The Chicago Journal

The Chicago Journal
The Chicago Journal

Maj. Gen. John L. Barry Explores Leadership and Constitutional Restraint in Power and Peril

The Chicago Journal Staff on September 2, 2026

By: Seth Adams

Maj. Gen. John L. Barry, USAF (Ret.), has spent much of his career working in environments where leadership decisions carried consequences far beyond a single office or organization. After more than 30 years in the United States Air Force, followed by senior roles in education and nonprofit leadership, Barry is drawing on that experience in his book Power and Peril, an examination of leadership, constitutional restraint, institutional strength, and the historical forces shaping the United States.

Barry’s military career included service as a fighter pilot, combat veteran, and graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School. He rose to the rank of Major General and held senior positions during Desert Storm, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the strategic transformation of the U.S. military after the Cold War. As the Air Force’s lead strategic planner in the Pentagon, he survived the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He later concluded his military career as a board member and executive director of the Columbia Space Shuttle Accident Investigation following the 2003 loss of Columbia.

Those experiences helped shape the central question behind Power and Peril: how can a nation maintain strong leadership without allowing power to outrun the institutions designed to constrain it?

“I wrote Power and Peril from the perspective of someone who has spent a lifetime leading organizations where decisions carried real consequences, from military command and national security to education reform and institutional leadership,” Barry said. “Throughout those experiences, I came to appreciate that history repeatedly demonstrates both the importance of effective leadership and the necessity of strong institutions.”

The book is organized as a series of historically grounded essays examining presidential power, constitutional government, national security, economic competition, artificial intelligence, political polarization and the pressures facing democratic institutions. Barry says his intent is not to provide a partisan argument or predict a specific political future. Instead, he uses history to place current debates in a broader context.

“Rather than predicting the future, I use history to provide perspective,” Barry said. “At its core, Power and Peril argues that America’s enduring strength depends not only on military and economic power, but on resilient institutions, informed citizens, civic responsibility, strategic leadership, and a continued commitment to the constitutional principles that have sustained our republic for nearly 250 years.”

Barry’s post-military career gave him another vantage point on institutional leadership. As superintendent of Aurora Public Schools in Colorado, he led a district of approximately 40,000 students and 60 schools. His tenure included work on an early concurrent enrollment model connecting high school students with college credit and workforce pathways. He later served as president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver and as president and CEO of Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.

Across those roles, Barry says one leadership principle remained constant.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is the longevity of institutions that matter more than the temporary leaders who are charged with their care,” he said. “Great leaders eventually leave. Strong institutions endure.”

That idea runs throughout Power and Peril. Barry frames constitutional guardrails not as barriers to leadership but as part of the architecture that allows democratic systems to survive changes in personalities, parties and circumstances. The book’s chapters consider the evolution of executive authority, America’s changing role in the world, civil-military relations, manufacturing, technological disruption, cybersecurity and the gradual ways democratic institutions can weaken.

Today, Barry serves as chair of the Air Force Historical Foundation and vice chair of the National Aviation Hall of Fame. A 1973 honor graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, he also holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Oklahoma. He served as a White House Fellow at NASA during the Challenger era and later studied national security leadership at Harvard Kennedy School.

Barry’s awards include Colorado Superintendent of the Year, induction into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame and the Colorado Titan 100 CEOs Hall of Fame, the White House Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and the FAA Master Pilot Award.

For Barry, however, the larger goal of Power and Peril is less about presenting credentials than encouraging readers to examine the choices facing democratic societies with historical perspective.

“My purpose is not to tell readers what to think, but to encourage them to think more deeply,” he said. “History is far more than a record of past events; it is one of our greatest strategic resources.”

As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the American Republic, Barry’s book asks readers to consider how leadership, restraint and institutional resilience can work together in periods of rapid change. Its central warning is concise: “Power itself isn’t the danger. Unrestrained power is.”

Power and Peril is available on Amazon.

