Finding Our “Why”

I’ve become a big fan of Simon Sinek. If you haven’t watched his 2009 TEDxPuget Sound talk [watch it here], I invite you to do so. I have his phrase, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” taped on the wall above my laptop. It’s there to remind me every day of why I founded LTO Ventures and the impact we want to have on the world for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Like my daughter, Lindsay…the “LTO” in LTO Ventures (pictured above). 

I adopted her at 2 and now at 28 she long ago aged out of school and spends all day 7 days a week in the community with caregivers. I’m thankful for the HCS waiver in Texas to be able to pay for her supports, and to have found caring individuals to spend it on. 

I wish there were more and better things for her to do every day to help her grow, learn new skills, pursue her interests, and make more friends. The same is true for Leila, the now 20-year-old sister she gained 5 years ago when I remarried a local woman here in Boerne. Both girls are significantly developmentally disabled, and neither will be able to live independently or navigate our community without assistance.

Which brings me to the question every parent asks themselves – “What will life be like for my son or daughter when I am no longer around? Where will they live? Who will care for them?”

Before I founded LTO Ventures in 2010, I was an only parent of Lindsay and my friends were asking me that question. My standard comeback was “Well, I’m immortal” and my plan was to out-live her by a day. But she is quite healthy and I’m 39 years older than her, so I realized I needed a Plan B. 

Over the last 14 years, I have developed a live, work, play intentional community model based what I understood from Lindsay would be an optimal home and community-based setting from which she could experience her most fulfilling life while providing the security and supports her disabilities demanded. Using that model, I built a consulting and project management business that has worked with 17 nonprofits in 10 states to develop their own community projects. Check out the Projects section of our website.

Before his passing my friend Jerry Horton, who with his wife Judy created Down Home Ranch, would ask every time we got together: “Mark, when are you going to build your own community?”  I’m excited to say we are and I invite you to read about our Autumn Hills Village project. Thank you.