Home: Williamsburg, VA. Age: 41. Birthplace: Newport News, VA. Profession: Reputation management expert. Organization: TheBestReputation. Title: CEO. Significant other: Casi Hinman. Alma mater: The College of William & Mary.
Current project: Redefining reputation management. Recent recognition: Thought Panel Expert on Forbes. Recent professional development: Continued AI learning. Latest accomplishment: Took TheBestReputation to the Inc. 5000 list. Latest contribution to others: Mentor and thought leader to those who need help with their online reputation. What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Starting TheBestReputation. I left a high paying job and a great career to start a company that I knew could be better than anything currently out there. Hobbies: Metal detecting, whiskey collecting. Recent travel or adventure: Italy. Last book read: $100 Million Leads, by Alex Hormozi. Recently viewed and recommended: Stranger Things. Recent unique acquisition: I enjoy rare antiquities. I wear a ring from the Middle Byzantine Empire.
Personality profile: Introverted, yet I quickly come out of my shell when discussing business or reputation management. What one word would your closest friend use to describe you? Strategic. Moral compass: Who we are and what we are derive from our daily actions. Act as you want to be remembered. How do you define a perfect friendship? Honesty, communication, empathy, loyalty. How do you define an ideal business relationship? Honesty, communication, commitment. What is your greatest joy? My family. I have three beautiful children and a loving wife. What is your greatest fear? Sharks with laser beams. What is your guilty pleasure? Scotch. What word or phrase do you use far too often? You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. What natural talent have you neglected? Photography. What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? Firefighters, policemen, nurses and doctors. What is your favorite way to spend money? Without checking the bank account first to see how much I can afford. What is at the top of your bucket list? Getting a tattoo sleeve; traveling to Italy. How do you relieve stress? Playing pool and relaxing with the family. What is your go-to workout? Pickleball. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? Warm weather and good vibes.
What was your first paying job? A cook at Burger King. What was your favorite college course? Any marketing course. What was your favorite childhood toy or game? My Nintendo. What book have you repeatedly read? The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. What movie have you repeatedly watched? The Princess Bride. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? My diploma, pictures of my family, awards and media snippets from TheBestReputation. Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? Influential business leaders and entrepreneurs. What’s the best advice you received growing up? You can do anything as long as you put your heart in it. What’s the best advice you received in your career? Be an expert at one thing versus being decent at everything. What modern technology innovation do you most appreciate? AI. It’s going to change the world as we know it and those who can’t adapt will quickly fall behind. What is your favorite app? Reddit. What is your go-to source of news and information? Apple News. It’s important to diversify where our news comes from. What is your go-to source of creative inspiration? I look at what the best are doing and think of how to improve on that. What company or organization do you most admire? Those that were bootstrapped from the ground up. What world event has had the greatest influence on your life? The emergence of SEO. What personal circumstance has had the greatest influence on your life? Earning my MBA from The College of William and Mary.
What is your big idea?
Reputation Management done right. No cookie cutter solutions, just hands-on work.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field? Patience and vision. Great things don’t always happen overnight. What change would you like to see in the world? People coming across the aisle in politics and listening and understanding each other more. What message do you want to send out into the world? You aren’t owed anything. You must earn it. What widely held belief do you reject? That we are the only intelligent beings in the galaxy. It simply isn’t mathematically probable. What mega-trend most excites you? The emergence of AI. What mega-trend most concerns you? Just the same.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? The Journey of a Man. What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Tom Holland. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? My grandparents. I miss them. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A veterinarian. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? My two dogs. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? With family. What advice would you give your younger self? It gets easier. Don’t give up, keep going. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? The day my children were born. What period in your life would you do differently, if you could? My teenage years. I should have listened more. I knew everything.
Personal mission: Helping others to overcome their past mistakes that haunt them online. Personal motto: Life is what you make it. Favorite quote: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started” (Mark Twain). Desired epitaph: Here lies a man who loved his family and was loved by them.