At Tellus, President & CTO Jeromee Johnson Is Building Against the Gambling Generation

The Chicago Journal Staff on September 2, 2026

By: Jay Kt

Tellus president and CTO Jerome “JJ” Johnson was travelling through Europe with his family after a company all‑hands meeting. He was determined to savor the sights and sounds of this trip, though still fresh from his team gathering, his mind was still colored with business and tuned to patterns concerning finance. This may be why he noticed something that gave him pause to open Google Maps and do some digging. He saw an abundance of sports‑themed betting shops flashing by the window as often as bakeries or cafes.

Maps revealed more than three dozen within walking distance, a small urban constellation of temptation. “It made visceral what I’d been mulling for months: my children will inherit a financial system that’s been engineered to turn them into gamblers,” Johnson said. For him, the worry isn’t limited to bookmakers’ shops; it speaks to a wider drift in consumer finance toward products that reward perpetual engagement and speculation over steady, long‑term saving.

From online sportsbooks and zero‑commission brokerages to crypto apps and short‑dated options, the mechanisms differ, but the incentives are familiar: the platform prospers when the user keeps playing. “That tilt toward betting rather than sound personal finance is deeply troubling,” Johnson warned. “It fosters a kind of financial nihilism and does real harm to people’s futures.”

That conviction shapes the operating philosophy at Tellus, a Silicon Valley-founded fintech and proptech company launched in 2016 by Rocky Lee and T Zhu.

The company operates three distinct products: a rewards-based cash account, property management software, and a separately run real estate lending business. The Tellus cash account rewards users for saving rather than spending. Tellus is not a bank, and the account is not FDIC-insured.

Together, the platform is designed to make tools tied to real estate more accessible to everyday Americans, without presenting itself as an investment product or passive wealth machine.

Johnson: ‘The Incentives Here Are Not Subtle’

Tellus’ approach is shaped in part by Jeromee Johnson’s background in markets and the systems that either stabilize or distort financial behavior.

Before joining Tellus App, Johnson was a key member of the executive team at BATS Global Markets as it grew from a single equity exchange into one of the world’s largest cross-asset exchange operators. He built the BATS Options Exchange from inception and, after the 2010 Flash Crash, led a cross-market effort to modernize circuit breakers and harmonize obvious-error trading rules across U.S. exchanges.

He later led global markets at Miami International Holdings. Earlier, he co-founded 3D Markets, the first equity options dark pool in the United States.

That background matters because Tellus does not treat consumer financial products as neutral tools. The company views them as systems that shape behavior, with guardrails and consequences.

“Most of my career was spent in market structure, exchanges, dark pools and crossing networks, incentives,” Johnson shared. “The incentives here are not subtle. Low friction, mobile-first, immediate gratification, always-on access.”

In that kind of environment, the average consumer entering a betting app or speculative trading platform does not have the protections of an institutional trading firm, with risk desks, position limits and best-execution benchmarks. They have a screen, a payment method, and an invitation to keep acting.

Tellus was built around a different premise. Its founding insight was that real estate has long been one of the primary drivers of generational wealth in American life, while the systems around saving, renting, property management, and access to capital have often been fragmented or difficult for individuals to navigate.

On the consumer side, Tellus users set goals, claim Boosts, take quizzes, build streaks, and earn rewards through their own engagement on a platform powered by real estate. On the property management side, landlords and real estate investors use software tools to manage rent collection, tenant communication, maintenance requests, and daily operations.

Distinct from its consumer products, Tellus also operates a real estate lending business that provides short-term, business-purpose financing secured by residential real estate.

Tellus App Builds With Technology Through Forge Labs

Tellus expects its leaders and teams to get their hands on new technology rather than study it from a distance.

“We don’t stay informed by reading about technology; we stay informed by building with it,” Johnson said. “Reflexive use of AI is our default starting point for the team.”

That habit runs through Forge Labs, an internal program with a simple idea behind it. Engineering and operations get in a room on a regular basis and look at what is changing in the product and what customers are really doing with it.

