Business Breakthroughs, UFC Madness & an Epic Trip!

Last week was a packed one for me. I had to fly out Tuesday night for a business group meeting, where we planned out the next quarter and discussed strategies for the upcoming months. These meetings are always great for stepping back from the day-to-day grind and really evaluating where things stand. This time, instead of heading to California like we usually do, the meeting was in Fort Lauderdale, Florida—right near Miami. Not a bad spot to spend a few days working and networking.

I flew in late Tuesday night and, luckily, ended up at a hotel right next door to where the conference was being held. That made things a lot easier. I was set up there for two nights, but for some reason, I had to switch to a sister hotel for the last night. It wasn’t quite as nice, but it worked out. Travel can always throw little curveballs like that, but at the end of the day, as long as you have a bed and a decent place to sleep, you just roll with it.

These business meetings are always long and intense. We start at 8 AM, and most days, we’re still going strong until 6 or 7 PM. This one was no exception. On Wednesday, we wrapped up at 5 PM, which honestly felt like an early day compared to some of these conferences. That night, we had a networking mixer, which was a great chance to connect with everyone in a more relaxed setting. It’s always nice to meet people outside of the structured meetings and get to know them on a personal level. Then Thursday’s sessions went even longer—until about 6:30 or 7 PM. By the time I finally had a chance to squeeze in a workout, it was getting really late. I hadn’t rented a car this time, so I was glad to have a gym in the hotel. It’s easy to fall out of routine when traveling, but I always feel better when I can fit in a workout, even if it’s late.

One of the highlights from the business conference was actually the mixer. We got to go to my coach’s house, which was pretty impressive. He had just moved into a place down there, right on the water, and it was really nice. They even had a boat—not sure if it was a small yacht or just a big boat, but either way, it was cool. One thing that caught my eye was his outdoor kitchen. Holly and I have been thinking about designing a really nice outdoor kitchen for ourselves, so it was fun to check it out and get some ideas. Seeing different setups always helps when you’re trying to plan something for your own space. 

Back at the business conference, we spent a lot of time reviewing our businesses, analyzing numbers, and making sure we were on track for our goals. We also focused on personal well-being—not just in business but also in terms of health, family, and overall life balance. It was a good reminder to check in and ask, "How do I feel about where I am right now?" Since we’re already two months into the year, it was a good time to reassess and make adjustments before the second quarter starts. I always find it valuable to step outside my usual environment and take time to reflect. When you’re in the middle of the daily hustle, it’s hard to see the bigger picture. I came away with a few solid ideas, some simple but effective changes I can implement at the office, and I’m looking forward to putting those in motion.

By Friday, it was time to fly back home to Georgia, and that’s when the fun part of the week kicked off—Sam and Noah came down for spring break. Sam brought a couple of friends, and Noah brought Carly, so we had a full house for the weekend. Sam got in on Friday, so we spent most of Saturday hanging out before Noah arrived later that night. Sam was especially excited because there was a UFC Fight Night event, and we made sure to watch it. It was an early card, but it was absolutely stacked—one of those fight nights where it felt like every fight ended in a finish. There were knockouts, submissions, just non-stop action. If you’re a UFC fan, I’d definitely recommend going back and watching that one. It took place in Seattle, and the main event ended in a pretty controversial way. It was supposed to be a five-round fight, but it got stopped after the third round because of a double eye poke. They ended up declaring a winner based on the three completed rounds, which didn’t sit well with a lot of fans and fighters. The big issue is that fighters often approach a three-round fight differently than a five-round fight, so it didn’t really feel like a fair win or loss. But I guess the officials wanted to make sure there was a result, so that’s how it played out.

Meanwhile, on the personal side of things, we were also gearing up for something really special—our 25th wedding anniversary trip to Japan! Holly and I had been planning this trip for a while, and we were finally heading out on Sunday morning. That meant another early wake-up call—we were out the door by 6:30 AM to catch our flight. And of course, it was a long one—about 14 hours in the air. Long flights like that can be rough, but this time, I planned ahead a little better. I actually downloaded some Netflix movies in advance, which made the flight a little more bearable. Usually, I just watch whatever Delta offers, but having my own selection definitely helped pass the time. Still, 14 hours is a long time to be stuck in one place, so I was relieved when we finally landed. We took a taxi to our Airbnb, and that’s where our Japan adventure officially started. I’ll have a big update next week on everything we did while we were there.

So that was my week—business, travel, family time, and getting ready for our big trip. I’ll have plenty to share about Japan next time. And of course, remember—if you are in pain, call Shane!