THE FLIP! STORY

FLIP! came about from many years of diverse experiences with a central theme. It was also born out of a degree of frustration. The essence of FLIP! is by doing something you will learn skills that can be applied to other aspects of your life. Simply said FLIP! "skills" become the tools for future successes.

As an identical twin, I grew with the question of "what's it like to be a twin?" I could only answer "I don't know" because I had no other brothers or sisters. A favorite activity was to build things using wood I got from our Dad's work. Somethings turned out great, others didn't. School work and chores wasn't motivating but 'flipping wood into race cars" taught me some great skills.

After serving in the Air Force, I returned to college, married my wife of 50+ years and counting, and graduated with a degree in marketing. Next, I started a business because I wanted to be a business owner. That continued the concept of learning new skills by doing something I'd didn't know how to do but was motivated to do. This experience also became part of the foundation of what a FLIP! is all about

Although I've worked as an employee for major corporations and family-owned businesses, I eventually returned to business ownership and authored the Profit Puzzle business education program. I used the Profit Puzzle program to provide business education, consulting services, and small workshops to local small business owners. Alongside that I substitute taught at the high school level. This led to becoming a Special Education Resource Teacher.

My best role in life is Husband / Dad / Grand Daddy to our 3 wonderful (of course) daughters and seven fabulous (of course) Grand Kids. Raising great kids is not easy and not without stress, challenge, joy and happiness. In fact, one the early FLIP! products ( FLIP! Card Game ) was based on the five Grand Kids who were in around at the time it was developed.

What I learned over multiple decades is "skills" are best learned when motivated by interests, passions, and pursing big ideas. Yes, sometimes you must push through unmotivating circumstances.

 So, how does this apply to raising great kids? It's hard to teach kids success skills in the abstract. You need to guide kids through projects they have an interest in, passion about or big idea they want to make happen. Kids are not motivated by what they "should do" but by things they "want to do". And you can't require that whatever they want to do will last more than a minute, let alone a lifetime.

Developing FLIP! has not been without challenges and has taught me new skills. Pulling together basic Business, Thinking, and Project skills into a Read, Write, Grow format has been a learning experience in and of itself. A little more complex that building race cars from wood scrapes, but no less motivating and skill building in nature.

For your kids, taking something they are currently motivated to do and turning it into something real (FLIP!) is not only a point of engagement and conversation, but with a process to guide it, is a wonderful way to equip your kids to succeed in all areas of life.

Moving forward. I believe FLIP! is one way to raise great kids. Our goal is to continually improve our programs and resources so your kids can turn their interests, passions, and ideas into an experience to learn and apply success skills to live happy and productive lives.