Rooted in Whimsy: A Tech Leader’s Life on the Farm

When I log off for the day from my job as senior director of product strategy at Cox Automotive, I step into an entirely different world: my very own farm, Whim-Wham Art Farm in Canton, GA, where soil meets soul.

I’ve always believed that work-life balance isn’t just a tagline — it’s a blueprint on how we should spend our days on this Earth. Thanks to the flexibility and support I’ve found here at Cox, I get to live that truth every day. It’s more than PTO policies or hybrid schedules (although those are great, too); it’s about how Cox empowers me to chase my dreams, nurture creativity and find meaning beyond the Monday-to-Friday routine.

The dream of our family farm happened almost accidentally. When our twins were younger, my wife, Nicole, and I had countless conversations about what schedules would work best for our family. Nicole wanted something she could call her own — something that offered the flexibility to balance life’s demands. We suddenly became “farm-hers” (that’s right, a women-owned-and-operated farm determined to do things differently). Together, we built on the brand my grandparents started back in the late 1960s.

Fast forward through lots of sweat, long hours and branding hustle, and Whim-Wham Art Farm came to life, which Nicole now runs full-time (and I pitch in whenever I can, especially on weekends). We focus on growing greens, roots, flowers and fruits. Every crop is planted with intention, and the flowers bloom with a kind of reckless joy that’s impossible not to smile at. In the 16 years since we started, we’ve evolved from scrappy and experimental to a small-yet-mighty operation.

While we once sold exclusively at our local farmers market, we now distribute nonperishables to five retailers and send oodles of flowers out into our community each week. Of course, we still show up at the Canton Farmers Market; it’s the best way to stay connected to the people who inspire us. Every Saturday morning feels like a town meet-up.

What I love most is how my life at Cox gives me room to breathe, dream and dig deep, literally and metaphorically. On weekdays, I help drive innovation and research within our product organization. On weekends, I harvest flowers, create bouquets for the farmers market and manage all things social media and branding for the farm.

That duality isn’t a juggling act; it’s a privilege. And it works because Cox doesn’t just talk about employee experience — it truly invests in it. I’ve felt the difference in how leaders support flexibility, how teammates cheer on each other’s passions and how everyone encourages authenticity — in and out of the office. At the end of the day, whether I’m presenting in a team meeting or planting the next season of crops alongside Nicole, I know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

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