Congratulations on the upcoming release of Start in Your Own Backyard. What can you tell me about the process of writing this book? What was the impetus and/or inspiration?

During the early years of developing Serenbe – changing zoning, crafting plans and architecture, and breaking ground – I was completely immersed in the act of doing. As our work began to gain worldwide recognition, people started asking for a book to document our unique approach.

The first draft I began during the recession was more of a behind-the-scenes account of the development industry, focused on the journey itself. Yet over time, it became clear that what we are building has much broader relevance than just as a mixed-use development.

Today, when many people feel hopeless or disconnected, Serenbe offers a tangible sense of hope, an example of what’s possible, and a better way to live by starting right in our backyards. What began as a vision on 60 acres has helped influence the zoning of 60 square miles (or over 34,000 acres).

Now, blessed with seven grandchildren who will live in a world of our making, I feel a deep responsibility to pass on what we’ve learned and to share the stories of how the built environment can profoundly improve people’s lives. That’s the heart of this book.

How much of your own experience did you draw from when putting this book together, and how much is your story intertwined with the writing of your book?

This book, at its core, is my story. It weaves together a lifetime of experiences and associations, from my childhood memories to my career in hospitality, and ultimately to becoming a town founder. Each chapter is informed by the lessons I’ve learned along the way, both personal and professional.

Rather than writing from a distance, I drew directly from lived experience and decades of observing how people interact with place, nature, and one another. This book reflects not just ideas but the real-world journey of translating values into a community that nurtures well-being and connection.

My story is deeply intertwined with the book because Serenbe didn’t begin as a theory. It began in my backyard.

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What can readers expect to learn from reading this book?

Readers will learn that Superman probably isn’t coming to save your neighborhood, and the solutions to many of our modern challenges are unlikely to come from big government, big corporations, or any other “big” system.

Real change begins at the local level. The book offers a blueprint for how individual actions, literally starting with your own backyard, can spark meaningful transformation in your family, your neighborhood, and your town.

I hope it inspires readers to take that first step, no matter how small, toward transforming exactly where they are.

How was writing and publishing Start in Your Own Backyard different from your other business endeavors?

In my business ventures, whether building a restaurant company with 36 locations across eight states or leading a development team to create a community where people want to live, work, and thrive, I create experiences I can shape with placemaking. I have a talented team, a vision, and the ability to motivate, adjust, or pivot to bring that vision to life.

Writing and publishing Start in Your Own Backyard was entirely different. Now, I’m putting my story and those lessons out into the world without knowing who will read them or how they’ll respond. I can’t guide the experience; I can only hope the words resonate and that someone, somewhere, is inspired to take action in their community.

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