After thirty years of building and running Trivera Interactive, I'm doing something that might surprise a few people. I'm starting another company.
I've been leaving more of the day-to-day at Trivera to the team that helped me build it. I'll still be involved, providing consulting and specialized services when needed.
For a lot of people, that would be the signal to start taking it easy. Maybe travel, find a hobby, or just enjoy not worrying about payroll every two weeks.
And I understand the appeal. But somewhere along the way, I realized something about myself.
I'm not finished building things.
Why the Third Turn?
If you've ever watched a horse race, you know there's a point where the excitement really starts to build. The horses are approaching the third turn, the jockeys are jockeying for position (I suppose that's where the expression comes from), and you can sense that something is about to happen.
The race isn't over. But the decisions being made at that moment can have a lot to do with what happens down the stretch.
That's how I look at this stage of my life.
My early career was about learning. I worked in radio, got involved in technology, and eventually started a business in 1996, when the internet was still something most companies weren't quite sure what to do with.
The next thirty years were about building. Growing a company, serving clients, hiring people, making mistakes, solving problems, and learning things you can't learn from a book.
Now I'm coming around my own third turn, with more experience, better judgment, and the freedom to decide what I want to build next.
That's exciting.
Not Everyone Wants the Same Next Chapter
When people talk about retirement, the conversation usually centers on what they're going to stop doing. No more meetings, deadlines, or getting up early unless there's a tee time.
Some want to travel, spend more time with family, or devote themselves to causes they care about. Those are all good choices.
But there's another group of people, and I suspect you might be one of them.
You've spent decades developing skills, relationships, and judgment. Maybe you've had a business idea in the back of your mind for years, but never had the freedom to pursue it.
Now you do.
Maybe it's a restaurant, a consulting practice, or something completely different. Maybe you've already started and discovered that turning a good idea into a working business is more complicated than you expected.
Not everybody needs to start another business. But some of us see this stage of life as the opportunity to finally build something we've always wanted to.
Why I Started Third Turn LLC
As Trivera grew, our focus shifted toward larger organizations with more complex marketing needs. That was the right direction for the company, but it also meant some of the smaller, owner-operated businesses I'd enjoyed helping weren't necessarily the right fit anymore.
I continued working with a few of those entrepreneurs on the side. They didn't need a large marketing agency. They needed someone who understood what it meant to run a business and could provide practical advice, marketing, and technology support without making things more complicated than necessary.
I enjoyed that work. Still do.
And as I began thinking about my own next chapter, I saw an opportunity to bring those relationships, that experience, and my entrepreneurial interests together.
Third Turn LLC was formed in October 2026 around a simple idea: Helping you build your next chapter.
Three Ways to Make the Next Move
Third Turn focuses on three areas, each serving a different need.
1. Advisory. Sometimes the most valuable thing an experienced business owner can offer is an honest conversation before someone spends a lot of money. Is the idea practical? Is there a market? What hasn't been considered? Enthusiasm is important, but it doesn't replace doing your homework.
2. Marketing. Once a business is operating, customers need to find it, understand what it offers, and trust it. That means a professional website, a credible online presence, and marketing appropriate for the size of the business. Technology, including AI, can help smaller businesses accomplish things that once required much larger budgets, without becoming another full-time job for the owner.
3. Ventures. I'm also developing new businesses myself. One is a residential community concept for people who want a smaller home, less upkeep and more neighbors, without leaving the part of Wisconsin where their life already is. It's in pre-development, but it reflects the same thinking behind Third Turn: building something useful for people deciding what comes next.
These aren't three unrelated services. They're different ways of doing something I've enjoyed throughout my career: helping good ideas become real businesses.
And sometimes that means telling someone an idea needs more work, or the timing isn't right.
I've learned that being helpful and telling people what they want to hear aren't always the same thing.
Your Next Move
I don't know exactly where my own third turn will lead. That's part of what makes it interesting.
What I do know is that I'm looking forward to applying everything I've learned to new opportunities and working with people who still have things they want to build.
If you're approaching your own third turn and thinking about building something new, I'd enjoy hearing what you have in mind.
Let's see if we can make your third turn as interesting as mine is shaping up to be.