AP-01 / The Work

I like making
things real.

Businesses. Brands. Rooms. Teams. Ideas.

Some work starts with a plan. Some starts with a problem. Most of it gets figured out along the way.

§ 01 — Project Index

The Index

Built & building
Ongoing
Black and white photograph of the 1896 Lounge Café storefront in Hagerstown, Indiana
1896 Lounge CaféAP-W / 01
01Current / Operated
Hospitality / Community / Food + Drink

1896 Lounge Café

A small-town café built to feel like more than a place to grab coffee.

Hospitality, food, community, events, and building something local people actually want to gather around.

Black and white photograph of a built Jeep Gladiator marked Fighting for Success in the garage
Intimident / The Dent ShopAP-W / 02
02Built / Operated
Automotive / PDR / Culture

Intimident / The Dent Shop

Years in paintless dent repair turned into businesses, brands, crews, tools, and a whole lot of lessons about building in a niche industry.

Black and white photograph of a gym tank reading Excuses Are Lies You Tell Yourself
TechpinAP-W / 03
03In Progress
Wrestling / Apparel / Culture

Techpin

A wrestling-driven brand exploring apparel, competition, identity, and the culture around the sport.

Black and white photograph of Payne H-Town wrestling coaches walking a school hallway
Hagerstown WrestlingAP-W / 04
04Current
Team / Leadership / Culture

Hagerstown Wrestling

More than wins and losses. A long-term effort to build toughness, standards, identity, and belief in a small-town wrestling program.

Black and white photograph of Anton Payne recording the Fighting for Success podcast on set
Fighting for SuccessAP-W / 05
05Current
Media / Conversations / Storytelling

Fighting for Success

Conversations with athletes, entrepreneurs, fighters, and people who have learned something from getting hit.

Black and white photograph of a Hagerstown volunteer crew gathered after a community cleanup
Community ProjectsAP-W / 06
06Ongoing
Community / Action

Community Projects

Sometimes the work is not a business. Sometimes it is showing up, organizing people, solving a problem, and doing what needs done.

Statement§ 02 — On building

I'm less interested in “having ideas” than in finding out if they actually work.

The fun part is turning something from a conversation into a real thing — with customers, problems, payroll, pressure, and consequences.

§ 03 — In motion

What I'm Building Now

Current / 001

New Business

To be announced
Current / 002

New Brand

To be announced
Current / 003

New Idea

To be announced