My 2025 Annual Review
This year didn’t come with many obvious wins. It was a year of recalibration and exploration—paying closer attention to what gives me energy and what quietly takes it away.
I let short-term priorities crowd out long-term vision. I ignored some clear signs of exhaustion and low-grade depression. At the same time, I had a handful of experiences that genuinely filled my cup and reminded me that not every year needs to be a ten.
What Went Well
Parenting in This Season
Parenting in 2025 was intense, rewarding, and challenging—often all at the same time. My kids are now three and almost six, and this year marked a real shift, especially with my son. For the first time, it felt like we were actually building a relationship, not just managing logistics and survival.
Early in the year, I took a trip with him alone. Just the two of us. No agenda beyond spending time together. That one-on-one time ended up being one of the most meaningful parts of the year. I’ve been intentional about creating individual time with each kid, and those moments consistently punched above their weight.
I learned a lot about energy allocation. When I show up with the right amount of presence and patience, the experience is good—for all of us. When I don’t, I can feel the tension immediately. That insight extended beyond my kids to my marriage as well: good relationships don’t just require time; they require the right kind of energy.
One simple practice that became a constant this year was family dinner. My son has some challenges with food—he’s a picky eater—which, if I’m honest, triggers me more than it should. Sitting down together as a family consistently has been grounding. It creates space for conversation, for listening, for hearing how my kids interpret the world. There’s something powerful about being united at the table, talking about what worked, what didn’t, and what the day felt like through their eyes.
Parenting continues to feel less like a role you assume and more like an evolution you grow into. Some of it is instinct. A lot of it is learned—from our parents, from friends we admire, from books, from mistakes. And then there’s the part where you add your own flavor and decide who you want to be in it.
I’m excited to spend even more quality time with my kids next year, especially through travel. As they get older, the experiences get richer—and I’m becoming more intentional about not missing them.
A Trip to Japan With My Mom
Over the last five years—especially since the pandemic—my relationship with my mom has changed in a way I didn’t fully appreciate until this year. Some of it is circumstantial: more time together, the kids, and weekly phone calls. But the deeper shift has been how we communicate. We’re more open, more direct, and mostly bullshit-free. There’s care, but also clarity. We say things now. We ask questions.
What’s been especially meaningful is hearing my mom not just as my mom, but as a CEO, a parent, and a whole person with a long-earned perspective. Those layers coexist now in a way they didn’t earlier in my life.
We went to Japan together. My mom has traveled extensively—more countries than I can count, every U.S. state—and somehow Japan had never happened for her. At the same time, Japan had been at the very top of my own travel list for years. It felt rare and oddly perfect that we were both experiencing it for the first time, together.
We walked a lot. Tokyo especially. Neighborhoods, galleries, exhibitions, quiet streets, busy ones. We learned history. We soaked in aesthetics. We documented moments. But the real gift of the trip wasn’t the itinerary or the visuals—it was the conversations.
There’s something about long dinners in a foreign city, after a few (many) glasses of wine, where the usual guards come down. I asked my mom questions I’d never asked before. About her life, her decisions, her fears, her younger self. Conversations that probably only become possible at a certain age, in a certain season of life, when urgency replaces avoidance.
I don’t know how to articulate it cleanly, but it felt like our relationship got a whole mile deeper—with fuller context. A deeper appreciation. A sense that this chapter of the relationship is both fragile and extraordinary.
Thanks for the incredible trip, Mama.
I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.
Health, Surgery, and Relearning My Body
From a health standpoint, 2025 didn’t look the way I expected—but it ended up being important.
I had two surgeries this year. A minor procedure on my heel to address chronic Achilles tendonitis, and a more significant surgery on my left shoulder to repair my labrum. Both took me out of my usual rhythm for longer than I would have liked, especially when it came to consistent training.
Between recovery, work, and life, my adherence slipped—particularly with diet. I continued to exercise as regularly as I could, but food suffered the most. Not for any dramatic reason. Just accumulation, stress, and disruption.
The upside is that my body feels good. I’ve started to run (insane, if you know me). I feel capable again. Strong, mobile, and optimistic about what I can physically do next.