“The market itself tells you the truth faster than any report does,” Johnson said.

The company is weaving AI deeper into how it runs.

“We’re integrating AI into how the company operates, top-to-bottom, rather than bolting it on,” Johnson said. “The key operating discipline is to focus on solving the structural problems. That keeps us aligned rather than running in circles chasing symptoms.”

Four values anchor the company: Integrity First, One Team No Walls, Intentional Communication and Impact Driven. Inside Tellus, those words are meant to guide how people actually work, not just hang on a wall.

“People here aren’t motivated by activity,” Johnson said. “We’re motivated by the difference between a problem existing and a problem solved.”

The Culture Behind The Product

Fast-growing companies often confuse momentum with progress. Tellus tries to manage against that by focusing on accountability and clear communication.

“We manage outcomes, not motion,” Johnson said. “People know what they own and what ‘good’ looks like, and we keep the feedback loop short so problems get diagnosed early instead of discovered late. I’d rather have an honest conversation today than a surprise next quarter.”

That operating style shapes how the company hires, manages and retains talent. Tellus looks for people who can carry a problem forward without waiting for a manager to define every step.

“Ownership,” Johnson said, when asked what qualities the company looks for in new talent. “We look for operators who run toward the hard part of the problem instead of around it, and who can hold a high standard without needing to be managed into it.”

The same mindset informs the company’s view of benefits and retention. Compensation and flexibility matter, but Tellus sees them as baseline expectations rather than the core reason strong employees stay.

“The real benefit is the work and the autonomy to do it well,” Johnson said. “We aim for the strong employees and then trust them with consequential problems. Competitive compensation and flexibility matter, but those things are just table stakes. What retains people is a culture where their judgment is respected.”

Taking the Case to Washington

Tellus’ critique of speculative consumer finance has also extended into the regulatory debate around prediction markets.

Johnson recently filed a public comment with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, not because Tellus is regulated by the agency, but because the products under review are increasingly reaching the same consumers financial technology companies serve every day.

At the center of the comment was a question about whether certain event contracts have a real economic hedging purpose.

A contract tied to a Federal Reserve rate decision may have natural hedgers, such as banks, fixed-income managers, or corporations with floating-rate debt. But many sports or entertainment-related contracts can look less like risk-transfer instruments and more like betting pools dressed in market language.

“The economic purpose test existed for a reason,” Johnson shared. “That reason hasn’t gone away.”

The distinction matters to Tellus because product design should be judged by the behavior it rewards. A platform can look innovative while still pushing users toward short-term activity that does little to improve their financial lives.

“The antidote isn’t a financial literacy campaign,” Johnson said. “It’s financial products whose business models are actually aligned with the long-term wealth outcomes of the people using them. Products that make money when their customers build wealth, not when they trade, swipe or bet.”

That is the broader context for Tellus’ operating strategy. The company has raised more than $26 million, including seed funding from Andreessen Horowitz, and reached profitability under Johnson’s operating leadership. It continues to build across consumer financial tools, property management software and separately operated real estate lending, while executing toward long-term scale.

Tellus is betting its future on products and a culture that can hold up under both market pressure and regulatory scrutiny.

“Creativity doesn’t come from a brainstorm,” Johnson said. “It comes from giving capable people real problems and the room to solve them.

The financial system Johnson worries his children will inherit rewards speed over patience. He is trying to leave them at least one company built the other way.

Disclosure: The information presented in this article is for informational purposes only and reflects information available at the time of publication. Tellus is not a bank and is not FDIC-insured. Readers should conduct their own research and consider relevant professional advice before making financial or business decisions.

