I’m Going on Shark Tank!

When I left my job nearly 6 years ago, I didn’t have any concrete plans except to pursue hobbies that I’m passionate about regardless of whether they make any money. A couple of years ago, this simple lifestyle led to an idea for a new invention for cutting my longer hair. I started a business to bring this invention, the HairFin, to market. In a crazy twist of fate, the business took me to LA to pitch in the Shark Tank.

If you’d like to see what the Sharks think of my business, financial independence, and haircut, make sure you tune in!

To see me pitch the HairFin, make sure to watch “Shark Tank” on Friday April 15th, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

We Made a New Haircut Tool: The HairFin!

As a kid, my mom cut my hair with her trusty clippers. In college, I picked up a pair of clippers and learned to cut my own hair. Soon I found myself cutting friends’ hair in the dorms. Clippers made buzz cuts easy, but I always struggled when trying to cut longer hair evenly.

A few years before I retired, I grew my hair out. While it prompted questions about whether I’d become a hippie, the longer locks suited me. The problem was, even with my wife’s help, I struggled to get an even cut at home. Last November, I had an idea for a tool that changed all of that. It’s so useful for cutting hair that we were compelled to bring it to market.

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How Much Can a Greenhouse Extend the Growing Season?

Last year I designed and built a hoop house for around $650 in materials. I didn’t want to waste money heating the thing, so the plan was to keep it passive. Since I never worked with an unheated greenhouse before, I spent the year running experiments with the main goal of extending our growing season. I recorded the temperatures in the hoop house, and tried growing a variety of cold weather crops. The greenhouse significantly extended our growing season, but what surprised me most was how much better plants grow in there.

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Should I Pay Off My Mortgage?

Having a paid off house has always been a goal. Living mortgage-free sounds awesome, but it can also put the brakes on financial growth. Any money put toward home equity is robbing investment accounts of hard working capital. After years of investing, we finally took some of our investment gains and paid off our house. This decision was a struggle for me, and I still think investing is better than paying off a mortgage in many cases.

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How to Get Started Hunting Mushrooms

I love hiking in the woods, racing to the top of a mountain to take in a satisfying view. Lately however, I’m less interested in flying up rocks and roots to see the world from afar. I’ve found an even stronger compulsion to explore. Bitten by the mushroom bug, I now meander back and forth, on and off trails, my eyes perpetually scanning the small universe underfoot. Constantly hunting the edible, medicinal, psychedelic, and sometimes just beautiful fungi.

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Reflecting on Two Years of Early Retirement

For years, I spent my days waking up early and rushing to wash, dress, and sit in traffic only to sit in a cube waiting to rush home. All that time, I was propped up by dreams of a freer life. It’s been two years since I quit my job. In some ways it’s the life I spent years dreaming of, and in some ways, it’s been very different.

Lunch in Costa Rica

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How Late Stage Lyme Disease Caught Me Off Guard

Health, wealth, and time are our most valuable resources, and I like being in control of them. But sometimes circumstances arise that we don’t foresee. Over the past few months my health went out of my control as I developed late stage Lyme disease. It left me mentally and physically incapacitated for some time, and I’m still recovering from it.

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