
Co-Founder of Swift Kick and Full-Time Wanderer
Greater Chicago Area

Co-Founder of Swift Kick and Full-Time Wanderer
Greater Chicago Area
I lived the first nine yrs of my life on a western Michigan farm. My family then moved to a Chicago suburb where I spent the rest of my childhood. I now live in Chicago with my wife, Annie Colbert, and two cats -- Oscar and Layla Beans.
I consider myself a lifelong explorer who lives to create. I started my first company, an online retail store, as a college junior. At its peak, the store annually grossed $1.5 million. With the revenue I paid my college debt, my post college living expenses, and an eight-month Europe/Asia trip with my wife.
I was a 2001 ALL-USA Academic First Team member. I was top of my class at both College of DuPage and Aurora University and gave both graduating speeches. USA Today featured my profile in a full page spread distributed internationally.
Since graduating, I worked for three years as a Quantum Learning Network facilitator. QLN is considered the premier company for accelerated learning techniques. Through QLN, I spoke to thousands of students around the US and the world including South Korea, Indonesia and Bermuda.
In 2004 I co-founded my second business, Swift Kick, with the goal of increasing student engagement in education. We use both training and technology to accomplish our mission. We've been named the 2007, 2008, and 2009 Best Campus Speaker of the Year by member schools of the Association of the Promotion of Campus Activities.
Our two trainings are Dance Floor Theory Leadership Training and The Secrets Behind Facebook and Myspace.
Our technology project is Red Rover, an online student orientation that happens before orientation that integrates with Facebook.
My wife, Annie, and I were one of the top three finalists competing for the 2008 NBC Today Show Wedding - Race to the Altar.
Facilitation, Keynoting, Speech Writing, Curriculum Writing, HTML, CRM Design, Financial Management, Classroom Management, Technology, Social Networking, Myspace, Facebook, Gadgets, Internet, Twitter, Blogging, Web 2 point 0h.
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Education Management industry)
January 2004 — Present (5 years 11 months)
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Education Management industry)
January 2004 — January 2007 (3 years 1 month)
As a facilitator I ran a 10 day excellerated learning camp for about 100 highschool and junior highschool students. I also facilitated programs around the country and several international programs located in South Korea, Indonesia and Bermuda.
The program included sessions on speed reading, memory tricks and life skills.
(Education Management industry)
2003 — 2006 (3 years )
(Sole Proprietorship; 1-10 employees; Retail industry)
January 2001 — January 2005 (4 years 1 month)
I ran an online retail business I started while still in college. It was a drop shipping operation where I never touched the product between the manufacturer and customer. At its peak, we were selling $1.5 million in product annually. We used a big portion of the profits to reinvest into automation software so we could run the business with as few employees as possible. We started with old edition textbooks and moved to electronics.
BA , Business Management , 1999 — 2003
AA , Applied Science , 1999 — 2002
I try not to ever limit my interests because there is too much I am interested in, but in case you are wondering here is a short list. Reading, Skiing, Hiking, Chess, Computer Games, Business, Entrepreneurship, Skydiving, Horseback Riding, Farming, Writing, Biking, Walking, Swimming, Oceans, Gadgets, Gadgets and more Gadgets, People, Friends, Healthy Food, Weather, Ants, Cats, Dogs, Computers, Politics, History, Slam Poetry, Camps, Youth, Clothes, Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Helping, Old People, Parents, Pens, Free Food, Sushi, Peanut Butter and Jelly... and so on.
APCA Campus Speaker of the Year
All-USA Academic First Team
Centennial Illinois Scholar
2 time Valedictorian (College of DuPage and Aurora)