First of all, thank you so much for your interest in my work! I’m going to attempt a lightening round for this narrative in the interest of brevity. It’s been a long journey, but I’ll spare the details for later. Okay, here we go…

I graduated from Ball State in 2007, majoring in magazine journalism with minors in travel & tourism and guitar performance. Along with being a contributor for Ball State’s student-run newspaper Daily News and magazine Expo, I also started a newsletter called FM Music Live for the promo company running Doc’s Music Hall in downtown Muncie my senior year.

Following an internship at Muncie’s The Star Press, I began my professional career in news media as a Staff Writer for the Sarasota edition of alt-weekly newspaper chain Creative Loafing, earning a promotion to Arts & Entertainment Editor within a year.

After two years at CL, the founders lost ownership of the chain in a bankruptcy auction. Our paper was shuttered, sold to the major daily Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and absorbed into their Ticket A&E weekly, where I continued as a freelancer for another year. I also worked as Managing Editor and Columnist for business incubator HuB Sarasota’s news and events website ThisWeekInSarasota.com.

Freelancing for media eventually gave way to the launch of my marketing career, beginning with a full-time position as Web Store Manager and Shipping Director for Sarasota Guitar Company, and soon adding a part-time Digital Marketing Specialist gig for Nichebuilder. Through all of this and ever since, I’ve booked shows as a solo singer/guitarist – my constant side gig for over two decades now.

This two-year stretch of hustle and grind finally subsided with Blue Rooster. It was the first public-facing, solely dedicated role I’d held since CL, and I put aside all else to channel my focus. Hired as Marketing & Promotions Manager to help launch the restaurant and music venue, I aided the business from concept to sold-out crowds. Not bad for my first crack in a legit head of marketing role.

In early 2014, my mom informed me that her multiple sclerosis had progressed to the point she could no longer walk. Feeling my time and support was needed, I moved home to Indiana. Marketing work was scarce, and I was burnt out anyway. Between the constant screen time and battling the Great Recession on behalf of small independent businesses, a secure, face-time-oriented job sounded lovely.

I knew the manager at Four Points by Sheridan in West Lafayette. Thus began my bartending career. It was meant to be a temporary break, just to release some burnout and enjoy a bit of stability. But I soon found myself fascinated with the art of mixology, distilling methods, brewing practices and the terroir of various wine regions, and before long I had swapped out my keyboard for a cocktail shaker.

Witnessing the declining health of my parents, I began to reckon with the desire to get more out of life while I was still young. Then early that summer, a trip up to Indiana Dunes NP shifted my whole world. Instead of tent camping like usual, I asked to borrow my Dad’s 1998 Ford Econoline that we’d take to Purdue football games. After one night sleeping in the belly of “Caroline,” I was hooked on van life.

I began to see my hospitality job in a new light. Rather than having deadlines, with editors requiring my word count before print time, or businesses needing eyeballs on my ads before events, I now had a time clock, and plenty of coworkers happy to punch it in my place. I could save up and plan out weeks-long van life excursions several times a year, with no obligatory screen time or work pressures in tow.

Thus became my driving force. I spent a year back in Florida, this time bartending at Aloft Hotel and diving deep into boat life. Then four years in Colorado, at West Woods Golf Club digging in on ski life, golf and hiking. Dad gifted me Caroline, and my van life went into overdrive. I started checking off national parks. Then back to Indiana for two years, at Union Club Hotel and meeting my future wife.

I’ve now explored 36 national parks and camped at least one night in 40 different states over the course of my journeys. In the process, I’ve managed to work at some of the most exclusive luxury country clubs and hotels in the cities I’ve resided, including Cherokee and Fox Den since moving to Tennessee.

The hospitality industry has served its purpose well, but the purpose I seek to serve is evolving. Since settling down in Harriman, the jobs I’ve held weren’t based on the freedom to travel, but the free time to build. Having finally found a forever home that I care about deeply, my purpose has morphed from a desire to experience “life” into a calling to help foster business growth and play my part in propelling a like-minded crew toward success.

We knew nothing about this area prior to buying our house in 2023. I wanted access to both water and mountains, and we liked the sound of Tennessee. Knoxville won my vote after a scouting tour of East TN cities. Landing in Harriman was a random stroke of luck from a Zillow listing too good to ignore.

Never could I have foreseen the love I would garner for this little rural patch of Appalachia and the people that have welcomed us in like family. Since being guided here, we bought an adjacent property, and now own four “project” houses on three acres. Acting as general contractor on a complete home renovation has consumed my life for three years, but our home is nearly move-in ready. We’re stoked.

We plan to convert the other houses into short-term rental units over the coming years. I have my own entrepreneurial project and I’m seeking to assist others with theirs. Ideally, I’d like to find a full-time position that allows me to utilize my broad set of technical hard skills and relational soft skills to enhance an organization’s communications and sales team as a valuable asset. Be it product or service-based, sales or marketing, office or remote, I want to help forward a vision.

Well, there’s 1,100 words, about as concise as I can tell the tale. I’ll be reaching out about full-time positions, and feel free to contact me if you have a project in mind. Enjoy browsing my marketing, writing and music work. If you need words or sounds, I’m here for ya! All the best and support local.

Cheers, Tim