We have been married for 17 years and have two amazing kids, Peter (15) and Lea (13).  During those 17 years Pete has started three software companies.  Stacie has stayed at home and done an incredible job raising the kids and keeping our lives held together through the chaos of start-up life. 

Pete’s latest company, Balihoo, was founded in August of 2004.  The plan at the time was to build the company over 3 or 4 years and sell it or find someone else to run it.  However, the great recession of 2008/2009 threw a major monkey wrench into that plan.  Pete had to re-double his efforts to save the company and has been at the helm for 10 years now.  We are happy to report the company is doing incredibly well, but after almost 20 years of startup life two things became clear;

1.  Start-up companies dominate our life 
2.  Our kids are going to be gone soon

About 4 or 5 years ago we hatched an idea, once Balihoo sold we would take a trip around the world with the kids.  This would be our celebration lap.  We have always loved to travel and the kids were getting to an age where they could appreciate other cultures and ways of life.  As the years passed we continued to talk about our world tour plans as a family, however, while the company was doing well, it was not in a position to sell. 

In November of 2012 we decided we could not wait any longer.  The kids were getting older and our window with them was shutting.  Transitioning out of a CEO role can take a very long time and we needed to make a decision; keep working hard on the company, or step off the train and focus on the family.  We chose the family.  The decision was a hard one filled with long wine fueled discussions, but in the end it became clear.  We will both have chances at building companies and careers for the rest of our lives, but we can never get this time with our children back. 

So on August 16th we depart from our home in Boise Idaho for a 10 month trip around the world.  We hope to see how other cultures live, meet amazing people and taste the flavors of the world. But most of all we hope to spend an amazing year being together and enjoying one another through all the trials and triumphs that only travel can present.