I do not often bring my private life into my writing. Work has always been the visible surface. But this year, more than any other, has reminded me that the most important decisions we make rarely sit in a data or board room.
Sarah and I have two young daughters, Liliana and Isla. Six and four. They are at that age where the world is still wide open, where curiosity comes naturally, and where the smallest moments leave the deepest marks.
Three years ago, we left Chicago and moved to Cascais, Portugal. At the time, it felt less like a relocation and more like a reorientation. Toward a different pace. Toward different values. Toward a life where time, culture and proximity mattered more than convenience or familiarity.
Living here has changed us. Quietly, but profoundly.
Our girls move between languages with ease. They absorb differences without judgement. Their school days are filled with accents, traditions and perspectives that feel normal to them. Watching this unfold has been one of the great privileges of my life. It has also been a reminder that the most durable forms of value are built slowly, through exposure, consistency and care.
What I have come to appreciate is how similar life is to the work many of us do. Not in structure, but in spirit. The best outcomes are never the result of a single bold move. They come from thoughtful choices made over time. From knowing where to invest energy. From being selective about what and who we bring close. From understanding that compounding only works when you are patient enough to let it.
Much of our daily life now revolves around those small, deliberate investments. Afternoons that stretch a little longer. Evenings spent reading, talking, holding space. Summers and holidays chosen not for efficiency, but for presence. There is nothing dramatic about it, and yet it is deeply formative.
This period has also strengthened my relationship with my wife in ways I did not fully anticipate. Change has a way of doing that when it is shared. Building something together, far from what is familiar, requires trust, humour and perspective. It has reminded me that alignment and partnership are not static. They are renewed every day.
As the year closes, I find myself less focused on what has been achieved, and more on what has been built. On the foundations that will carry us forward. On the relationships that matter. On the quiet sense that we are exactly where we need to be.
For now, many of us are stepping into a pause. A chance to slow down, to be present, to recharge. I hope you allow yourself that space. The work will wait. The moments will not.
We will see each other again in the new year, recharged. There is a sense, across the market and beyond it, that momentum is returning and opportunities are beginning to surface again. There will be much to do together.
Until then, I wish you a peaceful holiday season and a gentle close to the year.
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