Chicago Bears Trade Gervon Dexter to Falcons on Cut Day as Rookie Jordan van den Berg Reshapes the Defensive Line

The Chicago Journal Staff 2 on September 2, 2026

The Chicago Bears traded defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. to the Atlanta Falcons on August 31, dealing a former second-round pick and three-year starter on the final day of NFL roster cuts in exchange for cornerback Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth-round draft pick. The move, executed just nine days before the Bears’ regular season opener against the Green Bay Packers, sends a clear signal about the organization’s confidence in rookie defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg, a sixth-round selection from Georgia Tech who dominated training camp and preseason to the point where the Bears deemed a proven starter expendable.

Key Takeaways

  • Gervon Dexter started 33 games for the Bears from 2023 to 2025, recording 115 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 42 quarterback hits, and 10 tackles for loss during his three seasons in Chicago.
  • Rookie Jordan van den Berg, the 213th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, earned first-team reps during the final week of training camp and posted an 87.5 Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade across three preseason games.
  • Bears GM Ryan Poles executed the trade with Falcons GM Ian Cunningham, his former assistant general manager and close friend who was named Atlanta’s GM this winter.
  • The Bears’ secondary has been battered by injuries throughout camp, with Kyler Gordon, Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, and Coby Bryant all missing time, making the acquisition of Phillips III an immediate need.
  • Van den Berg, a South African-born former rugby player who did not play American football until his sophomore year of high school, scored a 10.00 Raw Athletic Score, ranking second among all defensive tackles evaluated since 1987.
  • The Bears open the 2026 regular season against the Packers on September 9 at Lambeau Field.

The Trade Prioritizes a Sixth-Round Rookie Over a Proven Starter

Trading a consensus starter with less than two weeks before the season opener qualifies as one of the more aggressive moves Ryan Poles has made since taking over as the Bears’ general manager. Dexter was not a Pro Bowl talent, but the production was real and consistent. The Bears selected Dexter with the 53rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, using a second-round selection they had acquired from the Baltimore Ravens in the Roquan Smith trade. Dexter started from day one as a rookie and appeared in every regular season game across his three seasons in Chicago. His 13.5 career sacks, 42 quarterback hits, and 115 total tackles represented dependable interior production on a defensive line that has lacked disruptive playmakers for most of the Poles era.

What changed the calculus was the emergence of van den Berg. From the opening days of training camp at Halas Hall, the sixth-round pick separated himself from the depth chart. By the second week of camp, van den Berg had progressed from third-team reps to working with the first-team defense. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen described the progression in blunt terms: “When you start off with the [third-stringers] and then all of a sudden you show up and you catch our attention, then we’ve got to find ways to get you some reps with the twos, and if you continue to catch our attention, then we’ve got to find some ways to get you some reps with the ones because that’s really how you evaluate what you have in the player.”

The preseason games reinforced what the practice field had shown. Van den Berg finished three exhibition contests with five pressures, two run stops, and four tackles, earning Pro Football Focus grades of 80.2 overall, 87.5 in the pass rush, and 61.2 against the run. His Week 2 performance against the Cincinnati Bengals was the standout: three tackles (two solo), two pressures, two run stops, and the highest defensive PFF grade on the team at 90.9. Head coach Ben Johnson did not hedge when asked about what the coaching staff had seen. “He’s a beast. He’s an incredible athlete,” Johnson said. “He’s still learning the game of football to a degree, and yet it’s amazing.”

Van den Berg’s Path From South African Rugby to the Bears’ Starting Lineup

Van den Berg’s backstory adds a layer to the football evaluation. The defensive tackle was born in South Africa and grew up playing rugby before his family moved to the United States. Van den Berg did not play American football until his sophomore year at Providence Christian Academy in Lilburn, Georgia. The late start meant a steep learning curve, but the raw physical tools were immediately apparent. At Georgia Tech, van den Berg developed steadily across four seasons before his production surged in 2025 with 44 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and three sacks, earning first-team All-ACC honors.

