From the Casino Floor to Entrepreneurship: Life Lessons from the Tables

Why staying open to new opportunities changed everything.

Before I launched DBR Bookkeeping, before I was consulting entrepreneurs and analyzing financials, I was working in a world that couldn’t seem more different—the casino industry.

I received my table games training in Las Vegas, dealt at the World Series of Poker in the summer of 2019, and eventually worked as both a dealer and a “suit” (supervisor) with Cherokee Entertainment. It was fast-paced, high-stakes, and full of interesting people.

And I loved it.

One of the things I enjoyed most was interacting with customers from all walks of life. I’d always ask them what they did for a living. I was genuinely curious. Entrepreneurs, doctors, truck drivers, retirees—you name it. Each person had a story, and I loved learning from them. In many ways, that curiosity helped spark my passion for business and understanding how people make and manage money.

Working in casinos gave me a whole new perspective on risk, psychology, and human connection. But more importantly, it added to my life’s diversity of experiences—from military service, to academia, to the gaming floor. All of it helped shape who I am and what I value today.

That season of my life reminded me of one important truth: be open to new opportunities.

If you had told me back then that I’d one day be running a bookkeeping firm in Northwest Arkansas, I would’ve laughed. But here I am—doing work I love, helping business owners thrive, and using everything I’ve learned along the way to make a difference.

The path to purpose isn’t always a straight line. Sometimes it weaves through unexpected places, like poker tables and pit floors. And that’s okay.

Whatever chapter you’re in right now, keep your mind open. You never know where it might lead.

Let’s start Doing Business Right!