The first half of my childhood was spent in Detroit visiting Belle Isle, enjoying world-famous coney dogs with my grandpa at Genie’s Wienies and helping at my parents’ novelty store. When our family moved to a working farm in Michigan’s Thumb, life shifted to goats and pigs.

By age 20, I’d gained hands-on experience in multiple family businesses — including wholesaling, farming, and machinery sales. Shaped by my Midwest roots, I learned early that good business runs on grit, systems, and relationships.

After attending seven different colleges and universities in Michigan and North Carolina—while working full-time—I graduated summa cum laude from Western Carolina University with a degree in Business Administration & Entrepreneurship. I later completed a concentration in accounting. By that point, I’d already built, lost, and rebuilt more than once.

When the housing bubble went bust, so did all the jobs at the Asheville, North Carolina, architecture firm I managed. After being laid-off, I launched a boutique B2B consulting firm that helped Western North Carolina businesses adapt to changing economies and technologies.

Initially focused on compliance work, particularly with S corporations, I tapped into my network of architects, engineers, and consultants to build and grow the business. Those early years laid the groundwork for Bellis — where strategic foresight and practical systems have defined our approach ever since.