What’s everyone up to this weekend? I’m playing catch up and spending time with the fam!

I would scroll, read someone’s story, and lend $25 here and there. What I loved most was that when I got paid back, I could lend that SAME money again. It wasn’t a one-time gift. It kept moving, supporting real people over and over again. That experience completely shifted how I saw donating money to global entrepreneurs. It wasn’t just about how much I wanted to donate financially. It was about circulation and sustainable impact. Then something clicked. I realized I could be on the other side of this, too, so I became a borrower. Kiva isn’t a typical loan. It’s crowdfunding, but for a loan. Real people lend small amounts until your full goal is funded. In the U.S., it’s 0 percent interest, no fees, and no traditional gatekeeping. But what surprised me most wasn’t even the money. It was how it changed me. I had to clearly share what I was building, tell my story, and invite people in. That process alone made me a stronger business owner. Now I’m in a new season. I’m scaling and going for my second loan. Not because I’m stuck, but because I understand the power of this model and the money needed to build a business and then scale it! I’ve now experienced all three sides. Lender, borrower, and now scaling with it. And I can say this clearly, this is one of the most human ways I’ve ever seen money work. ❤️ If you’ve ever thought you just need a little boost to get something going, or you want your money to actually help someone in a real way, this is worth looking into. If you’ve used Kiva before, I’d love to hear your experience. Or ask me anything below if you haven't. PS - I will let you know when my loan is live so you can support if you feel so inclined! No pressure at all!

We aren't just talking chatbots, but agentic AI (AKA Claude Cowork!) It's Day 1 with Chris Rawlings - the founder of Sophie's Society. He opened by telling us that his PPC (Amazon Ads) video from just one month ago is obsolete. Here's a video from four days ago, if you want to check out his channel! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3LbXP57BVs I will share as I go! Here are my live notes that I will be adding to over the next five days. As I learn and implement, I will be sharing everything I am using on Amazon in Claude Cowork over in Claude Coworker Lab. I'm super excited for us all! BTW, I will eventually apply parts of this to KDP, but for now, I am focused on FBA as that is Chris' focus.

Originally, it was to spend time with my dad and get into his house. That shifted pretty quickly. It became: just come, observe, and understand the reality of how they’re living right now. And honestly… one day in, that part feels complete. We sat together in his girlfriend’s house, which feels a bit frozen in time, and my dad said pretty quickly: “I’m not a hoarder like you think I am.” And that moment mattered a lot! Not because it “solved” anything, but because it opened the door to a real conversation. As we kept talking, he moved from defensiveness to acknowledging he’s probably on the low end of the spectrum. That’s a great shift. Later, over a very simple dinner (cold chicken and all 🤣), we got on Zoom with my sister, and the conversation continued. And this is the part I want to hold onto carefully… He started talking about a timeline. Cleaning things up by August 2027. New flooring. Maybe updating the kitchen or bathroom. Enjoying the space before eventually passing it on. Nothing has changed yet in terms of action. But something changed in terms of readiness. And that wonderful! Because behavior change, especially later in life, doesn’t start with action. It starts with awareness → then openness → then small willingness. I’m seeing the early stages of that. And I’m also holding this truth at the same time: A good conversation is not the same as long-term change. So for now, I’m choosing two things: 1. Appreciate the shift that did happen 2. Stay grounded in reality about what hasn’t happened yet My biggest concern coming here was his health and safety. From what I can see right now, they both look well, and there are no immediate red flags like mold or anything unsafe. So I’m letting myself breathe a bit. Today I’ll do some work, and then we’re heading up to the foothills together. I’m excited to hand out some more today! If you’re in something messy, emotional, or long-term like this… Progress might not look like a big outcome.

I was in the shower this morning thinking… not about work, not about tasks… just about going home. I’m boarding a plane to California in a couple of hours. I’m going to see my dad. I haven’t seen him in two years. I’m not allowed in his house. He’s a hoarder. It’s complicated. I’ll be staying nearby at his girlfriend’s house. They’ve been together for 40 years. My dad and I are going to the foothills for a couple of nights to just be outside together. And I can feel it… all kinds of emotions coming up. Today isn’t a normal Sunday. It’s about regulation. It’s about breathing. It’s about reminding myself that being with him is enough. Not fixing anything. Not making it perfect. Just being there. I’ll keep you updated along the way 🤍