Like exponentially far too many red-blooded American kids who are obsessed with playing the greatest sport on earth, I grew up KNOWING that my prowess on the gridiron would inevitably lead me to my predetermined destiny – an all expenses paid trip to the college of my choosing followed by a long, storied Hall-Of-Fame career in the NFL. Four severe concussions nipped that pipe dream in the bud and forced me to wake up and put Plan B into action.

Of course, Plan B is a hell of a lot easier to manifest when you know what it is. Art? Music? Writing? All of the above? All I knew was that it didn’t involve putting up drywall or wearing a suit and tie. After trying to spin all three of those plates during my formative years in college, my mother sat me down one afternoon and told me that I needed to choose a vocation and make everything else an avocation – at least until I could become a responsible tax paying member of society and take care of myself.

“When you’re falsely accused of committing plagiarism four times, that’s a pretty good indication that even if you don’t choose writing – writing is choosing you.”

Like all mothers who know their sons better than their sons know themselves – my mother was right. It was right then and there that I remembered that between grade school and graduation from high school that I had been accused of plagiarism – four times. When you’re falsely accused of committing plagiarism four times, that’s a pretty good indication that even if you don’t choose writing – writing is choosing you.

And when writing chooses you and it turns out that you’re not only half way decent at it – but that people will also actually pay you to do what feels like recess to you, you count your blessings and enjoy that joy ride till the wheels fall off. 

And what a ride it has been and continues to be.

In my career, I've had the opportunity to work with and learn from individuals vastly more talented than I ever hope to be.

I've had the good fortune to put my two cents in on literally dozens of the world's top brands.

I've helped the companies I've worked for and with win more than $320 million in new business.

I've had my work recognized by some of the most prestigious organizations and awards shows in my industry, including Cannes, Communication Arts, The One Club, The Clios, Longhand, adsoftheworld.com, bestadsontv.com, Creative Review/London, New York International Radio Advertising Festival, Print’s Regional Design Annual, Adweek’s Best Spots, Webbys, Gannett Outdoor Challenge and the ADDYs.

I've also lectured at some of the top universities in the country, including Southern Illinois University, UC Davis and FIT.

Today, when I’m not navigating the back roads of my imagination and contemplating which fork in the road to take toward writing everything from advertising, children’s books, comedy, screenplays, sitcoms, music, songs and other forms of self expression – you can find me spending time with my kids in our home base of Wake Forest, North Carolina.