Swinging at Life’s Piñata: Founding Knomee and Finding Purpose
Growing up in El Paso, Texas, birthdays were always a grand celebration filled with vibrant traditions, delicious food, and family gatherings. It’s my birthday today, June 13th. I never celebrated in school with my friends…missing in-class cupcakes always made me a bit sad. 100% of my birthday parties involved a pool and barbeque. El Paso is HOT in June. In my earlier years, my parents got me a piñata, the colorful, candy-filled symbol of childhood joy and determination. As I reflect on my journey to founding Knomee, I realize how much it parallels the experience of swinging at a piñata – a blend of self-awareness, curiosity, experimentation, resilience, and grit.
Just like standing blindfolded and dizzy in front of a piñata (did your parents also spin you around several times?), life often presents itself as a mystery. We have dreams, ambitions, and goals, but the path to achieving them isn’t always clear. And achievement often comes as a surprise. It requires self-awareness to understand our strengths and weaknesses, just as it takes a keen sense of direction to land that first hit on the piñata. Founding Knomee was born out of my desire to provide clarity and purpose to those navigating their futures, to help them take a swing with confidence and direction, leveraging their finances as their power.
In El Paso, the anticipation of the piñata was palpable. Kids would gather around, eyes wide with excitement and curiosity. We’d watch each other take turns, learning from each swing and adjusting our strategies. This same sense of curiosity fueled my journey with Knomee. I spent over 20 years in the financial services industry, becoming familiar with its intricacies and realizing that something crucial was missing: a deep, personalized understanding of individual needs and aspirations. I was determined to explore how we could do better.
It took me a while. I learned a lot about different aspects of financial products and services first, developing a rich understanding of how they operate. Where they hit the mark and where they were sorely off. I served individuals, institutions, partners, customers, vendors, investors, and regulators. I managed billions of dollars in claims stemming from all sorts of systemic failures. I oversaw collection agencies and debt buyers, data providers, index licensors, platform and infrastructure technologies. Each experience built on the prior ones to lead me to one conclusion.
Starting Knomee was like taking that first swing at the piñata. Blindfolded and dizzy (very very dizzy…trust me!), I took a chance, armed with my knowledge and passion. The first attempts were not perfect, but each misstep was a lesson, a point of data guiding the next swing. In business, as in life, experimentation is key. You have to be willing to try new approaches, to iterate and innovate. It’s through these experiments that you find what works, much like finding the vulnerable spot to finally break open the piñata.
Resilience and grit are essential in this journey. In El Paso, the piñata wouldn’t burst open with just one hit. Never…they make amazing piñatas there. It took repeated swings, often getting back in line for another turn or two or three. Founding Knomee requires that same persistence. There are challenges and setbacks, moments of doubt, but giving up is never an option. Each obstacle is met with renewed determination, knowing that with every swing, I am closer to achieving my vision. For myself and for you…and for our world.
The reward, much like the shower of candy from a piñata, is worth every effort. It delights everyone who touches it. Knomee empowers individuals to understand their financial identities, align their money with their values, and make decisions that resonate with their true selves. It’s about providing a framework for clarity, communication, control, and community – all crucial elements in achieving sustained prosperity without sacrificing one’s core identity.
As I celebrate my birthday this year, I’m reminded of my childhood piñata parties and how they taught me invaluable lessons about life and business. The importance of self-awareness, curiosity, experimentation, resilience, and grit cannot be overstated. These qualities have guided my journey and inspired the creation of Knomee, a platform designed to help others swing at their own life piñatas with confidence and purpose.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Here’s to many more swings, to breaking open new opportunities, and to celebrating the sweet rewards of living a life aligned with our deepest values and goals.
Happy swinging!
