As the son of an entrepreneur and small business owner, I was able to observe firsthand the challenges of starting a small business and growing it into a medium size one (also known as creating jobs). The work of an entrepreneur is tireless, with no guarantee of success.
Having served in the military and as a First Responder for many years, I also experienced firsthand the limitations of working in a bureaucratic environment. I have the unique experience of having served at all levels of government in Alaska (city, borough, state, and federal).
Bureaucracy stymies innovation and encourages apathy, while perpetuating its own growth at every opportunity. While I am very proud to be able to work in the fire service, I know that job creation has to involve more than simply hiring more firefighters. Government has a number of important functions to perform, like putting out fires. However, job creation is not one of them. In the end, that must always be left to the private sector.
I received my MBA in entrepreneurship from the Acton School of Business.