We’re in Palm Springs this weekend.
At a peaceful little spot called Oasis Dune.
Just last night, this place was buzzing, full of teenage laughter, volleyball bags, and enough snacks to feed a small army. We hosted Bella’s friends to celebrate her 18th birthday.
Now, it’s Sunday.
And it’s just me and my wife and Bella
Quiet.
Still.
The girls are gone.
Prom is around the corner.
Graduation is just weeks away.
And Bella? She’s heading off to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy this summer.
The house back home, and this Airbnb today — feel a little big now.
But here’s what hit me in the silence this morning:
This is how good business works, too.
You build something.
You pour your energy, time, and love into it, every late night, every weekend, every tough conversation, every breakthrough.
If you do it right, the thing you built grows legs.
It doesn’t need you forever.
And that’s the goal.
The goal isn’t to babysit your business — or your kids — for life.
The goal is to lead. To guide. To pour into them until they can stand, move, and thrive on their own.
🧠 The Business Lesson?
If your business falls apart the second you step away, you don’t have a business, you have a bottleneck.
A real business should be able to stand tall when you step out.
Just like a child should be ready to leave the nest when it’s time.
Today, it’s quiet here at Oasis Dune.
But it’s not sad.
It’s proof that the foundation was solid.
That the investment paid off.
And now, my wife and I are stepping into our next season.
We’re launching a new newsletter together called The Two Empty Nesters — for couples like us, rediscovering life, marriage, and meaning after the kids fly the coop.
Stay tuned.
The nest may be quieter, but the next chapter?
It’s just beginning.
— Carlos