By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-09-25 21:55:55 | Updated at 2024-09-30 23:44:05
5 days ago
An entrepreneur who became a millionaire at age 36 has revealed why he left the business world behind to pursue his bizarre hobby full-time.
George Appling, 54, from Austin, Texas, fell in love with all things medieval after he attended a Renaissance fair as a kid.
But it never occurred to him that he could make a living out of his passion, so when it became time for him to head off to college, he decided to pursue a career in business.
He went on to get a business degree from Texas A&M University, followed by his masters in business administration from Harvard.
For years, he worked his way up the corporate ladder before eventually becoming the CEO of 'a cellphone distribution company.'
An entrepreneur who became a millionaire at age 36 has revealed why he left the business world behind to pursue his bizarre hobby full-time
George Appling, 54, from Austin, Texas, fell in love with all things medieval after he attended a Renaissance fair as a kid
He became a millionaire by the time he was 36, and while he enjoyed the work he was doing, he knew deep down 'it wasn't his passion.'
'I was helping rich companies get richer. That was fine, but I wasn't sure it was my entire life,' he explained to Business Insider recently.
All the while, his love of the Renaissance period was still burning inside of him, so on his 40th birthday, George made the decision to quit his high-paying tech job to focus on that instead.
'On that day, I vowed I would switch from doing what the world wanted me to do to what I wanted to do,' he said.
George recalled 'walking in' to his first Renaissance fair as a child and immediately feeling like he had 'found his home.'
'My spirit came into my body, and I felt like I belonged,' he added. 'I love the music, the animals, the craftsmanship - just everything.'
After his revelation on his 40th birthday, he began thinking about how he could combine his knowledge about business and his love of the Renaissance period, and suddenly an idea dawned on him.
'When I did the math, I realized that someone was making a lot of money running the Renaissance Festival,' he explained.
But it never occurred to him that he could make a living out of his passion, so when it became time for him to head off to college, he decided to pursue a career in business
For years, he worked his way up the corporate ladder before eventually becoming the CEO of 'a cellphone distribution company,' and he was a millionaire by age 36
'I realized I could create a business opportunity from my passion.'
In 2010, he launched the Sherwood Forest Faire, an event in Austin, Texas, held for a few weekends in the spring that offers over 150 live performances including jousting, falconry, fire juggling, knife throwing, sword fighting, and even a castle siege.
Thanks to his dedication and hard work, George - who performs as a sword fighter at the event - has now turned the endeavor into a booming event.
During the summer, he also hosts a camp where kids 'can have hands-on learning experiences with everything from blacksmithing to horse riding.'
'I also co-own a mead business, sell historical weapons and armor, and rent castles,' he shared.
But his love of the Renaissance period was still burning inside of him, so on his 40th birthday, George made the decision to quit his high-paying business job to focus on that instead
In 2010, he launched the Sherwood Forest Faire, an event in Austin, Texas, held for a few weekends in the spring that offers over 150 live performances
On the side, the former tech mogul also uses his expertise to do 'executive coaching,' where he helps teach others how to start their own businesses.
He also launched a software company with a friend in 2015, that he still 'helps operate.'
'The most important thing to me is the joy that the fair and its summer camp bring to people,' he concluded.
'I want that to be my legacy, and I've set up a trust to continue the fair even after I die.
'When I'm on my deathbed, I want my last words to be "the show must go on."'
