I spent years building my dream. From an idea in my garage to a thriving company that was (and is) revolutionizing the window industry. To say that FlexScreen was built on blood, sweat, and tears is no understatement. I gave my heart, soul, energy, and every bit of resource I could muster to see it through to success beyond what I had even imagined. So, when people hear that I sold my business, the reaction is almost always the same.

“Why now?”
“You guys were crushing it!”
“Isn’t that like selling halfway up the mountain?”

From the outside, I get it. The business was booming. We were winning awards. Getting national recognition. Building momentum that felt unstoppable. So why sell? Because I ran it through the only filter that really matters to me: My “why.” And once I did that, the decision was surprisingly easy.

The Map Isn’t the Mission
It’s easy to confuse progress with purpose. Especially when things are going well—when the market’s responding, when your team is winning, when you’re hitting your numbers and everyone’s watching.

But here’s what I’ve learned: Success doesn’t always mean you’re on the right path, sometimes it just means you’re good at climbing fast—even if the mountain isn’t the one you were meant to climb.

Through the years, I discovered that I was certainly an excellent climber, but for me, the question wasn’t “Can we keep growing FlexScreen?” The answer to that was yes. The real question was: “Should I keep climbing?" In other words, was this still in alignment with my "why”? And that question changed everything.

My “Why” Has a Name
My “why” isn’t a slogan on a wall or a clever quote in a keynote. It’s names. Faces. People. It’s my wife, my kids, my grandkids. It’s the leaders I’m called to build. It’s the teams I’m meant to pour into. It’s the time I’ll never get back if I wait too long to be fully present.

My company was part of that story for a long time. I’m incredibly proud of what we built—and I’m still involved because I believe in the mission. But I knew deep down that staying in full control, just because we were winning, wasn’t aligned with what mattered most. The more clarity I had about my why, the less I needed to be “the guy at the top.”

A Filter for the Big Calls
We all hit moments where the world says, “You’re crazy if you don’t keep going.” But your soul is whispering, “It’s time to pivot," and if you don’t have a clear “why,” you’ll ignore that whisper. You’ll keep climbing a mountain that doesn’t lead anywhere meaningful. And when you get to the top, you’ll wonder why it feels so empty.

But if your "why" is solid, it becomes the filter for every big decision. And in my case? That filter made the decision to sell crystal clear—and incredibly freeing.

You can have the best map, the fastest pace, and the most momentum in the world—but if you don’t know your why, you’ll find yourself wandering in unfulfilling and oftentimes frustrating circles.

Your well-defined and full of conviction "WHY" will guide you, so anchor to it and let it guide your next move. That’s how you make the right decisions—not just the popular or expected ones.

I will always be a climber. My mountains just look different now.