"Live life by design."

It's a theme that wouldn't leave my mind throughout the last decade of my life. After almost 20 years of management and leadership in corporate America, I suddenly realized as I walked along a beach one day that life was passing me by -- I was busy making plans for things that might not ever happen. I decided at that very moment that I would take deliberate steps to live a life full of purpose and passion, and would savor the journey -- every step of the way.

The first step in my decision to live life by design was to find a place where I could really live. . . where my home would be a retreat. I wanted a place surrounded by natural beauty, wide open spaces, and peaceful scenery. I wanted my home to be part of my lifestyle -- not just a house. Relatively new to the upstate of South Carolina at that time, a friend told me about Lake Keowee. All it took was one visit, and I knew this is where I wanted to be.

I fell in love with Lake Keowee the moment I visited the first time. A native of Roanoke, Virginia, the mountains reminded me of home, but the lake offered a way of living to which nothing could compare. I have worked and traveled all over the world, and still my favorite place to be is home on Lake Keowee. There's nothing quite like coming home at the end of the day and watching a spectacular sunset over the water with the sun's rays dancing in vibrant color on the vast surface of the lake. In the winter months, I love to drive around the perimeter of the lake and watch the mist rising from the water as the sun breaks over the horizon. It's peaceful, calming, and refreshing -- day after day after day. It's a great way of life.

Once I set my sights on living on Lake Keowee, I slowly transitioned out of the corporate executive life and into real estate full time. I sell Lake Keowee because I love Lake Keowee. It's my pleasure to help others discover the beauty and lifestyle that can be theirs in this tiny golden corner of our great state.

As I look back over my life, I never dreamed that this is where I would be. I remember wrestling with a major decision early in my corporate life. A respected colleague told me, "do what you love and the money will follow." I never forgot those words. Twenty years later, I did -- and it does. Great advice!