It’s been far too long since I’ve written. In my head, I’ve drafted multiple quarterly updates that were never sent. Part of this is because we thankfully have such a big network in LA, and I talk weekly with friends about where I am with the business. The other part is that there was simply not much to tell.
Our youngest daughter Juliana asked the Alexa device today, “what’s the national day today?” Alexa answered that today was “National AI Day,” which felt like a fitting reason to finally write this long overdue update. (Hilariously, Alexa was wrong—it’s Alpaca Day and National Chimichanga Day. Equally inspirational muses, but I’ll stick with AI for now.)
To Pivot or Quit It
As a quick refresh, I had built a prototype for a two-sided marketplace connecting home DIYers to tradespeople for live video consultations. The challenges were clear: retaining tradespeople who were actively working in-season, and marketing to DIYers at scale. I didn’t solve those efficiently.
At the same time, AI tools—especially ChatGPT—were exploding. People now often go straight to AI for trusted answers, which has meant big drops in Google search traffic for publishers. That shift made advice-based publishing feel like a muddier, less attractive space.
I spent time brainstorming how AI (even a small language model) might solve some of my platform’s “chicken-and-egg” challenges, but after protracted reflection I realized I wasn’t committed to the vision anymore. So, after much thought, I’ve decided to retire DIYwithHelp.com.
What’s Next and What Else
Life hasn’t been idle. Keeping up with the kids’ ever-growing activities has been both more time-intensive—and more fulfilling—than I’d imagined. My long-dormant cooking skills have even resurfaced, which is a win for the whole family (including Churro).
On the venture side, one smaller project keeps plugging along. My good friend Graham and I have been tinkering with a better mousetrap for the $20B golf-travel market. A shell of it lives at www.golferjourneys.com. The vision is essentially a TripAdvisor for golf vacations—a resource that surprisingly doesn’t exist today.
I’m also evaluating another, lighter AI-driven concept. This one would be easier to scale quickly, and I’ll share more if it moves beyond the idea stage.
Beyond these explorations, I’m planning to return to contracted/fractional work on certain projects. For now, that mix feels like the right balance: earning income while pursuing personal ventures.
Talk to ya Soon
As always, thank you for the support and for the inspiring ideas many of you have shared with me. If I can reciprocate—whether evaluating an AI project, brainstorming a business idea, or simply sharing lessons learned—please reach out.