I Went to the Dog Park & Accidentally Built a Nonprofit & found my best friends
Misu and her best Friend Hazey
April 22, 2025
I used to think marketing was about visuals, messaging, and reach. And don’t get me wrong—it is. But lately, I’ve been realizing: it’s also about dog parks, porch chats, and showing up in your own neighborhood.
Let’s rewind.
The Purebred Debate (aka Avoiding Connection in Disguise)
I wanted a purebred dog. My wife wanted a rescue.
I resisted—hard. I said all the right-sounding things: “You don’t know their past.” “They might carry too much baggage.” “It’s safer when you know what you’re getting.”
But if I’m being honest, I was projecting. I wasn’t avoiding the dog’s baggage—I was avoiding my own.
I’d been working remotely for years. Groceries delivered. No playdates. Rarely leaving the house. Even as an extrovert, I had become incredibly good at isolation.
I hadn’t made a new friend in what felt like a decade. All my decisions—convenient as they were—were dampening my dreams without me even realizing it.
Enter: Misu (and a Whole New Version of Me)
I waited twelve years after my last dog passed away. Twelve years of saying “not yet”, “I’m too busy”, “maybe later”. And then we got Misu—a moody little rescue named after Tiramisu.
Tiramisu "Misu"
And something shifted. Instantly.
My wife noticed it right away. She tells me nearly every day, “You’re different now.” And every morning at 10am, without fail, she asks, “So what did you and your board discuss at the dog park today?”
Because that’s what it’s become. The dog park has turned into my unofficial boardroom.
I take the kids to school, then head straight there to get my ya-ya’s out… I mean, Misu’s ya-ya’s out. (Sure. Let’s go with that.)
But truly, it's my daily check-in. Not just with my dog, but with myself. With my people. With ideas.
Dog park pals: from left to right: Pepper, , Hazey, Rubi, Misu, chiyo and humans are me (Tory and Sarah)
It Took Me Weeks to Say It Out Loud
At first, I just made small talk.
The dog park was a safe, pressure-free zone. No pitches. No big reveals.
But for weeks, I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud: That I’d been carrying this vision—a creative space, a nonprofit art school, a place that could change lives—for years.
I was afraid it wouldn’t land. Afraid people would smile politely and move on. Afraid of wanting it too much.
But one day I finally shared the idea. Just a piece of it. And they leaned in. They asked questions. They got excited. And just like that… I couldn’t shut up.
My closet friends Ann and Sarah, preparing for an event.
Marketing Can Only Take You So Far
We live in a world where marketing is mostly digital. We post. We story. We hashtag. We boost.
And that stuff works—to a point.
But what happened at the dog park reminded me that marketing isn’t just what you say online—it’s what people believe when they see your eyes light up in real life.
It’s being known. Being trusted. Being the person who actually shows up.
You can only connect so far through a screen. You need third spaces.
You need the in-betweens—not just home, not just work. Spaces where you process, create, and build with others.
The First Meal—And What Comes Next
This month, I’m hosting our first community meal.
Nothing formal. No name tags. Just people, food, laughter, and conversation.
It’s a way to gather some of those first supporters, hear what they need, and share what we’re building together.
We Start Creating is becoming more than a nonprofit. It’s a movement. A meeting place. A strategy for surviving the chaos and building something beautiful in the middle of it.
We'll be asking:
What are you missing?
What would help you thrive?
How can we support each other—and the community around us?
Because let’s be real: connection is the strategy.
Letting People In Changed Everything
What started as a reluctant walk to the dog park turned into a complete reset on how I connect—with myself and with others.
I didn’t just build a nonprofit. I re-learned how to socialize, how to let people in, how to be known outside of work.
And something beautiful happened: Parents started showing up. People started launching their own businesses, inspired by mine. We encouraged each other, swapped ideas, shared leads.
The kids got playdates—and so did mommy.
I met two of my best friends in the last six months. The kind of friends who show up for my kids, for my work, for me. You’d never guess we just met. That’s how natural—and how needed—it was.
I thought I was building something for others. But in the process, I built something for myself too.
Next up: the meal, the team, and how you can get involved. Forks optional. Curiosity required.
#WeStartCreating #CreativeCommunity #DogParkStrategy #MarketingInRealLife #ThirdSpacesMatter #ArtWithPurpose #PortlandNonprofit #BuildingBelonging #SupportYouthArt #MisuMagic