Our CEO’s Journey to Business Continuity

Hi, I’m Josh—a passionate advocate for business continuity and emergency management. But my journey to this field wasn’t exactly traditional.

Let’s rewind. The first half of my career was spent orchestrating major events on college campuses. With a master’s degree in student affairs administration, I focused on building co-curricular experiences that shaped students’ growth and professional development. My specialty? Student Activities and Student Life. From Indiana to Florida, I transformed parking lots into concert arenas, brought in comedians and speakers, and even shut down roads for parades and carnivals. Managing these complex events demanded a mastery of logistics, collaboration, and risk assessment. Shout-out to my students and colleagues, who were instrumental in this journey. How I miss them dearly.

What many don’t realize is that successful event planning is a masterclass in business continuity, risk management, and emergency preparedness. Each event required me to build relationships across departments, develop and refine standard operating procedures, and assess risks and business impacts—overseeing more than $1.2 million in procured services annually.

In the midst of my student affairs journey, I learned how to be an entrepreneur. I’m a photographer. Photography was the perfect side hustle for a creative extrovert! I was recently asked what I’ll do when I retire. Easy answer…travel photographer. Running a business is a full testament to your resilience. If you want to hear my photography/videography adventures, stay tuned.

A few years ago, my wife and I moved to Charlotte, NC, seeking new opportunities and closer proximity to family. That’s where I stumbled into my first business continuity professional role. At first, I questioned whether I belonged. But before long, the pieces fell into place. I realized my years of risk assessment and crisis management in student affairs translated perfectly to building resilience and incident response in the business world. The lightbulb moment was powerful: I had found my calling.

Since then, I’ve been honored as the Disaster Recovery Institute International’s New Professional of the Year and achieved my Certified Business Continuity Professional credential.

This is just the beginning. I’m excited to share my insights, lessons learned, and strategies for building stronger, more resilient organizations. Let’s get started.