Meet The Team: Digital Guru and Winner of the Most Patient Award

I first met Zach when working at a cannabis magazine. Him and I shared the same job title as State Director overseeing our states magazine - him in Portland, me in Seattle. After working there for a little less than a year we both realized the publication was a sinking ship so we jumped. We went our separate ways - him leaving to travel the world, land in Portugal and start his own business and me getting stuck in the cannabis space for the next 2 years. We obviously had a very similar career trajectories.

Last year I launched McMillan Creative and Zach was one of the first people to call me and say congratulations. He then said, "how can I help? What can we collaborate on? Let's make magic." I brought his company on, Controlled Chaos, to guide me through everything SEO, and website-related. He is the person you can point the finger at for all these blog posts coming your way - (call us to see what we can do for your marketing strategy) Ok shameless plug over - Zach has brought an immense amount of needed knowledge to the team and he has never once got fed up when I ask, ok, can you explain "organic traffic" one more time and for that we're gonna keep him around a while.

You work for yourself now and own your own business, what's one thing you've learned along your journey that you wish you knew 5 years ago?

The business lesson that I wish I knew 5 years ago was that business owners are not more educated, more capable, or luckier than anybody else - they just fucking did it.

What time do you wake up in the morning?

Since becoming a consultant 2 years ago, I've told myself that waking up to an alarm is not what I wanted. So, I stick to the natural wake up system so my body and mind can get the sleep it needs. Short answer: anywhere between 5am - 10am.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee, for sure. If I drank tea in the morning, I'd just go back to sleep.

What do you do to maintain a work life balance?

I treat my life schedule like my work schedule. Specifically putting in time on my calendar for the gym, writing, golf, etc. If I treat the fun things in my life with the same importance as the work portions of my life, it ensures priority on both ends.

Tell us something interesting about yourself that we don't already know?

I have a small, somewhat manageable obsession with UFOs and alien conspiracies. I'm not going to storm Area 51, but will definitely inform anyone who is willing to listen to my government cover-up theories.

LA or New York?

Chi-town, baby. Deep dish pizza 4 lyfe.

What is the one thing that you'll lavishly spend money on?

Travel accommodations. Never been a hostel person, and will lavishly spend on nice hotels. I have a thing for luxury.

Reality TV shows or Netflix?

I'm a recent converter to the reality TV camp. Especially the trashy dating shows - The Bachelor, Love Island, and my personal favorite, Are You The One?