Hey, I’m Eric.
(You can also call me Dodds)
A little more about me
I grew up in the Bay Area, played every sport imaginable, and made money in odd ways as a teen. Selling candy at school, a dog walking business, flipping stuff on Craigslist. Looking back, I was a creative entrepreneur long before I knew what that meant.
At 18 I moved to San Diego for college and played lacrosse at San Diego State. I picked San Diego because I could see myself living here after graduation, and that one decision shaped the next decade of my life.
In my 20s I worked at tech startups and became a director at a VC-backed company by 25. I also co-founded a creative studio, where we produced short films for 8 and 9 figure brands.
(This motorcycle surf trip down the CA coast is my favorite.)
In my late 20s I quit drinking, got into endurance sports, paddled 23 miles across the Catalina Channel, and became an Ironman. Each one taught me I was capable of more than I thought, and that confidence carried into everything that came next.
On paper, life was good. But I couldn’t shake the feeling I was playing the wrong game.
So right before I turned 29, I blew my life up and moved to Portugal to go all in on my own projects. I wanted to write, create, and share, and figured mastering organic content would let me build whatever I wanted long term.
The beginning was the darkest chapter of my life. I had no friends and no community, I was alone in a foreign country, my visa almost got cancelled, and I was committed to a path I didn’t even have the skill set for yet.
But I got clear on where I wanted to go, spent 1,000+ hours studying psychology and modern media, experimented and iterated, and ultimately built an audience of 67k+ and a business around my creativity.
About two years later, I’m back in San Diego with a business I’m obsessed with and a life I love. It feels like I went on a quest and became the version of myself I always wanted to be. And the best part is, I’m still just getting started.
What I do now
Today that little business does six figures plus in profit per year. I write for 2 hours every day, and it’s the foundation of everything I do:
The Dodds Letters: A weekly letter on story, leverage, and designing a life and business you’re obsessed with.
1:1 consulting: I’ve helped 55+ founders and experts turn their story and expertise into brands that attract clients and opportunities.
Retreats: Small-group trips for founders and creators. So far we’ve been to the Lofoten Islands in Norway and a beach house in San Diego. Next up is New Zealand.
When I’m not writing, you’ll find me surfing, training for something that scares me, or exploring around the world.
(I’ve also failed at many things along the way, but that’s showbiz baby.)
What I believe
Define your own game, or someone else will define it for you.
Building a brand online around your natural interests and expertise is a cheat code for the modern world.
Ambition and a good life can go together. The goal is to combine art, work, and play into a single masterpiece you call your life, by following your natural curiosity and solving problems in a way you enjoy and the world rewards you for.
I’ll leave you with this.
Life’s short and you’re going to die.
So pursue audacious goals and strive for greatness at what you do, but don’t forget to smell the roses along the way.
The journey is the whole point.
Rooting for ya.
-Dodds
PS. If you have a specific ask or want to collaborate, you can reach me at eric@thestoryhaus.com.
If you want to get my weekly letters, drop your email here.