The NFL Combine quantified what scouts already suspected about van den Berg’s physical profile. His Raw Athletic Score of 10.00 out of a possible 10.00 ranks second among the 2,098 defensive tackles evaluated since 1987, trailing only Jordan Davis, the Philadelphia Eagles’ first-round pick from the 2022 draft. That combination of elite measurables and limited football experience is precisely why the Bears were able to draft van den Berg in the sixth round and why they believe the ceiling is still far above what the preseason tape has shown. Parker Conley, van den Berg’s high school coach at Providence Christian, described the rookie as “one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met,” noting that the same competitiveness the Bears have praised in camp was evident from the day van den Berg first put on pads.

Veteran defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, who signed with the Bears in free agency this offseason, offered the most telling endorsement from the locker room. “His understanding of the game is improving every day,” Gallimore said. “I just love his competitiveness.” Gallimore added that van den Berg required none of the typical hand-holding that rookies need to understand practice tempo and expectations: the urgency was built in from the start.

Clark Phillips III Addresses a Secondary in Crisis

The return piece in the Dexter trade was not an afterthought. The Bears’ secondary has been one of the most concerning position groups in camp, with injuries stacking at a rate that threatened to undermine defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s press-man scheme before the season even started.

Cornerback Kyler Gordon has not practiced during the entire preseason due to a calf injury that the organization has described in increasingly terse terms, with Johnson offering curt one-word responses when asked about Gordon’s timeline. Jaylon Johnson appeared to hurt his right arm during a joint practice in late August. Tyrique Stevenson has been in and out of practice with a leg injury. Coby Bryant, a significant free-agent signing, suffered a serious knee injury in the opening days of camp and is expected to miss the majority of the season. Safety Cam Lewis, who began camp working at slot cornerback, was moved to safety after Bryant’s injury depleted the depth chart.

Phillips III, who started seven games and appeared in 21 others across three seasons in Atlanta, provides immediate depth at a position where the Bears had almost none. A triceps injury in Week 4 of the 2025 season cost Phillips the remainder of that year, but the Falcons’ coaching staff praised his performance in training camp before the trade. Pro Football Focus graded Phillips as the 20th-ranked coverage cornerback in the league in 2024, tied with Gordon, giving the Bears a player whose coverage metrics align with the starters he may need to replace. The Bears released cornerback Terell Smith to make room for Phillips on the 53-man roster, a move that suggests the coaching staff views Phillips as a better fit for Allen’s scheme despite Smith recording two pass breakups in the preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans.

The Poles-Cunningham Connection Made the Deal Possible

The trade was facilitated by a relationship that predates both general managers’ current roles. Falcons GM Ian Cunningham spent years working under Poles as the Bears’ assistant general manager before being named Atlanta’s top executive this winter. The two remain close friends, and the familiarity between the front offices allowed a deal of this complexity to come together on the busiest transaction day of the NFL calendar. Cunningham knows exactly what Dexter brings to a defensive line, having been part of the Bears’ scouting and development staff during Dexter’s first two seasons.

For the Bears, the trade nets a 2027 fifth-round pick alongside Phillips, adding future draft capital while solving an immediate roster need. For the Falcons, Dexter represents a 25-year-old interior lineman with three years of starting experience and a contract that remains affordable through the 2026 season.

The Bears Enter September With Questions Beyond the Defensive Line

The Dexter trade was the headline transaction on an active cut day for the Bears, but the roster that will take the field against the Packers on September 9 carries additional uncertainty. Johnson has not confirmed whether wide receiver Luther Burden, one of the Bears’ key offseason additions, will be healthy enough to play in Week 1. The secondary’s injury situation remains fluid, with Gordon’s availability for the opener still unclear. And the interior defensive line, for all of van den Berg’s promise, now relies on a sixth-round rookie, veteran Grady Jarrett, and a collection of free-agent signings in Gallimore, Kentavius Street, and James Lynch to generate the interior pressure that Allen’s defense requires.

