Regular readers know of my long-time involvement with the Leadership McLean County program for developing leaders. Recently I was approached to be highlighted in their alumni newsletter, with some guiding questions, the first of which was the intriguing "Who is Joe?" Here's what I put.
In 2013 I followed my natural passion for teaching and personal motto "Life's short, have fun," and founded Bloomington-Normal Math Tutoring. The business served over 100 junior high, high school and college students in the last year and has grown to the point that I'm recruiting assistant tutors. Besides the adventure and flexibility of being self-employed, I love that every hour I spend working has a positive and productive outcome, and indirectly gives me a chance to be a positive role model for others. I still serve on LMC's Steering Committee but have other hobbies like blogging, fantasy sports, raising our kitten Cupcake with Dena, and singing in a church band. Most people may not know that I'll be playing a lead role in Community Players Theatre's musical comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels during the last three weekends of March. The most impactful book I've ever read was as a teen, Norman Vincent Peale's "Power of Positive Thinking" taught me how happiness is a choice and not a circumstance. The movie "Mr. Holland's Opus" reminds me what a far-reaching influence a teacher can have (and the ending is a joyful tear-jerker). A couple things stand out about my LMC experience. First, that the executive-level access to cutting-edge news is unlike any other opportunity in the county. Second, that some of my richest personal benefits have come after graduation, by volunteering alongside LMC alumni and meeting over 100 graduates. I've said often that LMC makes me a better person by surrounding me with better people, and look forward to that continuing.
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