A brief history of Daniel
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I was born in the DFW metroplex (Dallas, Texas area, for those outside of it) to parents who would part ways not long after I had arrived. They each had their opportunity to influence who I would become, but my mother's early role ended up shaping the majority of the person I am today.
My mom had another child when I was 3, and the addition of her new husband/my stepfather, when I was 4, and his son made the home life I grew up in fairly 'normal'. Two adults, a full-time brother, and a brother that would visit during summer and Christmas vacations. |
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The journey to adulthood had some location changes along the way, starting in Dallas/Irving for elementary school and migrating through Gainesville (1 year), Denison (4 years), Hawkins (3 years), and then various locations as I ping-ponged between civilian life, Army National Guard training and deployments, and landing in Lewisville as a 24 year-old, single, veteran, helicopter flight student and part-time bank employee. My resume was cooler than me by a long-shot.
There's a lot of life that I had lived during those first 24 years, and I'll get into some of it in the blog, but generally speaking, I think my true "adult" life began about the time I met my future wife, Nikki.
Our relationship was born from the depths of a dark place, PlentyOfFish.com. I had been playing with the site for years while Nikki created a profile after a playful-curiosity, browsing session through her mom's profile. She sent the first message that would change my life in the most exceptional ways.
Nikki's influence would lead to MANY positive changes in who I understood myself to be as well as open my mind to the potential of who I wanted to be. So, I did what any man in that position would do and married her.
The Path to Official Adulthood
As our relationship and life together progressed, my struggle to find a fulfilling professional career continued as well. I abandoned my helicopter pilot path due to an oversaturated job market. (Many returning veterans using their experience to flood the market with overqualified applicants.) The banking industry was safe, secure... and unexciting.
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I tried my hand in the logistics industry with a couple different freight brokerages (including the one Nikki had become a dominant force in). Working in the same office as my wife was fantastic, but I learned a hard lesson in how personality differences between bosses and employees can spell disaster for an otherwise great daily commute and work-life balance.
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After the freight, I stumbled into a job where Nikki and I had been working out, and within 6 months of becoming an instructor, I became the manager of a kickboxing-for-fitness gym during the pandemic. I got a first-hand look at why there is an 80% turnover rate in the fitness industry, even pre-pandemic.
As I found my way out of the fitness industry, I connected with a long-time friend who is a partner in a small Rep Group. Rep Groups often represent multiple manufacturers in the Restaurant & Bar Industry, and try to get their products recommended for new builds and refurbishing of bars and restaurants as well as school districts, prison systems, large companies that provide cafeteria access to their employees, etc. I started in February of 2021 and have been sipping from the firehose of information and connecting with amazing people in North Texas, Oklahoma, and Western Arkansas ever since.
Professional vs Personal Life
While the quest for Official Adulthood was challenging and frustrating, Nikki and I have also found adventure (in all senses of the word) in our private lives. Exploring non-traditional elements of relationship styles and finding communities that share the same thrills, connectedness, and passion for fun.
Not long after our unique entry into those spaces in 2012, we became community leaders of Dallas area groups and we would regularly host happy hours and events designed to help likeminded individuals and couples connect. It was fun; it was fascinating, and... it was a lot of work. We overextended ourselves and by 2018 had burnt out.
The social life has pivoted to more relaxing activities and adventures, like paddle-boarding, wine clubs, and crafts with friends.
Not long after our unique entry into those spaces in 2012, we became community leaders of Dallas area groups and we would regularly host happy hours and events designed to help likeminded individuals and couples connect. It was fun; it was fascinating, and... it was a lot of work. We overextended ourselves and by 2018 had burnt out.
The social life has pivoted to more relaxing activities and adventures, like paddle-boarding, wine clubs, and crafts with friends.