When I saw that minibus floating on the lake on Thursday, July 3rd, I absolutely lost it. I started screaming, “Mini bus on the water!” and running around the porch like a wild woman. My husband thought something was seriously wrong. But to me, something was very right. Because what I was witnessing wasn’t just a floating bus—it was a floating dream.

Todd Fowler’s story is cool. But it’s more. It’s a powerful reminder of what happens when you fully embrace who you are. Not only is that minibus the hippie ride of my dreams, but it’s also a symbol of what it looks like when someone listens to their gut, lives with intention, and follows joy wherever it leads.
And yet… why is it so hard for most of us to do the same? Why do we struggle to show up as our raw, unfiltered selves? Why do we silence our intuition in favor of logic?

Last week, I received the Gold award for Best Innovator—and I didn’t nominate myself or ask for a single vote. The community made that happen. And I’m beyond honored. Innovation, to me, lives at the intersection of doing and dreaming. So if this recognition means I’m getting that right, even a little, I’m deeply grateful.

But I’d be lying if I said I always feel like I’m getting it right. Some days, it feels like I’m failing at myself. Maybe it’s because Todd has the minibus and I don’t. He built his own reality. But here’s the thing: so can we.

Every day, I talk to people who are juggling work, families, obligations—holding everything together with quiet strength. And what I want to say to them is this: Let it go. Just for a day. Let it fall apart. See what happens. I know it’s terrifying—I do. But we’ve been taught to fear the unknown. To grip tighter. To control every outcome.

What if we stopped? What if we allowed ourselves to get unstuck from the paralysis between doing and dreaming? What if we believed, even for a moment, that dreaming isn’t just for “special people”? That maybe—just maybe—we’re worthy of doing what we love and being paid for it?

Todd’s floating bus reminded me: joy is a compass. And when we follow it, we don’t just float—we fly.

Jen Bailey

Hi! I’m Jennifer Bailey and I partner with entrepreneurs who have massive ideas that could change the world. Most marketing is meaningless. Filled with empty promises, its only job is to bring in new traffic, new leads, and new customers. But I’ve drawn a line in the sand, and I’ve learned that marketing can do so much more than reach business goals and build profit. My methods give businesses the fire and soul they need to reach the right people, set the groundwork for sustainable relationships, and offer true value to the people on both the giving and receiving ends of marketing.

Read more about me here