A family business, here in Greenville.

About two years ago I started experimenting with stories and illustrations for my own children. Duke’s Big Walk and several meditations came first. Then we expanded into more illustrated art, and into working with businesses, a world I know from 20 years in sales and business.

My father, Albert (Bert) Arends, was a Dutch-born American immigrant and larger than life. He was the best father I could have asked for, he loved children, and children gravitated to him. He is the inspiration for all of this. Through God, his love of children inspired me to create, build, and put smiles on the faces of families.

A portion of every order supports The Albert Fund, which gives direct support to children and families across Upstate South Carolina in his name. You can read more about him there.

I am originally from Michigan. Leah is from Greenville, and we met here when my business relationships brought me to the Upstate. Greenville is where we have built our life and where our three children are growing up. Two are in school here now, and our third starts next year. Leah and I are both approved Level II volunteers with Greenville County Schools, which includes a criminal background check. I’ve coached youth soccer through the Kroc Center and the YMCA. We live and work here, and this is home.

Before this, I spent 20 years in sales and business with large consumer-goods and family-owned companies, most recently leading a 20-person sales team across the Southeast with a multimillion-dollar budget. I know what a business wants from a vendor: clear pricing, a simple process, and someone who answers the phone.

I left the corporate world to build my own companies. Story Night Studios is my full-time business. I also run Cardinal Systems & Strategy, which builds CRM and automation systems for small businesses and advises on AI.