The gamble is straightforward. The Bears believe van den Berg’s athletic ceiling and preseason production project to a higher trajectory than what Dexter offered as an established player. If van den Berg’s development continues at the pace the coaching staff has observed since May, the trade will look like the moment the Bears found their defensive tackle of the future in the sixth round. If the rookie’s learning curve flattens against regular-season offensive lines, the Bears will have traded proven production for potential at a position where reliability matters more than upside. The first real test arrives September 9 in Green Bay.

FAQs

What Did the Bears Receive in Return for Gervon Dexter?

The Bears received cornerback Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth-round draft pick from the Atlanta Falcons. Phillips started seven games and appeared in 21 others over three seasons with the Falcons and was graded as the 20th-ranked coverage cornerback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus in 2024.

Who Is Jordan van den Berg?

Jordan van den Berg is a rookie defensive tackle from Georgia Tech whom the Bears selected in the sixth round (213th overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft. Born in South Africa, van den Berg grew up playing rugby and did not start playing American football until his sophomore year of high school in Georgia. Van den Berg posted a perfect 10.00 Raw Athletic Score at the NFL Combine, ranking second among all defensive tackles evaluated since 1987.

Why Did the Bears Trade Dexter Before the Season Opener?

Van den Berg’s dominant training camp and preseason performance gave the Bears confidence that the rookie could absorb Dexter’s role on the interior defensive line. The trade also addressed a secondary depleted by injuries to Kyler Gordon, Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, and Coby Bryant by bringing in Phillips III as immediate cornerback depth.

When Do the Bears Open the 2026 NFL Season?

The Chicago Bears open the 2026 regular season on September 9 against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Head coach Ben Johnson has not confirmed whether wide receiver Luther Burden will be available for the opener.

How Does the Bears’ Defensive Tackle Room Look After the Trade?

The Bears’ interior defensive line now features veteran Grady Jarrett as the projected starter alongside van den Berg, with free-agent signings Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street, and James Lynch providing depth. The group will need to replace the 33 starts and 13.5 sacks that Dexter accumulated across his three seasons in Chicago.

What Thirty-Five Years of Helping People with Low Vision Stay Independent Finally Looks Like When Someone Writes It All Down

The Chicago Journal Staff on September 2, 2026

By: Roxanne Jeffrey

There is a kind of knowledge that accumulates through sustained, direct work with real people facing real challenges that no amount of research or clinical training can fully replicate, and Patrick J. Fischer has been accumulating that kind of knowledge for more than thirty-five years. He still works full-time providing products, training, and lifetime support to individuals who are blind or visually impaired through the company he has owned and operated since before most of the assistive technologies described in this book even existed. When someone with that depth of frontline experience writes a guide to life with low vision, the result is not a general overview assembled from secondary sources. It is the distilled intelligence of someone who has seen nearly every version of the challenge and has thought carefully about what actually helps.

Fischer writes with the directness and the warmth of someone accustomed to meeting people at a difficult moment and helping them find their footing. He does not lecture or oversimplify. He shares what he knows in the way that someone shares knowledge they have earned through close attention to other people’s actual experiences, with enough specificity to be genuinely useful and enough humanity to make the reading feel like a conversation rather than a manual. That quality of voice, direct and caring and precisely calibrated to the real needs of its audience, is what distinguishes this book from more clinically oriented treatments of vision rehabilitation and low vision services.

The book’s practical architecture is one of its most significant contributions. The range of services available to people with low vision is genuinely complex, spanning state agencies and federal programs and veterans’ services and private rehabilitation providers and assistive technology companies and workplace accommodation frameworks, and making sense of it without a guide is an experience that many people with low vision describe as nearly as disorienting as the vision loss itself. Fischer maps out those options with the clarity of someone who has been helping people work through them for decades, identifying not just what exists but how to access it and what to expect when you do.

The book’s treatment of assistive technology is similarly grounded in real-world experience rather than product catalog enthusiasm. Fischer knows from direct work with thousands of clients which tools actually make a difference in daily independence and which ones require more support than most people realize to use effectively, and he shares that knowledge with the honesty and the practical wisdom that the subject deserves. For anyone at the beginning of a low vision journey and trying to understand what tools, technologies, and services might help them build the independent life they want to live, this guidance can make a real difference.

