About

For ten years, I ran a design studio in the US. Then, about 15 or so years ago, my wife landed a fantastic job in Hong Kong, and I followed—no complaints. Running the studio was an incredible mix of hard work and genuine fun, backed by clients so great that I still help a few of them out from time to time from my remote outpost.

Before that, I spent time in public relations and served as the executive editor of a business travel magazine.

However, the very first (and best) use of my MA in English Literature was my stint teaching Spoken English and English for Business Communications at Tianjin University in China. I had zero formal teacher training, but years later, when I read Frank McCourt’s Teacher Man, I was thrilled to discover we shared the exact same playbook: a healthy dose of creative chaos, getting to know the students, letting their stories take center stage while sharing a few of my own. We got through the textbook, too—fast enough to reach the good half of the class.