Introduction

I grew up in Mankato, a medium-sized town in southern Minnesota and attended Saint John’s University in the mid-to-late 1990s. It was in college that I was inspired to explore Asia, and I ended up teaching two years in China and learning Mandarin after graduation before pursuing my masters in Chinese studies at the University of Hawaii.

I then taught another year in Seoul, South Korea before establishing my career, in trade compliance and supply chain, then spent a recent spate living and traveling from 2017-2023 in Thailand and Vietnam as a digital nomad.

Finally, around Covid, I worked in sourcing and manufacturing in Ho Chi Minh City before moving back to Florida, USA with my wife and baby daughter in 2023.

I have always been interested in Asia, import-export, and supply chain and currently work in trade compliance for an international company.