I can definitely relate to Gary Erickson, Ciif Bar Inc. and his personal story as shared in Raising The Bar.

Having grown up working and learning about extreme sports, the environment, community, business (and so much more), in an outdoor adventure company, than helped created a great internet brand, followed by efforts to green the internet and to help the planet by helping develop a web-based community, rich with tools and resources to educate people and businesses on how to green their lives, workplaces and so much more, I have definitely come to value and outright need a greater consciousness and purpose in all that I do (be it in the pursuit of business, entertainment, spiritual fulfillment, etc.).

Gary Erickson's story really brought me back to square one with what I really want (heh, I think) to be doing. I had already made some shifts within my life to prepare for this, I just didn't know it than. His life story is very admirable and inspiring to not hold back from pursuing, developing and manifesting your dreams, no matter how unattainable they may seem.

In my first internet venture I knew within months that there had to be another way to operate, consciously and responsibly as both a business owner, partner and steward of the earth but the pressures of maintaining status quo, the bottom line and all that other old paradigm, corporate nonsense proved to be somewhat ensnaring. Moments of clarity never failed to skitter across my vision and as the months rolled by an increasingly dense, compressing weight ensued and constant, instinctual impulses struck chords on several layers with me, nagging me to revisit my roots.

Than an old friend fired a few righteous notes off my direction and I went into a kind of cyber-quest and stoked the coals a bit more, as I regrouped from the last few years of intense start-up efforts and began start-up efforts anew here. But that nagging, gut-level voice and instinct perpetuated and I have been making my way, closer and closer to what I believe is my own, White Road.

Having just finished reading about Erickson's own journey, I've found renewed motivation and strength to see what could be, just over the next pass.