SOHK Origin

The impetus to the creation of the School of Hard Knocks began when my wife, Shauna, presented me with a certificate of achievement for Christmas many years ago acknowledging that I was successfully completing an Advanced Ongoing Course in the Field of Life.

You see, I (Thomas H. [Tom] Fairbanks) have been involved in real estate, business, and economic development for the last 40+ years; specializing in incubation facilitation, which is an economic lifeline of business support, resources, and services that accelerate the growth and success of startup and entrepreneurial enterprises.

A man with extensive experience in the integration of business, real estate investments and personal development. My extensive entrepreneurial career began with my first sole entrepreneurial effort at the age of 22. I am a continual student in human behavior and participated in the development of a personal and professional development-training program used to educate clients and incubate companies.

A firm believer in the power of association, and my extensive hands-on education has helped me to develop and author the concepts of SupplyLine Economics©, and Collaborative Business Systems©.  Having witnessed firsthand the abuses of ethical violations in business, I became an active proponent of fair play and community advocacy and my efforts led to the formulating of the “Principles of Good Business©” which I believe is the core foundation of healthy business and community development.

Around June of 2013, a friend, who had just accepted responsibility for facilitating the self-employment program at the Logan Utah LDS Employment Center, called and asked me to assist him, as a volunteer, in fulfilling his assignment to conduct the Church's Self-Employment Workshop. Over a period of about four and a half years it has been my privilege to share, with literally hundreds of people, some of the principles and strategies, contained herein.