Working with a trainer who is also a physical therapist fundamentally changed how I think about fitness. Less intensity for intensity’s sake. More stability, longevity, and intelligence. Slow movements. Control. Understanding my point of stability and building from there.
Looking ahead, diet needs to be the primary focus. Not in a restrictive or joyless way. I love food. I love eating. Any plan that ignores that is destined to fail. The challenge—and opportunity—for next year is figuring out how to manage diet in a way that supports health without diminishing quality of life.
I’m excited about that work.
Work, Consulting, and What I Actually Want
I found a different kind of meaning in work this year. I wasn’t building something for myself—I was helping others build. I spent time advising and consulting across several businesses, including working closely with my father and with one of my closest friends.
The scale stood out. These organizations were significantly larger than anything I had previously built. I helped manage sizable teams, coached on leadership and EOS, and operated inside more complex systems than I ever had before.
I learned a lot about business, about people, and about myself.
And I learned something very clear: I want to build another one of my own.
I enjoy coaching. I enjoy advising. But what gives me energy is creating, owning decisions, and being responsible for outcomes. Consulting wasn’t a mistake—it was a reminder. A confirmation of how badly I want to build again.
What Could Have Gone Better
The “Next Thing” Question
The “next thing” question was a real challenge this year—more significant than I expected. I didn’t protect enough uninterrupted time to think deeply about it. I said yes to work, responsibilities, and momentum, and in doing so delayed the quieter work of clarity.
For a while, I thought I had found the answer in coaching and consulting. I genuinely enjoy coaching and having an impact on businesses I care about. But I eventually realized that I don’t want to only coach. I want to be in it with the team. Building.
Something new is coming, stay tuned.
Presence
If I’m being honest, I wasn’t very good at being present in 2025. I was physically around, but mentally elsewhere more often than I care to admit. I’m sure it’s some kind of mild depression or negative headspace tied to my delays in life, but at the very least, I’ve acknowledged they exist, and am ready to tackle them head on.
I need a breakthrough. Something like the one I wrote about recently.
I’m committed to being more present next year. It’s a must.
A Look Back at Last Year’s Intentions
Some wins. Some misses. Useful data.
My podcast never launched. That didn’t happen. What did happen was Substack. I started the year with 36 subscribers and ended with 503. Not the original plan, but real momentum.
On health, I thought I was operating at around 95% compliance. The data said 73.7%. The habits were simple: daily movement, daily learning, basic routines, and drinking limits. The gap between perception and reality was humbling—and helpful.
Geographic arbitrage was a clear yes: Japan, Serbia, the Côte d’Azur, Costa Rica, and Kamalame.
Breaking hardwired habits landed in the middle. Nail biting started strong and ended poorly. Drinking limits improved meaningfully.
The theme: intention without presence doesn’t compound.
Looking Forward
I’m entering 2026 healthier, clearer, and more honest with myself.
The focus is simple:
Be more present
Build something of my own (cash positive by EOY)
Design health around longevity and joy
Say no (a lot) more often.
Spend real time with the people I love
2025 didn’t give me all the answers, but it did raise some great questions. Right now, that feels like real progress.
The question I’m sitting with is: How do I balance the explosive nature of a start-up with the desire to be present and connected with my family and friends?
Hope to see you very soon.
PS - my ongoing quest with my kids to find the best croissants in South Florida has opened a new passion: coffee. As I learn to make a better espresso at home, here are some of the best cups of coffee I had this year:
Tinta y Cafe - Quaint, North Gables coffee shop and eatery. Probably the best Cuban coffee in Miami, and top sandwiches for lunch.
Mondi Coffee Bar - You know that awesome little farmer’s market on Old Cutler? Inside is a small, cozy coffee shop, rocking a top-quality Marzocco machine, pouring some of the best coffee you’ve had.
Naughty Coffee - Inside Dadeland Mall, near the Tesla store, is a killer little coffee truck, serving top-quality espresso. They’re always so lovely, and it’s a great boost when you’re at the mall.
Baker & Barista - Besides some of the best croissants of the year, B&B had the best cappuccino of the year, too. Husband and wife team, rocking incredible eats in Buena Vista.