I'm Richard
I'm a communications executive, entrepreneur, publisher, and podcast host. But more importantly, I'm someone who's endlessly curious about why we think the way we do and how the assumptions we make quietly shape our lives.
Why I Wrote This Book
If you’ve made it this far, thank you. Whether you’re here because someone recommended the book, you stumbled across the title, or you’re simply curious, I appreciate you taking the time to learn a little more about me.
Professionally, I’ve spent more than two decades helping organizations navigate some of their most important conversations. I’ve worked with professional sports organizations, nonprofit organizations, entrepreneurs, law firms, and executives, helping them communicate with clarity, build trust, and navigate difficult situations.
But none of those titles explain why I wrote this book.
The truth is, I didn’t set out to write a self help book. I wrote this book because I became fascinated by something we all do without realizing it, and I needed to evolve.
We assume.
It Was Never About the Toilet Paper
Most people will make up their minds about this book before they ever read the first page. Others may assume it’s a joke or move on without giving it a second thought.
That’s okay.
We overlook ordinary moments, dismiss simple ideas, and walk right past things that could change the way we see the world.
This book sits beside a dumpster in this image for a reason. Not because it belongs there, but because some of life’s greatest truths are often discarded before they’re ever discovered. We become so focused on finding extraordinary answers that we miss the extraordinary lessons hidden inside ordinary experiences.
Don’t Assume There’s Toilet Paper doesn’t promise to fix your life or hand you a formula for happiness.
Instead, it offers something far more valuable.
An invitation to slow down.
To notice.
To question the assumptions you’ve been carrying.
To become more present in the life that’s already unfolding around you.
Because the biggest breakthroughs rarely come from dramatic moments. They come from finally paying attention to the ones we’ve been overlooking all along.
Why This Matters
Once I recognized that pattern, I started seeing it everywhere.
I saw it in business meetings. I saw it in leadership. I saw it in relationships, families, and friendships. Maybe most importantly, I saw it in myself.
Over the years, I realized that many of our biggest frustrations don’t begin with dramatic mistakes. They begin with ordinary assumptions that quietly go unnoticed until they don’t.
My career reinforced that lesson. Most communication problems don’t happen because people have bad intentions. They happen because someone assumes a message was understood, assumes someone else is handling it, or assumes there will always be another opportunity to have an important conversation.
The same thing happens in life.
Beyond the Book
Outside of work, I’m a husband, stepfather, grandfather, publisher, sports fan, entrepreneur, and someone who genuinely enjoys good conversations. The kind that continue long after everyone has left the room.
I’m fascinated by human behavior, communication, leadership, philosophy, behavioral economics, and the ordinary moments that often become life’s greatest teachers.
That’s really what this book is about.
Not bathrooms. Not toilet paper. Just paying closer attention.
What I Hope You Take Away
I don’t expect everyone to agree with every page in this book. That’s not the point.
My hope is simply that you’ll slow down long enough to notice a few assumptions you may never have questioned before.
If this book causes you to have one better conversation, appreciate one ordinary moment a little more, or ask yourself one better question, then it will have accomplished exactly what I hoped it would.
The biggest communication problem we have isn't what we say, it's everything that happens right before we say it.
READY TO START READING?
The conversation starts with one simple question.
Why didn't I check?
