About

Thistle Downs wasn’t created in a boardroom or dreamed up by a branding agency. It is the name of the farm where I grew up.

Long before I worked with business leaders, I learned lessons that still shape how I approach business today.

On a farm, success isn’t built on quick wins are shortcuts. It comes from strong foundations, disciplined work, adapting to changing seasons and making decisions that create long term value.

Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career.

Today, they form the foundation of how I help owner-led businesses grow.

Why the Thistle?

Most people see this as a weed.

I’ve always seen something different.

Growing up at Thistle Downs, the thistle became a symbol of resilience.

Its roots run deep. Cut it back, and it comes back stronger.

It thrives where many other plants struggle.

It protects what matters.

It doesn’t demand attention, but it endures.

The more I worked with businesses, the more I realized the same qualities define exceptional companies.

The strongest businesses aren’t the ones that avoid adversity.

They are the ones that are built to thrive through it.

My Approach

My perspective has been shaped by both corporate leadership and business ownership.

Throughout my career, I’ve led complex projects, operational improvements, and business initiatives where success depended on bringing people, processes, and strategy together.

I combine the discipline of project management, the perspective of a business owner, and the practical mindset of someone who has built businesses from the ground up.

My background in project management—including certifications as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)—reinforced a disciplined approach to planning, execution, continuous improvement, and delivering measurable outcomes.

Beyond the Boardroom

Beyond my corporate career, I’ve also built and operated businesses of my own, including an agritourism business under the Thistle Downs name to investing in rental properties.

Those experiences gave me firsthand insight into the realities of running a business—balancing customer expectations, managing operations, making investment decisions, improving processes, and solving problems with limited time and resources.

They reinforced many of the principles I now bring to my consulting work—adaptability, customer experience, operational discipline, financial stewardship and building systems that support long-term success.

Those experiences allow me to relate to business owners not only as an advisor, but as someone who understands the realties of leading a business.

Whether leading complex projects, running businesses or managing long term investments, I’ve found the same principle holds true: sustainable success comes from strong foundations, disciplined execution, and systems that continue to perform long after the initial work is done.