Navigating Life with Low Vision by Patrick J. Fischer brings the low vision services, technology, and rehabilitation options together in one place for readers who have found them complex or hard to access. The book is available on Amazon and reflects more than thirty-five years of frontline work in the field.

Creating Inspirational Stories Out of Family Memories

The Chicago Journal Staff on September 2, 2026

By: Gamaliel Noel

For Daniel Buehler, storytelling involves more than just writing kid-friendly novels. It is about sharing the humor and adventure that give life purpose, cherishing family ties, and conserving memories.

Daniel, who was raised in Grayslake, Illinois, loved sports, the great outdoors, and the small pleasures in life. Over his more than 21 years as a versatile soccer player, he developed a competitive spirit and an appreciation for teamwork that would later affect many aspects of his life. Daniel followed a number of interests after graduating from North Park University in Chicago. He eventually became a businessman, poet, YouTuber, and children’s author.

He continues to create a creative world motivated by positivity, family, and imagination while living in Florida with his wife, Diana, and their daughter.

A Family-Based Tale

A strong bond with family lies at the core of Daniel’s writing.

In a recent interview, he said paying tribute to his father through his writing has been the most fulfilling part of his publishing career. Stories and memories passed down through his family inspired many of the concepts and characters in The Great Gaga Laga series. “The biggest part for me is dedicating it to my father,” Daniel stated. “He can see that his ideas and the characters he brought to life are now reaching children and families.”

For Daniel, publishing a book is more than a personal goal. It’s a chance to save family memories and pass them on to the next generation.

Making Young Readers Happy

According to Daniel, stories ought to make readers happier than when they started.

He gave a straightforward response when asked what he wanted people to remember most about his work: “I think it’s something that is fun and enjoyable and brings happiness to their lives.”
His books all exhibit this optimistic outlook. His stories, full of heartwarming moments, humor, and adventure, inspire families and kids to laugh together and appreciate the ordinary experiences of life.

Inspired by Adventure

Daniel, like many writers, draws inspiration from the authors he respects.

He instantly brought up best-selling novelist Dan Brown when asked which writer he would most like to eat dinner with.

“I like the historical aspect he puts into his books,” Daniel said of Brown’s skill at fusing mystery, adventure, and history into gripping tales that keep readers turning pages. “They’re adventure stories with twists, and they’re very compelling to read.”

Daniel’s storytelling, which relies heavily on imagination and curiosity, shares that same spirit of adventure.

Why His Stories Matter Today

Daniel believes stories that unite people still have great value in a world increasingly shaped by technology and constant distractions.

“I think it’s time to get back to our values,” he stated, adding that he hopes his books inspire families to slow down, spend time together, and rediscover the joy of sharing stories. “To our humor in life and talking with each other about stories we can connect with.”

His writings remind us that spending time with loved ones, having simple conversations, and laughing together can create some of life’s most meaningful moments.

What’s Next for Daniel Buehler

Daniel is just beginning his writing career.

Having already completed two more books in the Great Gaga Laga series, he plans to continue expanding the world he has created. In addition to publishing new stories, he plans to bring the characters to life through animation, audiobooks, educational materials, collectibles, and other family-friendly endeavors.

His objective is clear: he wants to engage with more families and provide children with more
opportunities to enjoy storytelling.

A Lasting Legacy

Daniel Buehler remains committed to the principles that matter most: family, optimism, humor, and tenacity, whether he is writing, producing content, or spending time with his loved ones.

He is creating more than just a compilation of children’s books with The Great Gaga Laga series. He is crafting tales that honor creativity, strengthen familial ties, and remind readers of the value of joy and exploration. Daniel’s goal of telling stories that unite people and make readers smile long after the last page is turned has not changed as he develops as a writer.