead I can make XXXX), and 3) give me time to learn, explore, grow, heal, and nourish.

I was brought into a group (VentLife) where we set out to get a novel, clinically viable, low-cost mechanical ventilator to market – granting more access to life saving equipment in the US and abroad. It’s been an amazing journey! We created the non-profit, VentLife, and a for-profit, CoreVent, because we were unclear about how raising money for a device that was not meant to make money for us would effectively be accomplished. It’s been VERY difficult to raise money for production and FDA testing. We went through 2 regional I-Corps programs (by the NSF, LA and NY), went though an incubator program through UC’s Innovation Hub (1819), won some awards, and got some great press, yet the funds continue to elude us. In any case, I built out a merchandise income stream for VentLife, so I’ve been peddling the goods in an attempt to help us save some lives now, and in the future. Check it out here: https://www.ventlife.org/store

Learning – I worked with a company called Eureka Ranch to get their Blue Belt Certification program in Innovation Engineering on the approved vendors list for the Kentucky Career Center. So, I’ll be going through that training as soon as KY opens up their unemployment training funds, and I’m really excited about it.

Research – Brian Bailey and I have been doing research on decision making and prioritizing. We’re taking the qualitative responses to standardized questions we’ve developed (based on hypothesis), then running them through a tool we built to turn them into quantitative data. We’re then using that data for a couple things: 1) to test our hypothesis and, 2) to write a paper about our findings. If you have a moment, please fill out our questionnaire to build the data set.

Ambassador – I was asked by a family-run, super high quality, and integrity-centered CBD company (Elemental CBD based out of CA), to be an ambassador for them. They have tons of ethically-, and quality-, based certifications, and I’m really happy to represent them. You can get 10% any of your orders through them by using the code at checkout: jk10

CSHL – I’ve been working with the media team to develop a monthly newsletter that will help connect the group, leadership, community, and players. It will highlight the transparency of the organization and drive income to the mission of “Community engagement through the game of hockey and contributing toward the improvement of local public spaces.” You can sign up for the newsletter here

I’ve partnered with the development company building the new JR Greene complex to operate fitness training through the gym they’re building there. We created the gym layout, equipment, and business plan (with pandemics in mind) for them, and are working on an operational contract now. My brother, Jon, mom, and I will be offering personal, and class-style, training out of their top class gym. I’ve already started working with some people on creating life-systems (habits) that promote cyclical benefits in personal power. More info to come.

Soon I will be producing products through this website such as courses, workout/meal/lifestyle plans, books, and merchandise. Also, I’ve started the process of building out the KleinHaus brand, and companies, which I’m extremely excited about. Stay tuned!

Our family is growing, so I’m constantly doing my best to adapt to that, be present with those I’m around (in whatever I’m doing), and do GOOD.

Because of my lack of income through all of these things, I’ve created a pretty wild budget (kind of proud of it lol), but I’m continuing to look for the next opportunity. I’ve narrowed in on seeking jobs in the strategy, innovation, or consulting worlds as I believe they best help me meet my mission, they’re exciting to me, and I believe I can have the most effective impact. So, if you know of anything/anyone where we might be able to have some mutual benefits, please put us in touch! Also, I’m looking into importing and selling coffee that my friend from Peru grows deep, and high-up, in the Andes. Anyone interested in building an amazing family-run, story-branded, coffee company?

Doggonit! Finishing the Peru story. It’s already huge (10k words or so), so it might end up being my first book 🙂 .

PS. I’ve created a habit-tracking board to keep disciplined motivation up, and the habits include:

Working out

Shaving, cold shower, breath work

Journaling, studying stoicism

Stretching

Meditating

Writing 250+ words

Org. work for VentLife, Elemental CBD, & KleinHaus

I work on these every day, pencil-in marks on the calendar, and feel rewarded when I step back and look at it. How did I get to these being the habits I focus on? Welp, lot’s of years of exploring what works best for me. It isn’t perfect, and it’s ever-evolving, so it is a practice.

Finally, some side-notes: I’ve made a concerted effort to take a walk every day, get into nature more consistently, see my family more, eat healthier, and get floating over at Think Tank Flotation consistently (and recommend trying it out for sure!).

Hey, thanks for spending time with me! As always, if you think we could have a mutually beneficial conversation, please reach out at any time. I’m very responsive.

Stay well. Stay powerful.

Best,

Jason