Back in 2012, I was satisfied with running my boutique branding company, which had served notable clients such as HBO, Showtime, American Idol, Hilton Hotels, and various celebrities and international musicians for a decade. However, when I relocated from the U.S. to Puerto Vallarta, many of my major clients were apprehensive about having their branding company situated in Mexico, especially since remote work was not as common as it is today. Consequently, many of my clients left, and I had to rebuild my branding company by offering services to businesses in Puerto Vallarta on a smaller scale.
While working as a liaison between a local client and a local English news website, I found myself in a heated meeting. The only English news website in Puerto Vallarta at the time shouted at me, stating that I knew nothing about running a news website, and that they would not accept my recommendations on how to better promote my client on their platform. I saw this as a challenge.
In 2014, I decided to launch PVDN as a hobby to prove that I could run a successful news site. At first, I intended to publish just a few stories each week, as I was still preoccupied with my branding company. However, the local community had other plans. PVDN was launched at the perfect time, as Puerto Vallarta was experiencing an influx of full-time foreign residents, transforming the city from a tourist destination or a snowbird escape into a permanent home.
As an avid news junkie myself, I realized that there was a demand and interest for an English news website that reported on more than just the tourist activities around the Malecon and gated communities. Since 2014, PVDN has filled this void. I have always operated PVDN under the idea that Puerto Vallarta is a home and community, not a destination. That is what has brought success to the publication.
On May 1, 2016, PVDN gained traction in the local news scene when the Jalisco cartel launched simultaneous attacks in several areas of Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. While the other English news website refused to cover the events and urged their followers to post pictures of the tourist side of the city on social media, PVDN reported on the events that were pertinent to the locals. From that moment on, PVDN became more than just a hobby for me. Within a few months, I made the decision to shut down my successful branding company, which had been running for 14 years. Since then, I have dedicated myself entirely to providing real news from Puerto Vallarta and throughout Mexico to bilingual locals and ex-pats.
Today, PVDN is the most popular English news website in Puerto Vallarta and one of the top five in Mexico. The site is supported by advertising for non-subscribers, and subscribers can browse PVDN without ads and access additional content. However, since the marketing niche of Puerto Vallarta News is limited, the number of advertisers and the prices I can charge are restricted. To keep PVDN running as my full-time job and dedication, I offer subscriptions, which ensure the site’s future for years to come. Every subscriber is critical to PVDN and is genuinely appreciated. They are the ones who enable me to provide real news in Puerto Vallarta every day.
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I was born in Tampa, Florida on February 11, 1972, but I spent most of my childhood in Deland, Florida, a small town about 30 miles (48km) west of Daytona Beach. Although I was raised in Florida, I do not consider it my home. As soon as I was of legal age, I left Florida and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, which I consider my true home.
Owning a news website was never on my radar, and certainly not something others would have thought was a feasible career for me. Growing up with ADD, hyperactivity, and dyslexia, I spent my elementary years attending classes for students with learning disabilities. It’s ironic that I ended up choosing a career that revolves around reading and writing as a dyslexic person. Or maybe the career chose me. However, working on PVDN has actually helped me manage my dyslexia and control my ADD tendencies. It’s the longest I’ve ever dedicated to a single project, and I still wake up every day eager to start my work.
Throughout my life, I’ve held a variety of jobs and careers thanks to my ADD and difficulty staying interested in any one thing for too long. I see this as an advantage in life, rather than the disadvantage that it’s often perceived as for children.
I’ve worked in every position in restaurants, including management and upper management, as well as district management. Although I have a culinary school education, I’ve never pursued a career as a chef. I’ve also trained horses, including during the Atlanta Summer Olympics in 1996. Additionally, I’ve worked as a motivational speaker for Fortune 500 companies, inspiring managers to be more productive and profitable for their employers. I’ve even worked as a telemarketer for ATT Security systems, where we were taught to use crime statistics to scare elderly people into buying a security system. And, for a time, I worked as a bartender at a leather bar, which was an interesting experience as a preppy guy at the time.
Now, I live a fulfilling life in Mexico. I’ve traveled to every state in Mexico, and I have apartments in Puerto Vallarta and Mexico City. My weekdays are dedicated almost exclusively to PVDN, from 6 AM to 9 PM, and sometimes all night if there are current events that the public needs to be informed about. On weekends, I monitor news, publish a couple of stories, or work all weekend if there is breaking news, but weekends are generally slower.
When I’m not creating content for PVDN, I enjoy hosting game nights at home with friends or watching movies. I also host couch surfers, who are travelers that stay for free at my house as part of a cultural exchange. Typically, my guests will cook at least one meal from their home country, and I will learn about their culture. In exchange, I host them and teach them about Mexico. Although I have traveled extensively, I appreciate the moments I get to spend with people from all over the world, learning from them, and teaching them about my life.
But, my true passion is taking my dog to the park :)